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Purdue Fort Wayne visits Michigan basketball Monday night in what should be an entertaining matchup. Fort Wayne finished last season 21-11 and fell to Northern Kentucky 57-43 in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals. However, they have a slew of seniors returning this season and carry the third-shortest odds to win the Horizon. Going up against the Michigan Wolverines will not be an easy start to the season, so our experts broke down the matchup.
Let’s dive into their Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball prediction with odds provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
FORT WAYNE VS. MICHIGAN PREDICTION: Over 149.5 points (-110 at Caesars)
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Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball prediction
Michigan basketball opens the season with a home matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne, and we anticipate a high-scoring contest. Our experts’ Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball prediction is for the game to finish with over 149.5 points, and you can sign up at Caesars Sportsbook through this link to fade or follow this pick using first-bet insurance.
Michigan is coming off an up-and-down season that ended in a 63-55 defeat to Villanova in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Overall, it was a strong showing from the Wolverines after they snuck into the tournament as an #11 seed. The bad news for Michigan is that seven of the top 10 scorers from last year’s team are gone, but there’s a caveat because All-American center Hunter Dickinson will be back in the fold.
The Wolverines will likely rely on Dickinson heavily to start the year, and the junior averaged 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game last season. He carries the sixth-shortest odds to win the Wooden Award (+2800 at FanDuel Sportsbook), so we think head coach Juwan Howard will constantly feed his big man in the post to start the season. Fort Wayne doesn’t have anyone on their roster taller than six-foot-nine-inches, and we don’t foresee them slowing down the seven-foot-one-inch Dickinson.
We think the visitors will continuously double Dickinson Monday night, which should free up shooters for Michigan. While the visitors will likely struggle to slow down the Wolverines on offense, we think they will be able to stay in the game with their elite three-point shooting. The Mastodons shot 37.3% from three as a team last season, and three different players made 60 three-pointers or more.
Fort Wayne head coach Jon Coffman is known for his three-point shooting offense, and we think the visitors will knock enough down to keep Monday’s game close. Michigan’s defense has improved as the season goes on under Howard, but since he took over in 2019, the Wolverines’ opening games have finished with 150, 178 and 164 points.
We anticipate more of the same this season, and our Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball prediction is for the game to finish with over 149.5 points.
Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball spread and pick
Michigan is a -15.5 favorite against Purdue Fort Wayne Monday night, but our experts decided to target the game total (over/under) instead. The Wolverines should pick up a win in their season-opening game against Fort Wayne, but the visitors have enough talent on offense to make Monday’s matchup interesting. Fort Wayne’s Jarred Godfrey, Deonte Billups and Bobby Planutis are all threats from deep, while Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson should dominate the paint against smaller opposition.
Overall, both teams have strengths on offense that should overpower the defenses from both teams, so the best way to wager on Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball is on the total.
How to bet on Over 149.5 at Caesars Sportsbook
Our experts backed their Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball at Caesars Sportsbook, and you can click here to sign up. Caesars is a leader in the sports betting industry and offers competitive lines for college basketball. Additionally, all new members can receive first-bet insurance worth up to $1,250.
If you lose your first wager worth up to $1,250 at Caesars, you’ll be refunded with a free bet equal to the amount you wagered. Therefore, you’ll either receive profits from a winning wager or a free bet as a refund, so there’s no downside to claiming this offer when you sign up at Caesars Sportsbook.
Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball odds provided by FanDuel for Monday, 10/7
Fort Wayne is a +15.5 underdog with -110 odds against Michigan, who are -15.5 favorites with an identical -110 price at FanDuel Sportsbook. The game total (over/under) for the matchup is 149.5; the over has -114 odds, while the under’s price is -106. A $114 bet on the over profits $100 if there are 150 points or more, while a $106 bet on the under returns $100 of winnings if there are 149 points or fewer.
Click here to sign up at FanDuel Sportsbook to receive a No Sweat First Bet to fade or follow our experts’ Fort Wayne vs. Michigan basketball prediction.
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