How to Watch, Score Prediction for No. 3 Michigan Basketball vs. No. 8 Michigan State

No. 3 Michigan will wrap up its regular season with an in-state rivalry game against Michigan State on Sunday. The Wolverines already got the better end of the Spartans after defeating MSU earlier this season, 83-71, in East Lansing.

When the two teams matched up this season, Yaxel Lendeborg scored 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Elliot Cadeau hit a late three to help Michigan pull away. The Wolverines have already won 23 of their 28 games this season by 10 or more points, and Michigan has been one of the most dominant teams in the Big Ten.

On top of this being a rivalry game, Michigan will honor its seniors on Senior Day. Lendeborg, Roddy Gayle, Will Tschetter, and Nimari Burnett will be honored as four pivotal players who have helped the Wolverines achieve a Big Ten title this season.

Sunday will mark Michigan's second game without backup point guard L.J. Cason, who tore his ACL in a win over Illinois. The Wolverines were sloppy against Iowa, turning the ball over 18 times. It was a learning experience without Cason, and Michigan has just one more game to fix mistakes before tournament play begins.

How to watch

Day: Sunday, March 8
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: Crisler Arena (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Network: CBS
On the call: Ian Eagle, Grant Hill, and Bill Raftery
Radio: Michigan Sports Network from LEARFIELD

Score Prediction

Whenever Michigan - Michigan State square up, it's a physical game. Last game, MSU guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had some questionable plays against the Wolverines, but still scored 31 points. Michigan didn't back down from the Spartans and earned a 12-point win.

MSU is going to remember that home loss it suffered at the hands of Michigan and the Spartans are hoping to ruin Michigan's Senior Day. Fears Jr., Coen Carr, and Jaxon Kohler are all looking for big games against their arch-rival.

Like most games for Michigan, it feels like this comes down to taking care of the basketball and allowing the bigs to dominate. Morez Johnson, Aday Mara, and Lendeborg have a clear advantage and should impose their will in the paint. MSU doesn't have an answer for Mara — or Johnson when he bullies down low.

However, even if Michigan's bigs do well, the Wolverines can't turn the ball over 18 times again. Michigan needs Elliot Cadeau to take care of the ball, and its backups to come in and run the offense smoothly when Cadeau has to sit on the bench.

It will be the second game Michigan has to play without Cason, and the Wolverines are still trying to figure things out, but I look for Michigan to finish with a win.

Final score: Michigan 85, Michigan State 80