2015-16 rutgers

Video: Rutgers player doesn't realize it's a one-and-one, throws live ball out of bounds for a turnover: pic.twitter.com/RZpFzUNr6n

— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) January 28, 2016

You need to know four things about this game:

1. Michigan couldn't hit a shot. They dug an early hole after starting 0/5 from the field and finished the first half 6/18 from three. The outside shots started falling in the second half, but the Wolverines still finished only 20/49 from the field—not for lack of open looks, but much like the Minnesota game, they missed a lot of shots they'd normally make.

2. Mark Donnal sparked the run Michigan needed. With Michigan losing by three with 5:30 left in the first half, Donnal stuffed a shot by Jonathan Laurent, assisted Aubrey Dawkins for a three on the other end, took a charge, drew a foul and hit both free throws, then took another charge. After that sequence, Zak Irvin hit a three, and Michigan suddenly had an eight-point lead. Rutgers couldn't pull closer than five points for the duration.

3. With 1:30 left in a ten-point game, Rutgers committed a shot-clock violation. That is not ideal.

4. On the next Michigan possession, Irvin missed the front end of a one-and-one, Rutgers center Greg Lewis rebounded the miss... and passed the ball to the official standing out of bounds. It took a while, but we hit peak Rutgers.

Duncan Robinson (18 points, 4/9 3P) and Aubrey Dawkins (11 points, 3/4 3P, one spectacular missed dunk) were the two players who found any consistency with their shot. Zak Irvin went 2/8 from the field but hauled in 12 boards and dished out eight assists.

This was Minnesota 2.0: Michigan proved fortunate to play a bad team when they had an off night. Because that team was Rutgers, they won by double-digits anyway.

THE ESSENTIALS

Right: Sadly, this was still less mean than including a picture of actual Rutgers basketball.

THE US

Caris LeVert still won't be in the lineup tonight, but John Beilein told the media yesterday that there's a timeline—one he won't reveal—for his return:

"Caris has had more testing," he said. "Things continue to go in the right direction, but he is not ready yet. We hope it is very soon, but he is moving in the right direction."

LeVert has not met with local reporters since sustaining the injury. Beilein has repeatedly declined to expand on the specifics, other than to say the program is being "overly cautious" and that it's a "lower left leg injury."

 

Of the aforementioned timeline, Beilein would only say, "For the first time we met and said, 'OK, let's start looking at this date.'"

Michigan plays Penn State at Madison Square Garden on Saturday; ideally, he could work his way back in that game and return to his normal role for next week's home games against Indiana and Michigan State, but that would be a best-case scenario at this point.

THE LINEUP CARD

Projected starters are in bold. Hover over headers for stat explanations. The "Should I Be Mad If He Hits A Three" methodology: we're mad if a guy who's not good at shooting somehow hits one. Yes, you're still allowed to be unhappy if a proven shooter is left open. It's a free country.

Pos.	#	Name	Yr.	Ht./Wt.	%Min	%Poss	SIBMIHHAT
G	3	Corey Sanders	Fr.	6'2, 175	80	26	Not Really
High usage, high turnover rate, decent outside shot, poor finisher.
G	5	Mike Williams	So.	6'2, 190	68	23	Yes
Takes most threes on the team, hits... 28% of them.
G	2	Bishop Daniels	Sr.	6'3, 185	64	24	Kinda
44/30/70 shooting splits, most attempts from two. Turnover-prone.
F	1	DJ Foreman	So.	6'8, 230	65	19	Yes
Only 47% shooter, draws a ton of fouls but only makes 58% of FTs.
C	35	Greg Lewis	Sr.	6'9, 245	52	17	Very
Decent rebounder and shot-blocker shooting woeful 37% FG, 45% FT.
G	31	Omari Greer	Gr.	6'4, 180	46	18	No
A legit shooter! 44% from beyond the arc.
G	10	Justin Goode	Fr.	6'2, 185	37	8	Yes
Tiny usage, pretty much only shoots threes, has made 6/26 on the year.

[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the preview.]