CBS

Joey Nowak: Western Kentucky. Central Michigan. Harvard. Just to name a few of U-M’s losses this season. Gosh, we thought last year’s team was bad. Can someone get Tommy Amaker on the phone and bring him back to restore this U-M team to mediocrity? U-M can’t win here. They haven’t in more than 10 years and there isn’t a snowball’s chance that they’ll do it this year. In honor of the Michigan Massacre of 2000 …

MSU 114, U-M 63

Sean Ely: A 5-14 U-M squad coming into Breslin Center against the No. 10 team in the nation? I like the Wolverines’ chances in this one. Their entire pathetic offense comes from two players, they shoot an icy 40 percent on average and they can’t rebound the basketball. That’s why I think U-M will pull off the wi … wait a second, those are all bad things about a team. You know what? Why don’t you just go ahead and scrap the program entirely? It’s not getting any better.

MSU 76, U-M 63

Allison Grant: All right, I learned my lesson going against the Spartans last week. But seriously? This game isn’t even going to be fun to watch other than to see U-M chasing MSU all around the court. MSU is going to laugh the Wolverines out of Breslin Center on Sunday.

MSU 89, U-M 68

Kristi Jourdan: The men’s basketball program at U-M is a joke. The Wolverines haven’t won at Breslin Center since 1997, and the team is 1-6 in the Big Ten. Drew Neitzel’s shooting has this one covered, folks. I’m pretty sure they could just leave Neitzel on the court by himself and he’d be fine against that school down the road. As a matter of fact, Spartans, go ahead and sit this one out. Rest up for a difficult game.

MSU 78, U-M 69

MSU women vs. Minnesota

1 p.m. Sunday

Big Ten Network

JN: This year’s women’s team is oh-so-not-dependable. Just when you think they’re going to turn it around, they lose. Just when you think they’re headed for Big Ten cellar status, they pull it together. One thing is for sure, though — Minnesota is a better team and this game is on the road for the Spartans. Maybe next time.

Minnesota 65, MSU 58

SE: Same story, different opponent. I don’t see any fire being lit under anyone’s behind whatsoever. Suzy Merchant fires me up at her press conferences, but it apparently doesn’t get through to the team. They have a 6-foot-9-inch star who needs to step up, even if other members on her team won’t. There’s potential, girls … we’re all ready to see it. Prove my pick wrong.

Minnesota 62, MSU 56

AG: Sean, Suzy only fires you up at her press conferences because you think she’s hot. As for her team, they haven’t been too focused during games. This is the second time the two teams will meet, and it will end in the same fashion — a full-on battle in the first half and a flat Spartans squad in the first 10 minutes of the second. Kalisha Keane will stay out of foul trouble in this game, however, keeping the matchup close.

Minnesota 68, MSU 59

KJ: Every time I give MSU the benefit of the doubt, they prove me wrong. The team has struggled so much this season, and you can only say it’s because of a new coaching staff so many times. This team has to accept responsibility for its actions, which means maintaining intensity and focus is key to winning against Minnesota. However, MSU can’t seem to claw its way out of this one.

Minnesota 55, MSU 50

No. 6 MSU hockey vs. No. 1 U-M

7:35 p.m. Friday/Saturday

FSN Detroit

JN: U-M is O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D. I’m saying it right now. They don’t have what it takes to make it to the promised land. Just because they’ve got one of the toughest venues in America for its respective sport in Yost Ice Arena, they get the nod Friday. But I’ll be in attendance for Saturday’s game. State will win.

U-M 3-1, MSU 3-2

SE: Oh man, here we go. Two powerhouses in two different arenas on two different nights. Can the Spartans pull off the upset of the year and take down the No. 1 team at Yost Ice Arena? I know they’ll do it at a jam-packed Munn Ice Arena. Jeff Lerg is playing too well right now to let anything fly past him more than once or twice. Just thinking about MSU whizzing into Ann Arbor and stealing a game on their home ice gives me some sort of gut feeling I haven’t had in a while. In this rivalry, I’m gonna be bold.

MSU 2-1, MSU 3-2

AG: It’ll be a rivalry weekend for MSU with three teams facing off against the Wolverines. However, the hockey matchup will be the only challenge for the Spartans. U-M will be bringing a 10-game winning streak into the series along with an offense that has been on fire, averaging 4.2 goals per game in the streak. This will be a split series with the Wolverines extending their winning streak to 11 games before the Spartans storm into Munn to claim the second game.

U-M 3-0, MSU 2-1

KJ: This will be the most contested and evenly matched meeting between MSU and U-M this weekend. The Wolverines are the No. 1 team in the nation, which is something the Spartans can definitely relate to. The defending national champions are ready for this weekend’s series, however, the battle will be split between the two teams. Junior goaltender Jeff Lerg’s phenomenal goaltending will once again play a key role in defeating the school down the road.

U-M 3-1, MSU 3-1