Ohio State vs. Michigan: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

Only one game separates Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten standings as the rivals prepare to clash on Saturday night. When the teams met earlier in the season, the Buckeyes locked down the Wolverines en route to a 64-49 victory.

Ohio State has won seven of its past eight games, including a 10-point triumph over Minnesota on Tuesday. The combination of talented forwards Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas is a nightmare matchup for basically every team in the nation.

Michigan, on the other hand, relies on outside shooting to generate offense. The trio of Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Zack Novak jack up nearly 14 threes per game, and when their shots are falling, the Wolverines become virtually unstoppable.

Where: Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.

When: Saturday, Feb. 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN or ESPN3.com

Listen: WBNS 1460 AM (Ohio State) or WWJ 950 AM (Michigan)

Betting Line: Not yet available

Key Injuries (via USA Today)

Ohio State: No injuries to report.

Michigan: Eso Akunne (out; foot), Jon Horford (questionable; foot) and Carlton Brundidge (questionable; illness)

What's at Stake?

It's a virtual conference regular-season title elimination game for Michigan. A loss would drop the Wolverines two games behind Ohio State with just four games left in Big Ten play. Making up that type of ground would be difficult with how good the Buckeyes have been playing.

Don't think Thad Matta hasn't been preaching that to his team since Wednesday. A road win over their fierce rivals would leave Michigan State as the only team between the Buckeyes and a regular-season crown. That should be more than enough of motivation for Ohio State.

What They're Saying

Ohio State guard William Buford said all the right things about his team's win over Minnesota in a report from Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch:

"

You always have to play hard and keep five guys together. Even when things are going bad, don’t separate. You’ve got to stay together. That’s what us as captains have been trying to do, and the team understands it. They understand what we have to do to be successful the rest of the season.

"

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press passed along some thoughts from Michigan head coach John Beilein about his team's Big Ten chances:

"

Our thing is very similar to what Bo (Schembechler) talked about. We're trying to be champions of the Big Ten, but we're trying to be champions of life. We talk about that all the time. It's not just about life, and it's not just about the Big Ten. We're trying to do both.

They know the standings, so you just do the math and see right away if you win, we have a great opportunity here against a great team (in Ohio State).

"

Most Important Player to Watch: Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)

Sullinger continues to prove why he's one of the top NBA prospects in the nation with dominant performances. He's averaging 18 points and nine rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the floor despite playing in an elite conference.

If Michigan wants to prevail on Saturday, finding a way to keep him under control is the team's top priority. The best way to do that is actually by attacking him on the offensive end. He tends to get into foul trouble due to overzealous play on defense.

Key Matchup: William Buford vs. Tim Hardaway Jr.

Buford had one of his worst shooting games of the season in the first meeting, but the Buckeyes were still able to pull out a win due to their strong defense. He'll need to have a much better performance this time around if Ohio State is going to sweep its rival.

Even though Hardaway had 15 points and five rebounds last time around, he didn't get enough help from him teammates. He needs to come out with the same intensity and hope to get some more support. A couple early threes could be all it takes to give Michigan the boost of confidence it needs.

Whichever guard can give their team the upper hand on the perimeter will likely come out on top.

Prediction

Ohio State 68, Michigan 64