How to watch, prediction for Michigan basketball's showdown vs. La Salle

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines will enter the game 10-0 for the first time since 2020. The Wolverines are set to host the 4-8 La Salle Explorers. La Salle has lost four of its last five games and Michigan is a hefty favorite on Sunday.

Here is how you can see the Wolverines in action, my prediction, and game notes.

How to watch Michigan take on La Salle

Day: Sunday, December 21
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Where: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Network: Peacock
On the call: Paul Sunderland and Tim McCormick
Radio: Michigan Sports Network from LEARFIELD

Prediction

This is indeed one of those 'buy games' in college basketball. The No. 2 Wolverines are hosting a bad La Salle team that is currently 4-8. The Exporers don't have a roster that could contend with Michigan, and frankly, if La Salle makes this a game, that's bad on Michigan.

The Wolverines are just too deep and their front court is loaded. Michigan's big men are too much for high-level D1 programs, let alone a struggling mid-major. Look for Yaxel Lendeborg to keep things rolling and maybe a guy like Trey McKenney can get hot outside for Michigan. Fans would love to see his continued progress.

Final score: Michigan 94, La Salle 52

Game notes

Michigan men's and women's basketball join forces for a holiday hoops doubleheader at Crisler Center on Sunday, Dec. 21, serving up a full day of Maize & Blue energy. The fun tips off at noon as the No. 6-ranked Michigan women's team hosts the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in a festive Holiday Game, with the first 750 fans receiving a free set of two coasters. The No. 2-ranked Wolverines cap the day at 4 p.m., welcoming the La Salle Explorers for Kids Day and a Wolverine Kids Club Game, featuring kid-friendly activations, special in-game promotions, and bonus loyalty points for Kids Club members

There has been just one previous meeting between Michigan and La Salle, coming at the 1975 Las Vegas Holiday Classic (Dec. 29), where the 16th-ranked Wolverines earned an 86-71 victory. That season proved to be a memorable one for the Maize and Blue, as it advanced all the way to the national championship game, falling to top-ranked Indiana, which completed a perfect 32-0 season.

The Wolverines' 10-0 start to the season marks the sixth time U-M has begun a season with 10 straight wins. It also marks its the best start since 2020-21, when U-M started 11-0 en route to an eventual Big Ten title and Elite Eight run.

Michigan leads the nation and Big Ten at 21.3 assists per game. U-M has 25+ assists in three of its last four games and five total on the season. Eliot Cadeau leads the Wolverines with 6.1 per game.

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