Bowling Green at Michigan 11/25/20 - College Basketball Picks & Predictions

The Bowling Green Falcons visit Chrysler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Wednesday to play the No. 25 ranked Michigan Wolverines in the opening game of the college basketball regular season for both. Bowling Green has been competitive in the Mid-American Conference for the past two seasons finishing second in the East division in both years. Despite losing Dylan Frye, Bowling Green will have a good chance to reach the NCAA tournament this year.

The top returning players for Bowling Green are guard Justin Turner who scored an average of 18.8 points per game, guard Daeqwon Plowden who scored an average of 12.7 points per game and guard Caleb Fields who averaged 6.6 points per game last season. Four freshmen join the roster and will see time off the bench. Justin Turner is expected to battle for conference player of the year and will be the big scoring threat for the Falcons while Plowden will be the other main threat scoring, especially if the guard’s outside shot starts to fall.

Early last season in head coach Juwan Howard's first year with Michigan, the Wolverines were No. 4 in the country following a 7-0 start. However, the Wolverines finished 19-12 and a disappointing 10-10 in the Big Ten. Xavier Simpson and Jon Teske are no longer with Michigan but three other starters return and a talented recruiting class with a minimum of one graduate transfer gives Howard plenty of choices in his second year at the helm and assures Wolverines fans of a place at the Big Dance in March.

Forward Isaiah Livers is the leading scorer returning from last year. The senior averaged 12.9 points per game last season and is joined by forward Franz Wagner who averaged 11.6 points per game last season and Eli Brooks who averaged 10.6 points per game last season. Transfer Chaundee Brown is awaiting the approval of a waiver in order to play. Mike Smith transferred from Columbia and four freshmen also join the roster. Livers is an excellent shooter from three-point territory, while Wagner started all 27 games last season and was a member of the Big Ten all-freshman team.