Entering the NCAA Tournament, Texas A&M scared the hell out of bettors and bracket-makers alike. Despite all the inconsistent play and tough-to-watch offensive performances down the stretch, the Aggies have found the right time to click. Can they avoid another dip in play when they take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Sweet 16 on Thursday?
- Michigan is 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games against teams with winning records.
- Texas A&M is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games against the Big Ten.
- Texas A&M C Tyler Davis is averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds per game during the tournament.
Texas A&M did something in the Round of 32 that nobody was able to do against UNC – dominate the glass. The Tar Heels were the top rebounding team in the nation during the regular season but the Aggies outrebounded their opponents 50-36 with all three frontcourt starters notching at least eight boards. Texas A&M plays a disciplined style of basketball – only allowing 19 free throws in the tourney – and plays great perimeter defense.
That means that Michigan is going to need to do a better job at making its shots and relying on trips to the charity stripe. The Wolverines have gone to the line 42 times through their first two games of the tournament, scoring more than a quarter of their points from free throws. That means that Michigan will need a better effort out of Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman against Texas A&M, as the senior is shooting just 7-for-26 from the field and 1-for-12 from deep in the tournament.
Texas A&M Aggies vs Michigan Wolverines Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Michigan Wolverines currently sport a 30-7 record overall in NCAA basketball action, and have posted a corresponding betting slate of 23-12-1 ATS. The Texas A&M Aggies are 22-12 and 15-16 ATS. Betting totals have seen the Wolverines produce a 17-18-1 OVER/UNDER record on the season, while the Aggies have gone 15-15-1 against the totals betting line.
This game puts the Wolverines, most recently No. 70 in the OddsShark power rankings, up against the Aggies, who rate No. 167 in the latest survey.
Statistical Matchup
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Texas A&M Aggies rank No. 2 in NCAA Basketball Division 1 with 41.65 per game. That compares with Michigan’s No. 207 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Michigan is college basketball's No. 53-ranked team at 9 treys per game, while Texas A&M rates No. 210 with 6.68 per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Texas A&M cruised to victory on Sunday, running North Carolina out of the gym and running up a 86-65 score at Spectrum Center.
Michigan got 12 points from Moritz Wagner en route to a 64-63 victory over Houston on Saturday at Intrust Bank Arena.
