A quick word from the Stones: MICHIGAN NIGHT AT THE PISTONS is going to be Saturday, March 11th versus the Pacers. Not yet sure if they can wrangle Livers and Beilein for a postgame Q&A or something but I've inquired. Livers is playing 20 mpg these days, and we're trying to get the stadium announcer to switch to a Crisleresque "for THREEEEEEEEEEE" when he gets one. Get ya tickets here. (Also they play Houstan and the Wagners tonight if you want to double-screen it) THE ESSENTIALS WHAT #49 Michigan (15-12, 9-7 Big Ten) at #27 Rutgers (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) Really! WHERE The RAC Piscataway, NJ WHEN 8:30 PM THE LINE Kenpom: RU-6 Torvik: RU-6 TELEVISION FS1 (streaming link) THE OVERVIEW People forget, but exactly one year ago today that Michigan team that made the Sweet 16 for a fifth consecutive season was in almost the same exact position: coming off a recent road loss at Wisconsin and needing a win versus Rutgers to keep their hopes of sneaking into the postseason alive. Three big differences: 1) They only needed to beat one top-30 team on the road in the last two weeks instead of two. 2) It was at Crisler. 3) This time their coach isn't suspended. This isn't *it* for Michigan's tournament chances. They could still pick up Q1 wins at Illinois and Indiana next week, or do something in the Big Ten Tournament. But it's fair to say that the Wolverines need to win at least two of their remaining road games. The win over MSU kept them at at 0.7 percent of getting in, and the 14th team out on Torvik's matrix. A victory tonight would move them up ten spots in that ranking, with a 13% of making it. Lose, and they have to win both of their other two remaining road games. Since selling out the naming rights, the RAC isn't as intimidating. Oh it's still a surprisingly great basketball atmosphere, but Seton Hall, Iowa, and most recently Nebraska(!!!) all managed to pull off the feat this year. That's especially notable because this is arguably the best team in their Kenpom history, its only competition being the 2019-'20 season that ended minutes before tip-off against Michigan in the BTT at the start of the pandemic. Steve Pikiell earned permanent MGo-Respect for building that team out of the Eddie Jordan mess. It took three losses in their last four games to move them out of the Top-25 to the fancystat sites, and out of the Others Receiving Votes of the AP. Buoyed by a win at Purdue and the same excellent defense that's been Pikiell's calling card, they're solidly in the Tournament field. They're also down one of their most important players, so not only could Michigan really use this one more than Rutgers, they actually have a chance to take it. THE US My graphic [click to embiggen]: faq for these graphics Guessing Terrance Williams (knee contusion) and Jett Howard (left Sunday's game after coming down hard on his ankle) both suit up—they're both listed as questionable. Jett lost his star—conversation was before the MSU game. THE LINEUP CARD My graphic [click for big]: A few new/rare designations: = Burlywing. We've been using the term forever; I can't explain why it's taken us this long to include it. I gave it to T-Will as well. = Ghost on offense. The Just-a-Shooter who doesn't even do that. Big who only score dunks and putbacks, or a guard who mostly dribbles it around and passes. = The pogo stick with a broom was something I brought out earlier this year for Virginia's Kadin Shedrick, a similar bouncy rebounding dunker type. [Hit THE JUMP for you only get one shot.]
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