Michigan Wolverines vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Match Player Stats On Feb 19, 2020

Zavier Simpson had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Michigan handed Rutgers its first home loss of the season, 60-52 on Wednesday in Piscataway, N.J.

Simpson, a senior guard, surpassed the 1,000 career point mark during the second half for the Wolverines (17-9, 8-7 Big Ten), who have won four straight. Franz Wagner supplied 12 points and eight rebounds, David DeJulius scored 10 points, and Eli Brooks added nine for the Wolverines.

Michigan is 13-0 all-time against Rutgers. The Wolverines won the first meeting this season, 69-63, at New York's Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1.

Geo Baker's 16 points led the Scarlet Knights (18-9, 9-7), who had gone 17-0 at home. Ron Harper Jr. contributed 13 points, and Akwasi Yeboah chipped in 10 points and five rebounds. Rutgers shot just 34.9 percent overall and made just 3 of 18 3-point attempts.

The Scarlet Knights led 31-28 at halftime. Baker and Simpson led their teams with 12 first-half points apiece.

A three-point play by Wagner gave the Wolverines a 19-12 lead after the first nine minutes. Rutgers then took the lead with a 10-2 run that included five points and an assist from Baker.

After that, neither side had a lead bigger than two points until Baker drained a 3-pointer in the final second of the half.

Rutgers extended its edge to nine by scoring the first six points of the second half.

The Wolverines countered with an 8-0 run, sparked by a Colin Castleton three-point play. A Paul Mulcahy layup ended Michigan's spurt.

DeJulius' pullup jumper put the Wolverines on top, and his 3-pointer off a Simpson kickout pass made it 45-41 with 9:14 left.

Simpson found Wagner for another long ball with 6:16 remaining to nudge Michigan's lead to six. Brooks' 3-pointer with 3:25 left gave the Wolverines a 55-46 advantage, and Rutgers couldn't muster a rally.

--Field Level Media