RV/RV MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (16-9, 7-7) AT RV/RV RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (18-8, 9-6)
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 | 7 p.m. (ET)
The RAC (8,000) | Piscataway, N.J.

TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin, play-by-play; Dan Bonner, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/XM 384; Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Troy DeSavino and Randy DeGregorio)
 
Series Record: Michigan leads 12-0
Last Meeting: Michigan 69, Rutgers 63 (Feb. 1, 2020)
 
OPENING TIP: Rutgers hosts Michigan in the eighth of nine consecutive sell-outs at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights have a program-record 10 sell-outs this season and are 17-29 all-time at a capacity RAC, including a 4-4 mark under head coach Steve Pikiell. Rutgers has a nation's-best 17-0 home record this season. An 18th win would set a program record and mark the most for a Big Ten team at home since 2014-15 (Maryland/Michigan State). The last Big Ten team to start 18-0 at home was Ohio State in 2010-11 (20-0). Rutgers also has an opportunity to earn its 10th conference win, which would signal its most in league play since 1990-91 (14-4; A-10).
 
For the third time this season, Rutgers will wear throwback uniforms reminiscent of the the 1975-76 Final Four team. Michigan is one of three teams (Michigan State, Maryland) that RU has yet to defeat since joining the Big Ten.
 
Rutgers limited No. 22/23 Illinois to 31.1% (19-of-61) shooting to earn a 72-57 home victory on Saturday, its third double-digit victory over a nationally-ranked foe this season. Ron Harper Jr. shot 11-of-14, including 5-of-5 from behind the arc, to score a game-high 27 points, while leading three Scarlet Knights in double figures.
 
RU's remaining schedule ranks first in difficulty per the ESPN BPI. The Scarlet Knights are the nation's only team with its remaining games all currently designated as Quad 1 opportunities.
 
THE OPPONENT: Michigan was nationally-ranked for seven weeks this season, peaking at No. 4. The Wolverines have won five of their last six, with the lone defeat a 3-point setback to Ohio State. UM ranks in the top 35 in assist-turnover ratio (15th, 1.35), assists (35th, 15.2), blocks (31st, 4.7), fouls (24th, 15.1) and turnovers (28th, 11.3). Point guard Zavier Simpson is the nation's assist leader (8.2), while ranking first among all active players in games played (140). Isaiah Livers leads UM in scoring (13.3), while Jon Teske paces the team in rebounding (7.6).
 
THE SERIES: Wednesday marks the 13th meeting dating back to 1933, with UM winning the prior 12, including a pair of significant post-season meetings. No. 9 UM defeated No. 4 RU, 86-70, in the 1976 NCAA Final Four to provide the Scarlet Knights their first loss of the season after 31 victories. Michigan also downed Rutgers 62-55 in the 2004 NIT Final at Madison Square Garden. Earlier this season, Rutgers out-rebounded Michigan 51-37, its most boards in a Big Ten regulation game, but dropped a 69-63 decision on Big Ten Super Saturday at MSG.
 
HEAD COACH STEVE PIKIELL
Overall Record (years):  254-218 (15th)
Rutgers Record (years):  62-62 (4th)
Record vs. Michigan (RU):  0-4
Record vs. Michigan (overall):  0-4
 
RATED RUTGERS

Haslametrics	21
Rothstein 45	28
Ken Pomeroy	29
NCAA NET	30
Andy Katz Power 36	30
ESPN BPI	33
Jeff Sagarin	33
RPI	36
Jay Bilas Index	Sweet 16 Contender

Through 2/17/20 games
 
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES

1. RU joined the rankings for the first time since the final 1978-79 AP Poll (No. 18). The Scarlet Knight were No. 24/25 and No. 25/25 in the Jan. 20 & 27th polls, respectively.
2. RU has earned nine conference wins for the first time since 1998-98 (9-9; Big East).
3. Off to its best home start (17-0) in program history, the top home record in the nation, Rutgers has a +15.6 scoring margin, a +8.9 rebounding advantage and has limited visitors to .361 shooting at the RAC.
4. RU has sold-out a record 10 games at the RAC, including the final nine of the regular season. RU welcomed 8,329 fans vs. Seton Hall, its largest crowd in 18 seasons.
5. Rutgers is 10th nationally in FG% defense (37.9),12th in rebounding (40.50), 14th in scoring defense (61.7),  21st in rebound margin (+6.6), 27th in blocks (4.8) and 41st in scoring margin (8.8).
6. Myles Johnson is 13th nationally in offensive rebound percentage (15.2) and 34th nationally in FG% (.621).
7. Akwasi Yeboah is one of 25 active NCAA players with 1,500 points and 600 rebounds.
8. Rutgers is a young squad, ranking 244th in experience per Pomeroy.
9. Rutgers is undefeated when scoring 15 or more fast break points (9-0).
10. RU has claimed three ranked victories for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign.
11. RU's 20-point win over No. 22 Seton Hall on Dec. 14 was its largest margin of victory over a ranked foe in program history.
12. Rutgers was 4-0 against pro club teams during a tour of Spain in August. RU outscored its opponents 387-284 and had five players average double figures.

