The last few weeks have been a trying stretch for the Michigan men’s basketball team. Over their last four games, the Wolverines are 2-2 and have struggled to put away lesser opponents in both of those wins. Players and coaches have been clear about a need for increased intensity and improvement from game to game, and Saturday’s matchup against Rutgers will be a prime chance to show that.
The Scarlet Knights aren’t anywhere close to the top of the Big Ten standings this year with an 4-6 conference record, but their talent is as potent as any team. The freshman duo of forward Ace Bailey and guard Dylan Harper, two players projected to be NBA lottery picks this summer, can single-handedly carry Rutgers on any given night. Tuesday, for example, Bailey scored 37 points with Harper out, lifting the Scarlet Knights to a win over Northwestern.
“(I) struggled to get some sleep last night because of (Bailey),” Michigan assistant coach Drew Williamson said Tuesday. “… We talked to our guys about taking the challenge as a group, it’s not going to be a one-person deal to guard him.”
The challenge of guarding Bailey — and Harper if he’s healthy — will be a perfect opportunity for the Wolverines to show where practice can translate to games. After being blown out by Purdue last Friday, Michigan was challenged to get more physical, but also to handle a frenzied away environment better.
Jersey Mike’s Arena, also known as the RAC, is a unique environment that can get quite loud. The Wolverines looked shell-shocked in Mackey Arena a week ago, so they will need to weather any storm found in the RAC this weekend and prove they can work under adverse conditions away from home.
“Yeah, it’s so weird, no one ever really talks about it,” redshirt junior forward Will Tschetter said. “… But that place is right up there with (any), straight up, noise comes right down. Tough place to play, but we’ve talked about it. I don’t think after last Friday we’re taking any game on the road for granted or underestimating any environment.”
It can be hard to prepare for such an environment, especially when Michigan has only one shot at playing there this season. But after last week’s result to the Boilermakers, the Wolverines know they have to embrace the noise better.
Other than the mental aspect of playing away from home, Michigan has emphasized physical play, and Rutgers presents a good opportunity for that as well. As a young team, obviously led by Harper and Bailey, the Scarlet Knights are also known for their scrap.
“You gotta match physicality,” Tschetter said. “I think that’s gonna be a big thing, Rutgers has got some scrappy dudes. … We’re really gonna be able to see that level of physicality again on Saturday and continue to develop it.”
The challenges that Michigan has looked to overcome all season haven’t been quick fixes. Whether it be turnovers and rebounding, or crazy environments and physicality, these aspects of the game take time to polish. For example, the Wolverines posted their first under-10 turnover game of the season on Monday after struggling with ball control for months.
While time certainly is starting to run out, as the Scarlet Knights are Michigan’s 10th conference game of the season, the Wolverines can take opportunities like Saturday’s game to keep building their physicality and prove that what they focus on in practice can translate to the game.
The post Michigan aiming for continued improvement on the road at Rutgers appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
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