Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines lost three games before the NCAA tournament, and only three Division I teams won a larger share. Against the spread they were 15-19.

31-3, and 15-19

Michigan went 31-3 and scored 86.82 points a game; ten Division I teams scored more. They were favored in 33 of 34 games, and 18 of those spreads were 15 points or more; they covered 8 of those 18. Over the whole season they covered 15 times in 34.

Two months against the number

January was 8-1 straight up and 2-7 against the spread. March, through the Big Ten tournament, was 4-1 and 0-5: the 71-67 win over Ohio State and the 68-65 win over Wisconsin both fell short of 12.5, and the final was lost 80-72 to Purdue at -245.

Unbeaten away

Michigan won all 11 road games, yet covered only 4 of them, a 36.4% rate with 45 teams posting a lower one. All four road covers came with Michigan laying 8.5 points or fewer, at Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue and Illinois; laying 9.5 or more away from home, they covered none of six. On the moneyline those 11 road games made 3.1 units, more than the home games, where a unit on each lost 0.4.

The most expensive result was at home: Wisconsin won 91-88 on 10 January with Michigan priced at -4000.

One unit, every game

Over the 31 priced games the moneyline made 2.76 units. The one game as underdogs, against Gonzaga in November, ended 101-61 to Michigan at +136.

The total

Michigan’s games stayed under 21 times in 34 and went over 13, and 39 teams had a higher under rate, one the same.

After the Big Ten final Michigan won six straight in the NCAA tournament, from Howard 101-80 to UConn 69-63 in the national championship game.

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