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Game Thread: Michigan Basketball vs. Rutgers

Join us as Michigan, a 24-point favorite, seeks to beat Rutgers, win its third straight game, and improve its Big Ten record to 6-2.

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Basics

Who: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-14, 0-7 Big Ten)

When: Wednesday, January 27th, at 7:00 p.m. ET (BTN)

Where: Crisler Center -- Ann Arbor, Mich.

Spread: Vegas: -24 | KenPom: W, 84-62 (97% WP)

***

This basically is what you need to know about Rutgers:

Caris LeVert will miss his seventh straight game with a "lower left leg" injury, but that's okay because Michigan hosts arguably the worst Big Ten basketball team since Michigan State joined the conference for the 1950-51 season. That's not a joke. Not only has Rutgers lost all seven of its Big Ten games, its per-game scoring margin is minus-25.4 points, which would be the worst since 1950-51 by almost six points per game. It's not even close. During his radio show on Monday night and his Tuesday press conference, John Beilein has iterated that Rutgers is "very capable" and has D-I players. That might be so, but Beilein is being nice because Rutgers is 278th out of 351 D-I programs on KenPom.

And here is my prediction for tonight's contest:

You'll go back to discussing football recruiting and National Signing Day by halftime.

Michigan 89, Rutgers 56

If you want to learn everything you need to know about the Knights, read my preview.

What do you think will happen? Will Rutgers make this interesting? Comment below!