Preview: Michigan at Illinois

[December 30, 2015]  Michigan looks to extend its winning streak to five games when it begins Big Ten play on the road against Illinois on Wednesday. The Wolverines finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with 10 wins for the first time since 2012-13 and hope to build on their success by beating the Fighting Illini for the 10th time in their last 11 games in the series.

Michigan set a new program record by draining 17 3-pointers in the 96-60 victory over Bryant last Wednesday and strives to continue its hot shooting to notch its fourth win in the last five meetings in Champaign. Illinois has posted five consecutive wins following an impressive 68-63 triumph over Missouri on Dec. 23 in the annual 'Braggin' Rights' series. Junior guard Malcolm Hill has started to heat up in the last three weeks as he's scored at least 20 points in each of his last four games and is averaging six rebounds and 3.6 assists during the Illini's winning streak. Illinois hasn't finished with a winning record in the Big Ten in the last five seasons and will likely need to do so to clinch its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2013.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT MICHIGAN (10-3): Caris LeVert registered 19 points, eight assists and five rebounds while Zak Irvin added a season-high 16 points in the win over Bryant. Duncan Robinson went 4-of-8 beyond the arc en route to 12 points and has drained at least three 3-pointers in each of his last nine outings as the Wolverines are shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point range, which ranks 11th nationally. "I like the way that we can spread the floor," Michigan head coach John Beilein told reporters. "We showed a lot of progress in nonconference now we have to carry it over to the conference season."

ABOUT ILLINOIS (8-5): Hill led the way with 21 points in the win over Missouri and has finished in double figures in every game this season while Kendrick Nunn added 19 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. "We've had some ups and downs but we've taken a step forward," Hill told reporters. "I'm just happy to go into a Big Ten home game with some momentum." Hill and Nunn are the highest-scoring duo in the Big Ten as they are averaging a combined 37.2 points per game.

TIP-INS

1. Michigan has won its last four Big Ten openers, including three straight on the road.

2. Illinois head coach John Groce is 1-6 against the Wolverines.

3. The last two regular-season meetings have been decided in overtime.

PREDICTION: Michigan 72, Illinois 71

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