THE OFFICIAL RUTGERS-MICHIGAN PREDICTION THREAD

NewJerseyHawk

Heisman
Jan 11, 2007
24,914
40,033
113
Have not participated in the selection thread all year but my guess is Michigan will be about a 8.5 point favorite (Iowa was 6.5 last week and banked a late 3 to make a 10 point margin 13.

8.5 seems like a lot of points to me, but can see a friendly whistle helping Michigan get over 70 points.

My initial thought is always how can RU win and unlike past years, where it involved the opponent letting down or not playing well, there are 3 paths for RU to win.

A) keep game in the 60s

B) Make Michigan play defense for every possession.

C) Avoid cheap turnovers that lead to layups.....make Michigan execute their offense in half court.

None of these are involving Michigan just being overwhelming more talented than RU....I fully believe player for player, Illinois, Iowa and Ohio State are all better than Michigan.

So why not pick RU.....?? There is still a slight fog or mystique that comes with certain programs....it impacts how the game is called by the refs and we saw how in 2 separate and somewhat different circumstances on the road against OSU and Iowa, how some fouls not called on Iowa and some very soft calls against Myles Johnson vs OSU, can impact the path of game.

If I am RU, I would crowd the 3 point line and if any guards try and sag to help out in the post and wind up giving up a 3, that's still a losing strategy. Garza, Fredrick and Bohannon didn't beat RU, Weiskamp did from 3 and he made tough shots.

I would crowd Wagner and Brooks and Livers and make Dickinson get 30+ points against Myles and Cliff to beat RU.....I'm not double teaming the post and leaving shooters open, playing traditional trapping/help defense.....if Myles and Cliff foul out because Dickinson gets going, so be it, I would even rather take my chances with 2s beating RU vs 8 to 10 3s from Michigan....2s will not kill you, but 3s will bury you.

I think RU can pull out a close game in the mid 60s but I don't think RU needs to empty the tank to prove anything at Michigan. RU has a likely streaking Maryland coming in Sunday and that is the key game for RU this week. Win the last 2 home games vs Maryland and Indiana and don't place anything dramatic on this game if RU loses by 7 to 15.

Michigan 68, RU 63....
 
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BillyC80

Heisman
Oct 23, 2006
17,329
15,884
72
Geo........

Rutgers 68
Michigan 67
We picked the same score (see above). The funny thing is, I had also started to write that Geo would win it at the end, and thought better of it. We are of the same mind on this.

I’m curious why some on here are picking a close loss for RU. My attitude is, if we can keep it close then we can win.
 
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YoucancallmeRay

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2015
1,790
1,905
113
No pressure on RU, but they want to prove they can hang with Michigan. However, they'll need everyone to step it up on offense to do so and I don't think Michigan's defense will allow that. It'll be a fun game to watch, imo, but RU will fall short. And the refs won't have anything to do with it.

Mich 75
RU 66
 

snowboarder

All-Conference
Aug 3, 2004
1,001
1,094
113
RU 81
UM 75
2 things must happen
RHJ gets untracked
They let Miles play
If Miles does not get in foul trouble, he can handle almost anyone in the country in the paint
RHJ has to be a factor and eventually he is going to get his shot back
Caleb matches up to Livers pretty well
Jacob matches up to any point guard they can throw at us
Rutgers has to shoot well to win but we are do
Its a year of firsts for RU
First win over UM
UM is number 3 in the country right now.
The first time RU ever lost to UM, we were number 3 in the country
Things seem to work out that way sometimes
 
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Degaz-RU

Heisman
Dec 19, 2002
23,003
28,222
88
Michigan does EVERYTHING well. 50% FG, 38% threes, 76% FTs, 39-31 rebounding differential, 79-65 scoring differential.

They're one potential "weakness" is TOs. They average about 12.5 TOs per game, and only cause opponents 10.8 TOs per game.

I think their size up front is going to take away Myles' offensive game -- not going to be many lobs or alley oops -- making us a jump shooting team, which is not good considering our outside shooting has been awful lately.

It will take a monumental effort on the road, our best game of the season, to beat UM. We will need at least 10 3-pt FGs on no more than 25 attempts. It's not going to happen. We will struggle to reach 60.

Michigan 74
Rutgers 61
 

zappaa

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
75,956
93,104
103
I think we need to play them from the center court line and make the UM guards work to get to the top of the key, make them pick up their dribble and pass.
No hockey power play defense that allows time and space
 

GimmeSomeMore

Junior
Jan 26, 2006
834
366
63
We picked the same score (see above). The funny thing is, I had also started to write that Geo would win it at the end, and thought better of it. We are of the same mind on this.

