3 Predictions for Michigan Basketball against Rutgers
Michigan basketball will travel to Rutgers on Tuesday for what’s essentially a must-win game for the Wolverines. Here’s a breakdown and three predictions.
Most people didn’t expect Michigan basketball to be squarely on the bubble and 7-5 heading to Rutgers for the restart of Big Ten play but that’s where the Wolverines find themselves.
They are 1-1 in Big Ten play, so all hope is not yet lost in the Big Ten, but Michigan basketball is probably going to need 10-11 wins to reach the NCAA tournament and that’s not a promising thought when faced with U-M’s daunting schedule.
This week features a road game against Rutgers. Michigan has dominated Rutgers over the years, but as we have all seen, this is a different Michigan basketball team.
One stat that illustrates that as well as any other is that in terms of turnover margin, Michigan currently ranks 313th, which explains the record.
Protecting the ball was always a strength of Michigan basketball but it’s been an issue all season long. So has the shooting and frankly, the lineup combinations.
The defense, or lack of it, has also been an issue.
Rutgers isn’t lighting the world on fire right now either and is also 7-5. And if you can believe it, Rutgers shoots the ball worse from 3-point range than Michigan. Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker are still the stars of the show for the Scarlet Knights, along with 6-foot-11 Clifford Omoruyi.
Baker missed a few games earlier in the season but he’s back and remember, just last month, the Scarlet Knights knocked off top-ranked Purdue.
So this will be a battle and here are three predictions.
Hunter Dickinson has a big night
Rutgers has decent size throughout its roster but just a couple of guys who can really go head-to-head with Hunter Dickinson. Omoruyi will take him on and I’d expect some double teams to try and force the ball out of his hands.
Regardless, Dickinson needs to have a big game. He needs to set the tone defensively and on the glass. Plus, he’s gotta bring it offensively. If Hunter wants to get drafted into the NBA in 2022, he needs to start playing better because I don’t see how his stock has improved.
His defense has been awful at times and his post-up game hasn’t dramatically improved (it was already really good). He struggles with many of the same things he did last season — lack of a right hand, inconsistent jumper, etc.
He’s improved in those areas but not enough that it’s really impacted Michigan on the floor. He’s made a 3-pointer in three different games. It was a huge factor against San Diego State when he went 3-for-3 in his best game of the season — also Michigan’s most impressive win.
The Wolverines need more of that and they need a 20-point night from Hunter, which I’m going to say they get. He thrives on the road and I’m betting we’ll see a jumper or two to get things going. Plus he should excel on the offensive glass and if he avoids foul trouble, he’ll get a double-double.