The Michigan Wolverines could be a team of destiny and standing in their way to the Final Four are the Florida State Seminoles. The Wolverines aim for their 13th win in a row and are coming off a 99-72 thrashing of Texas A&M in the Sweet 16. Michigan opened as a 4-point favorite to knock off a scrappy Florida State squad that sent Gonzaga home on Thursday.
The Wolverines’ 12-game winning streak is impressive when you consider the gauntlet of opponents they toppled to get to this stage. Victories over Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue and Houston is an extraordinary run when factoring in that all of those teams were ranked in the Top 25 prior to the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan pretty much won the game vs Texas A&M in the first half, leading by 24 points, and finished the game hitting 14 of 24 three-point attempts. Forward Moritz Wagner was unstoppable with 21 points and played solid defense against Aggies center Robert Williams. If bettors are looking for any angle for why the Wolverines could falter, it’s worth noting they’re 2-6 ATS in their last eight games vs ACC teams and needed a buzzer-beater to advance past Houston in the second round.
Meanwhile, Florida State’s victory over Gonzaga cannot be overlooked as the Seminoles smothered the Bulldogs on the perimeter, holding the Zags to 5-for-20 from deep. Terance Mann was the leading scorer for Florida State with 18 points and one of the reasons the Seminoles advanced was the scoring from their reserves. The ’Noles bench combined for 30 points and kept their starters fresh for the second half when Florida State outscored Gonzaga 34-28.
The total opened at 143 and while trends are pointing to an OVER, the UNDER should be on bettors’ radars. Michigan is ranked in the top 10 in points allowed per game this season (63.3 points per game) and during its 12-game win streak, the average combined score has been 139 points per game.
Florida State Seminoles vs Michigan Wolverines Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Michigan Wolverines are 31-7 so far on the season, and 24-12-1 vs the number. The Florida State Seminoles, meanwhile, are 23-11 and 18-13-1 ATS. OVER/UNDER bettors have seen Michigan go 18-18-1 and Florida State go 17-15 on betting totals.
The Wolverines-Seminoles odds would favor the Wolverines if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Michigan is rated No. 70 in the current OddsShark poll, while Florida State is at No. 86.
Statistical Matchup
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Florida State Seminoles rank No. 50 in NCAA Basketball Division 1 with 37.82 per game. That compares with Michigan’s No. 209 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Michigan is college basketball's No. 44-ranked team at 9.13 treys per game, while Florida State rates No. 117 with 7.91 per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Seminoles grabbed a 75-60 win over the Bulldogs on Thursday, behind an 18-point effort from Terance Mann at Staples Center.
The battle between the Wolverines and Aggies didn't turn out to be much of a battle at all as Texas A&M was handed a 99-72 defeat on Thursday at Staples Center.