I’m curious why some on here are picking a close loss for RU. My attitude is, if we can keep it close then we can win.

Free throws, for one.

Of course we can win a close game, but so can UM....
 

RUich

All-Conference
Aug 2, 2001
13,552
4,003
0
Could be that the lack of anyone really thinking they can win may work in their favor. A lot less pressure to play loose. But, if this happens and the game is close in the closing minutes...I think we have a really tough time hanging on.
 

RU#1fan

Heisman
Mar 7, 2003
24,351
12,988
113
If Ron hustles and play defense and we shot better than 60% on FT we win.
 

zappaa

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
75,956
93,104
103
If we have the same ol lineup and substitution patterns, Michigan blows us out. Otherwise we lose by 5.
If we’re getting killed on the boards yet Myles is holding his own as always....play Reiber with him, we might need it to compete.
Or Cliff and Reiber together, we might not score, but we may be able to get defensive rebounds
 
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RUSCFORMERLYRULOU

All-American
Nov 12, 2017
5,607
7,244
103
If we’re getting killed on the boards yet Myles is holding his own as always....play Reiber with him, we might need it to compete.
Or Cliff and Reiber together, we might not score, but we may be able to get defensive rebounds
Rieber or Cliff.
 

RUBlackout

All-American
Mar 11, 2008
11,082
7,397
113
RU 82
UM 76

This will be one where we get out ahead early and a ton of lead changes throughout the game but then we pull away in the end with some clutch shots by RHJ and Geo to seal the victory. We wil see our 3s fall in this game and get us back on track.

The year 202-1 (1 being a lot of firsts and this time we beat Michigan for the 1st time); then we seal our 1st trip to the NCAA in 30yrs
 

Freddy Stubbs

Junior
Oct 25, 2008
376
398
63
Michigan is super athletic, and they shoot the ball very well. Not looking forward to this one.
MU 80
RU 65
 

mikeyoc

All-Conference
Apr 19, 2005
1,250
1,238
113
No pressure on RU, but they want to prove they can hang with Michigan. However, they'll need everyone to step it up on offense to do so and I don't think Michigan's defense will allow that. It'll be a fun game to watch, imo, but RU will fall short. And the refs won't have anything to do with it.

Mich 75
RU 66
Unfortunately I agree. We have only broken the pattern (beat the teams you should beat, lose to the ones who are as good or better) twice --
win vs Illinois, loss vs Penn State. It'll take a monumental effort
to win Thursday. But I bleed scarlet red, so I'll be glued to the
screen as usual.
 

Plum Street

Heisman
Jun 21, 2009
27,305
23,008
0
This is a tall order . On the road . Michigan is good . We won’t get any calls . I would be surprised if it’s ever in doubt . This has getting run out of the gym all over it .
Survive and move on
Michigan 79, rutgers 64
 

zappaa

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
75,956
93,104
103
This is a tall order . On the road . Michigan is good . We won’t get any calls . I would be surprised if it’s ever in doubt . This has getting run out of the gym all over it .
Survive and move on
Michigan 79, rutgers 64
That’s never being in the game for the most part.
I find it ironic our board vigorously defends our team against posters who voice themselves in a concerned fashion.
Relax and enjoy the ride, or you’re a worrywort, be happy.
Then in the same breath predict we get blown out, and the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
The normal excuse and justification for it, is for lack of any explanation “we don’t match up well against them “
 

Plum Street

Heisman
Jun 21, 2009
27,305
23,008
0
That’s never being in the game for the most part.
I find it ironic our board vigorously defends our team against posters who voice themselves in a concerned fashion.
Relax and enjoy the ride, or you’re a worrywort, be happy.
Then in the same breath predict we get blown out, and the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
The normal excuse and justification for it, is for lack of any explanation “we don’t match up well against them “
Yep, Michigan is just really good. We are good, but not really good.
 
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zappaa

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
75,956
93,104
103
Yep, Michigan is just really good. We are good, but not really good.
If Iowa and Michigan were playing today on a neutral court, I’d have no clue who to bet on in a pick-em scenario.
Indiana beat Iowa twice?
 

zappaa

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
75,956
93,104
103
That’s why we watch and enjoy sports .
You’re a good fan Plum, no question about that.
You started a thread “One more Win”
Do you really believe we are in the National Tournament in March playing meaningful games if we end up the season 1-5 ?
 
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