The “Gut Check Road Test” Game Thread: Rutgers At Michigan State

How To Watch & Listen

Rutgers (11-4; 0-2) At Michigan State (10-5; 2-0)

Where: The Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan

Tip-off: Wednesday, January 4th at 6:30 p.m. ET

TV: BTN - Dave Revsine and Jon Crispin

Radio: WCTC 1450 AM & WOR 710 AM - Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan

KenPom Rankings: Rutgers #135; Michigan State #47

KenPom Prediction: Michigan State 70 Rutgers 59 ; Rutgers is given a 16% chance to win.

Series History: Michigan State leads the all-time series 4-0, including three wins over the past two seasons. Rutgers lost to the Spartans by a combined 65 points last season in two games.

Game Preview

Q&A With The Only Colors

There should be zero expectations in Rutgers winning this game tonight from a fans perspective. You always want to win the game for sure, but year one of a massive rebuild requires some big picture thinking. After a very disappointing loss and poor performance against Penn State, how Rutgers responds tonight will be interesting to watch for. If they come out with purpose and energy, I’ll be very happy, even if the results of the game don’t achieve the ultimate goal of winning. Head coach Steve Pikiell has been preaching the need to improve the toughness of this program since day 1.

This game is important for the players to move past Sunday’s contest and get back at it and refresh their mindset as a team. There is little pressure in this game, as they are a double digit road underdog and face a team they lost to by an average of 32.5 points in two meetings last season. If they can continue to play above average defense and run their offense smarter, that would be progress tonight.

Follow us on twitter here during the game and join in the the comment section below to talk shop as well. Let’s go RU!