Recap: Rutgers beats Michigan 62-50, likely ending Michigan's NCAA Tournament hopes
Michigan needed to win this game and beat Purdue on Friday to even have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. But after a putrid shooting performance in the second half that resulted in this 62-50 loss to Rutgers, it’ll need a miracle to make the big dance.
Michigan made just three field goals in the second half. It missed 12 shots in a row at one point. It did not play like a team that needed to win to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
In a season full of missed opportunities, this was yet another. All it can hope for now is that it gets a lot of help ahead of Selection Sunday.
FINAL: Rutgers 62, Michigan 50
Final media timeout
-2H 3:32: Danger time for Michigan. It has 0 (zero) field goals in the last 11:29. It has missed its last 10 shots. Rutgers leads 54-42.
-2H 6:22: Things are starting to unravel. Back-to-back turnovers and Michigan is down by 11. Timeout Michigan.
Under-8 timeout
-2H 7:45: Another 3+ minute scoring drought for Michigan has them down 45-39 with less than eight minutes to go. The good news is they are in the double bonus the rest of the way.
-2H 10:12: Michigan had a chance to retake the lead, but a turnover followed by a Rutgers offensive rebound off a missed free throw has Rutgers back up by four.
Under-12 timeout
-2H 11:54: Michigan hasn't hit a field goal in the last 3:07. They're down 40-35.
Under-16 timeout
-2H 16:01: Rutgers has taken control early in the second half. They've hit their last four shots while Michigan has yet to make one this half. 34-29 Rutgers.
Second half underway
Both teams needs this game for their NCAA Tournament hopes. Who will come out on top? We're about to find out.
First half stats
Michigan:
Dickinson: 13 points, four rebounds
Howard: six points
Rutgers:
Woolfolk: six points
Mulcahy: five points, four rebounds, three steals
Halftime: Michigan 28, Rutgers 25
Joey Baker hit a 3-pointer shortly before the half expired to give Michigan the lead at the half.
Rutgers takes first lead
-1H 1:18: Rutgers has its first lead, 25-23, with about a minute ago.
Final first-half media timeout
-1H 3:22: Both teams starting to catch fire a bit. Rutgers is four for its last five while Michigan is four for its last six. They still have a 23-19 lead.
Under-8 timeout
-1H 7:19: Neither team has a whole lot of rhythm offensively. Michigan still leads 18-11.
Under-12 timeout
-1H 10:40: Michigan is playing great defense so far. Every Rutgers possession ends deep into the shot clock, forcing a bad shot. They're up 13-7.
First media timeout
-1H 15:12: Rutgers is ice cold to start. They're just 1-9 from the field. Michigan is up 9-2 early.
Tip-off
Michigan wins the opening tip. Here we go.
Pregame
Michigan begins its last breath for the NCAA Tournament in the Big Ten Tournament against a Rutgers team that is also looking for a resume-building win.
Michigan would need to win this game, then beat Purdue in Friday's quarterfinal to have a shot at the big dance. It may even have to win the whole tournament and get that automatic bid. But first things first, it has to focus on the task at hand.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Matthew Scheidel.
Big Ten Tournament, second round
MICHIGAN VS. RUTGERS
▶ Tipoff: Noon Thursday, United Center Chicago
▶ TV/radio: Big Ten Network/950 AM
▶ Records: No. 8 seed Michigan is 17-14; No. 9 seed Rutgers is 18-13
▶ At stake: Winner faces No. 1 Purdue at noon Friday in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
▶ Last meeting: Michigan defeated Rutgers, 58-45, on Feb. 23 in Piscataway, New Jersey, in the teams' only meeting this season.