QUAD 1/3
Forget Quad 1, Rutgers men's basketball is playing 90% of its Big Ten games away from the RAC in Quad 1/3. Quad 1 is defined as games with an opponent NCAA NET ranking of 30 or better at home, 50 or better at a neutral site, and 75 or better on the road. The Scarlet Knights are the nation's only team with its remaining games all currently designated as Quad 1 opportunities.
 
On the road, other than Rutgers' win at Nebraska, the nine games are against opponents with Net rankings of 38 or lower. Collectively, the teams boast an average NCAA Net score of 23.4, placing them in the top third of the Quad 1 road game parameters. Including the Nebraska win, RU's the average Net of RU's Big Ten opponents on the road is 38.6.
 
PACK THE RAC
The Scarlet Knights have sold-out a program-record 10 games this season at the RAC. RU has hosted capacity crowds versus No. 22 Seton Hall (Dec. 14), No. 20 Penn State (Jan. 7), Indiana (Jan. 15), Minnesota (Jan. 19), Nebraska (Jan. 25), Purdue (Jan. 28), Northwestern (Feb. 9) and Illinois (Feb. 15) as well as upcoming games versus, Michigan (Feb. 19) and Maryland (March 3). Rutgers streak of nine consecutive sold-out games is also a program record . Last season, RU had five sell-outs, its most since 2004-05 (7). The RAC has been sold-out 17 times in the past three seasons. The prior 17 sell-outs spanned 11 seasons, from 2004-05 to 2014-15.
 
TRAPEZOID OF TERROR
Rutgers is 17-0 at the RAC this season, the top home undefeated record in the nation. The mark signals RU's best home start to a season. The 1975-76 Final Four team boasted an undefeated regular season, but played only 10 home games at the College Avenue Gym. The most home wins prior to this season was also 17 (17-1) in 1977-78, the season the RAC opened.
 
BUILDING A RESUME
Rutgers has a strong resume in the NCAA metrics, at 30th in the NET. RU has done so via seven wins versus Quad 1 + Quad 2 opponents, defeating Seton Hall (14), Penn State (17), Wisconsin (31), Purdue (33), Illinois (38), Minnesota (43) and Indiana (637). The Scarlet Knights are the nation's only team with its remaining games all currently designated as Quad 1 opportunities.
 
BUILT ON DEFENSE
Rutgers has built a legacy of tough defense under head coach Steve Pikiell. After Pikiell inherited a team that ranked 236th the season prior in Ken Pom's adjusted defense metric, he raised that number 166 spots the following season. RU has rated among the top-50 in the nation ever since. Currently, the program ranks 11th nationally in adjusted defense. Rutgers ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring defense (61.7), field goal percentage defense (37.9) and rebounding (40.5). Five of the seven lowest ever field goal percentages versus Rutgers in Big Ten play have come this season.
 
HISTORIC START

• As this season has progressed, the Scarlet Knight have eclipsed some historic markers for success along the way:
• Earned first national ranking in 41 years, since concluding 1978-79 No. 18 in the AP Poll.
• 17-0 home start is best in the nation and tops in program history.
• 17 home wins ties for the most (17-1; 1977-78) in a season in program history.
• Has sold-out 10 home games at the RAC, the most in program history.
• 12-3 start was its best through 15 games since the 1975-76 undefeated regular season.
• Held opponents to 65 points or fewer in nine straight games, RU's longest stretch in 70 years, since 1949-50 season.
• Opened conference play 3-1 for the first time since 1994-95 (4-1) as a member of the Atlantic 10.
• Four games over .500 in conference play (7-3) for the first time in 21 years, since the 1998-99 Big East campaign (9-5).
• Defeated three ranked teams, its most ranked wins since 2001-02 (4).
• Defeated three ranked teams by double digits for the first time in school history.
• Clinched its first winning season since 2005-06 (19-14).
• Earned nine conference wins for the first time since 1998-98 (9-9; Big East).
• Earned its largest comeback victory in 24 years, overcoming an 18-point deficit to defeat Northwestern at the RAC on Feb. 9.
• Have earned multiple ranked wins in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns.

Follow Rutgers men's basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for additional news and updates.