Preview: Michigan Looks to Continue Dominance at Northwestern EVANSTON, Ill. (Interstat) — The nation’s top-ranked team rolls into Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday night as the Michigan Wolverines face the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball matchup. Michigan (22-1, 12-1 Big Ten) has established itself as the class of college basketball, its only loss a 91-88 setback to Wisconsin on Jan. 10. The Wolverines are riding a nine-game winning streak, most recently dismantling Ohio State 82-61 on Sunday behind a double-double from standout forward Yaxel Lendeborg. Lendeborg has been a force, averaging 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds during the streak. He is coming off a 14-point, 14-rebound performance against the Buckeyes. His versatility anchors a deep Michigan squad that also features center Aday Mara, who scored 24 points against Ohio State, and forward Morez Johnson. Northwestern (10-14, 4-9) has struggled in conference play and enters on a three-game skid, including a 76-70 loss at Iowa on Sunday. The Wildcats have found wins hard to come by against ranked opponents and will need a monumental upset to shift their season’s trajectory. Guard Jake West leads Northwestern, averaging 12.1 points and 5.8 assists. He scored 18 points in the loss to Iowa. Forward Nick Martinelli, who had 21 points against the Hawkeyes, provides a secondary scoring option. The Wildcats will need a near-perfect performance to challenge a Michigan team winning by an average margin of 18.2 points during its current streak. The Wolverines’ defense, allowing just 66.2 points per game, will be a primary concern for a Northwestern offense that has been held under 70 points in eight of its 14 losses. This game marks the only scheduled meeting between the teams this season. Michigan’s daunting schedule continues with a home game against UCLA on Saturday. Northwestern travels to Nebraska on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CST Wednesday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.