ESPN predicts Michigan basketball's fate against Auburn in the Sweet 16

Trent Knoop | Mar 26, 2025

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After escaping UC San Diego in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and coming back to handle Texas A&M in the second round, Michigan men's basketball will take on the top-seeded Auburn Tigers in the Sweet 16. Although Auburn lost three of its last four games to end the season, not many people are giving Dusty May's squad much of a chance on Friday night -- including all three experts over at ESPN.

Jeff Borzello, Joe Lunardi, and Myron Medcalf predicted every game in the Sweet 16 and all three of them agree Auburn will take down the maize and blue.

Borzello: Auburn 82-77
Medcalf: Auburn 76-72
Lunardi: Auburn 80-70

Michigan has won with a pair of 7-footers in Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin captaining Dusty May's offense. But Auburn, which boasts a top-75 defense, has four players -- including National Player of the Year contender Johni Broome-- with the length to pressure the opposing team's most important players. Broome will lean into his versatility as an excellent passer and playmaker to put pressure on Michigan's big bodies. And while the Wolverines' recent foes have done the same, giving Michigan's guards more openings on the perimeter, the Tigers' Tahaad Pettiford and his fellow guards won't let that happen.

Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Tigers have the 9th-best scoring offense in the country, putting up 83.8 points per game, and Auburn blocks the 2nd-most shots per game, averaging six per game. With Michigan wanting to get the ball into the post to Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf, that will be one area to watch on Friday. Michigan will have to cut the turnovers, and if it can do that, the Wolverines have the speed and talent to put up a fight against the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament.

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