After more than a week off after winning the Players Era Championship, Michigan basketball starts its foray into Big Ten play with a home game against Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights have struggled so far this season. They are 5-4 overall. They are also 0-1 in the Big Ten after a home loss to top-ranked Purdue this week.
The third-ranked Wolverines present another huge challenge. The same Gonzaga team they beat by 40 defeated Kentucky by 30 last night.
Rutgers ranks 304 in points per game. The Scarlet Knights' defense is ranked 100th, allowing 69 points per game. Their 2-point defense has been solid, too, which is essential against Michigan. Overall, though, this is a team that lacks talent, and it will need a lot to go right to upset the Wolverines as a 22.5-point underdog.
Dylan Grant is having a nice sophomore season, scoring 15.3 points per game. He's also shooting 51 percent overall and 42 percent from 3-point range. Tariq Francis (6-1) is the other double-digit scorer (12 ppg). Emmanuel Ogbole (6-10) is their big man with an average of 6.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Here are three keys and a prediction.
Show up mentally
Michigan basketball can't get too caught up in everyone saying how great they are. Handling success is always difficult to do and that's the challenge for this team.
Rutgers shouldn't stand a chance against Michigan. But if the Wolverines aren't focused, the Scarlet Knights are scrappy enough to make his an ugly, defensive game, especially if Michigan basketball gets into one of those 3-point shooting slumps.
If the Wolverines play the same intensity that they did in Las Vegas, this should be over by halftime.
3-point shooting
Rutgers is shooting 35.5 percent from 3-point range. That ranks the Scarlet Knights 120th in college basketball. However, the 3-point defense has been atrocious. Teams are shooting 36.4 percent against Rutgers (311th) and Michigan should be able to take advantage.
The Scarlet Knights have one solid big but nobody who should be able to deal with Aday Mara and Morez Johnson. Michigan should dominate in the paint, which should lead to some open looks.
Knock those down with some consistency, and this will be a blowout.
Clean up the glass
Michigan has struggled at times with teams that are good at forcing turnovers. Well, that isn't Rutgers, which gives the ball away nearly as much as it takes it away (11 times per game).
So the extra-possession battle should go to Michigan. The Scarlet Knights allowed Purdue to rebound 37 percent of their misses earlier this week. Even if shots aren't falling, the Wolverines should be able to control the glass.
If they do that, and avoid turnovers, it's hard to see Rutgers keeping it tight, let alone pulling off a massive upset.
Michigan vs. Rutgers prediction
Michigan basketball might have a few sluggish moments after not playing for a week. Yet, the Wolverines will roll. The defense will suffocate Rutgers, leading to some easy buckets, and Michigan wins it 90-65.