Game 13: Maryland at Michigan Preview

After dropping its first game on Saturday, Michigan hosts Maryland tonight (7:00 p.m., FS1) in its second rematch of the year. The Wolverines beat the Terps, 84-73, on New Year’s Eve in College Park thanks to a standout homecoming performance from Hunter Dickinson.

Maryland, like Minnesota, will be eager to prove that it’s capable of playing better. The Terps were without senior glue guard Darryl Morsell in the second half on New Year’s and let the game slip away when Michigan went on a 19-2 run. Michigan will have to wait to see if Eli Brooks is cleared to play after he missed Saturday’s game at Minnesota with a strained foot. The Wolverines have been a significantly better team with Brooks in the rotation, especially when they go to their bench.

Michigan’s 6-0 start in the league established it as a title contender in the Big Ten, but with that hot start comes increased expectations. This is now the kind of game that Juwan Howard’s team can’t afford to lose if it wants to stay at the top of the league standings.