The Michigan Wolverines improved to 23-1 on the season with a 87-75 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats, led by L.J. Cason's 18 points. Michigan's high-powered offense scored 52 points in the second half, outpacing Northwestern's 31 points in the same period. The Wolverines' 12-point margin of victory was shorter than the predicted 22.8-point margin, but still a decisive win. Michigan's NET ranking remains at 1, solidifying their position as a top contender.
L.J. Cason's 18 Points Lead Michigan to 12th Double-Digit Win
The game was closely contested in the first half, with Northwestern taking a 44-35 lead into the break. However, Michigan's offense exploded in the second half, scoring 52 points on 55.6% shooting from the field. The Wolverines' Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. combined for 27 points and 21 rebounds, controlling the paint and dominating the glass. Northwestern's Jayden Reid scored 20 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome Michigan's balanced attack. The Wildcats' 31 second-half points were a significant drop from their first-half total, and they were outscored by 21 points in the final 20 minutes.
L.J. Cason led the way for Michigan, scoring 18 points on 7-12 shooting from the field. Yaxel Lendeborg added 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Morez Johnson Jr. chipped in with 12 points and 9 rebounds. For Northwestern, Jayden Reid scored 20 points, and Nick Martinelli added 18 points and 8 rebounds. Arrinten Page contributed 11 points and 5 rebounds for the Wildcats. Michigan's top performers combined for 45 points and 33 rebounds, while Northwestern's top performers scored 49 points and grabbed 21 rebounds.
CHD Scout Report Card
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Final
Michigan outshot Northwestern 51.6% to 43.1% from the field, and outrebounded the Wildcats 43-32. The Wolverines also outscored Northwestern 34-26 in the paint, and 15-6 on fast breaks. Michigan's bench outscored Northwestern's 20-15, and the Wolverines committed 12 turnovers to the Wildcats' 15. Northwestern shot 33.3% from three-point range, but made just 6-18 attempts. Michigan's 87 points were their 15th highest total of the season, and their 52 second-half points were their highest total in a half since scoring 53 against Purdue on January 20.
The CHD Scout model correctly predicted a Michigan victory, with a predicted margin of 22.8 points. While the actual margin was 12 points, the model was still correct in predicting the winner. The model's predicted score was 65-88, but the actual score was 87-75. Michigan's performance was slightly below expectations, but still a dominant win. The model's accuracy is now 85% on the season, with a 12-2 record in predicting Michigan's games.
This win was a Quadrant 2 victory for Michigan, improving their record to 23-1 on the season. The Wolverines' NET ranking remains at 1, and they are now 14-1 against Quadrant 1 and 2 opponents. For Northwestern, this was a Quadrant 1 loss, dropping their record to 10-15 on the season. The Wildcats' NET ranking remains at 77, and they are now 2-10 against Quadrant 1 opponents. Michigan's victory solidifies their position as a top seed in the NCAA tournament, while Northwestern's loss hurts their chances of making the tournament.
Michigan's next game is against the Ohio State Buckeyes on February 15, while Northwestern faces the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 14. Both games matters in determining the Big Ten standings and tournament seeding. Michigan is looking to continue their winning streak, while Northwestern is trying to bounce back from a tough loss.