Now in his fifth season coaching the Rutgers men’s basketball team, Steve Pikiell has been around the block in the Big Ten. But during the Scarlet Knights’ 71-64 loss to No. 3 Michigan on Thursday night, the Wolverines (15-1) stood out.
“(Michigan) is as good a team I’ve seen in my five years here,” Pikiell said.
And on Thursday, Franz Wagner was the reason why. The sophomore wing tied his season-high with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed 7 rebounds. On a night that saw Isaiah Livers and Hunter Dickinson shoot a combined 7-of-20 from the field, Wagner’s performance powered the Wolverines past a relentless Rutgers team.