Who says big men don’t matter anymore in basketball? Between Auburn and Michigan, these two teams features three of the best bigs in college basketball. Two of those, Johni Broome and Danny Wolf, could be first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
How to watch No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 5 Michigan
- What: South Regional, Sweet 16
- Venue: State Farm Arena — Atlanta
- Time: 9:39 p.m., Friday
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
- Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.
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I’ve said it before: Auburn starts slow. Once the Tigers wake up, they make it hard for teams on both ends of the floor with their depth, length and scoring options. The Tigers have six players who average 9.3 points or more and rank in the top 55 in almost every statistical category on both ends of the floor.
For Michigan to win this game, it will need Nimari Burnett to step up. He scored six points in the first round and was held scoreless in the second. The Wolverines also need to do what they do best: score in the paint. Michigan is 15th in 2-point percentage and the Tigers foul a lot; they are the second-worst team in the field at defensive free-throw rate.
The Wolverines can’t afford to turn the ball over like they have this season (324th in offensive turnover percentage). If they do, this game will get out of hand quickly.
Their X-factor is Tre Donaldson; when he scores at least 16 points, Michigan is 7-0. He is the Wolverines’ best guard and will need to show up for Big Blue to move on to the Elite Eight.
This matchup can also be streamed on the NCAA March Madness Live app and Paramount+.
Auburn vs. Michigan odds
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(Photo of Johni Broome: Andy Lyons / Getty Images