Three Thoughts on Rutgers Basketball's 62-50 win over Michigan
After a tough stretch to end the regular season, ninth-seeded Rutgers was able to stabilize the ship with a big 62-50 win over eighth-seeded Michigan in the second round of the Big Ten tournament at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Here are three thoughts after the game....
A tale of two halves
Despite showing signs of life towards the end of the first half and sporting a 25-23 lead with 1:25 remaining, Michigan answered right back with five straight points to take a three-point advantage into the break. Whether it was poor shot selection or not playing complimentary basketball, Rutgers' first 20 minutes looked a lot similar to how it has played its previous eight games. And then the second half came.
"We're always in this position, it's the best league in the country," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "The challenges are immense everywhere you turn. I just try to get them to stay the course and be focused on what's important."
Not only did the Scarlet Knights hold the Wolverines to just one field goal through the first 19 minutes of the second half and four in total, but it also showed more life offensively as Cam Spencer led the way with 18 points on 6-11 shooting while Derek Simpson added 13 points and five rebounds. Whether it was a change in game plan or players stepping up, Rutgers looked like a different team in the second half and it could not have come at a more crucial time considering it was likely playing with its NCAA Tournament life on the line.
Derek Simpson continues to grow
It seemed as though the Scarlet Knights abandoned the idea of forcing the ball to Cliff Omoruyi on almost every possession and gave the keys to Derek Simpson in the second half, and the move paid dividends as he continued to show why so many are high on his future. Although Simpson's game still has room for improvement, he possesses the type of explosiveness that opposing teams need to keep an eye on and, as a result, opens the floor for Rutgers' other players.
"What I'm most proud of with Derek is zero turnovers in that game," Pikiell said. "We really lost the first game because of our turnovers. I really appreciate all the other guys that came and did what they were supposed to do."
Although the Scarlet Knights might not have a squad capable of making a deep run in March, if Simpson can continue utilizing this aspect of his skillset there is reason to believe Rutgers can get back to being at least somewhat of the team it was prior to the Mawot Mag injury and one that many will not want to see lined up with them on Selection Sunday.
History?
Although this victory might not lock up an NCAA Tournament berth for the Scarlet Knights, it will be hard for the selection committee to keep them out considering the strength of their resume versus that of other teams on the bubble.
"There's no team this year in this league that didn't go through a stretch like that," Pikiell said. "This is the best league in the country and you'd better be able to play through stretches like that. You just stay the course and keep fighting and know that you could beat anybody and know that you could lose to anybody, that's the kind of league it is."
Not only did this win result in Rutgers jumping seven spots to No. 36 in KenPom, but it also likely knocked the Wolverines out of the big dance with Wisconsin getting eliminated a day prior. If the Scarlet Knights want to remove any doubt, they will need to defeat top-seeded and No. 5 Purdue in the quarterfinals. However, there is reason to believe this win likely puts them in the First Four (at worst) or the field of 64 (at best).
At this point though, not many Rutgers fans will complain considering either scenario results in a third straight trip to the tournament which would be a first in program history.
Rutgers will return to action tomorrow when it faces Purdue in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament at noon (ET) on BTN.
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