Western Kentucky vs Michigan: Odds, Predictions & Key Insights | December 29, 2024

Michigan faces Western Kentucky in a pivotal matchup that sets the stage for challenging stretches ahead for both teams. The Wolverines are sandwiched between three straight top-100 opponents, with a West Coast road trip looming. Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers seek a statement win to bolster their resume before taking on Liberty later this week.

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Western Kentucky vs Michigan Odds

Will Michigan take care of business tonight, or will they be focused on their upcoming West Coast road trip?

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Spread

Western Kentucky: +20 (+105)

Michigan: -20 (-125)

Total

Over: 159.5 (-109)

Under: 159.5 (-111)

Moneyline

Western Kentucky: +1500

Michigan: -4000

Western Kentucky vs Michigan Predictions

Michigan enters this matchup in a classic “top-100 sandwich” spot. Today, they host the Hilltoppers before heading west for a two-game road trip, starting Saturday, January 4th, at USC and wrapping up Tuesday, January 7th, against #22 UCLA. This stretch marks three straight games against top-100 opponents. Western Kentucky is in a similar situation, as they face Liberty in Liberty Arena on Thursday. The Hilltoppers will need a win against either Michigan or Liberty to secure a valuable Quad 1 victory.

Defense Over Offense

Despite both teams ranking in the top 50 in pace, I do not expect as many points as the total suggests. Both programs play strong defense, with Western Kentucky excelling on the road. The Hilltoppers rank in the top 50 in adjusted defensive efficiency, defensive rebounding, and two-point defense. They are also top 20 in effective field goal percentage defense and three-point defense. Offensively, they are not flashy but excel at getting to the free-throw line and converting, ranking top 100 in free throw percentage and top 160 in free throw rate. Haslametrics rates Western Kentucky as the 27th-most consistent team in the country, while Michigan lags behind at 211th.

This will be Western Kentucky’s toughest challenge since their 87-68 loss to Kentucky on November 26th. In that game, the Hilltoppers struggled offensively but limited the Wildcats to under 30% shooting from three. However, they sent Kentucky to the line 42 times, where the Wildcats converted 29 free throws. By contrast, the Hilltoppers attempted only 29 free throws in the entire game. If Western Kentucky can avoid sending Michigan to the line excessively, they have a chance to keep this game within 20 points.

Michigan’s biggest weakness is offensive turnovers, where they rank 24th worst in the nation. At home, it gets even worse, as they are 349th in home turnover percentage. If Western Kentucky can exploit this flaw and generate points off turnovers, they can make this game competitive.

Leaning on Michigan to overlook this game as they prepare for their road trip out west. The Hilltoppers, meanwhile, should be fully motivated, still stinging from their ugly loss to Kentucky a month ago. With plenty to prove, Western Kentucky has the opportunity to make this game count tonight.