Plenty of components of Tuesday's loss at Rutgers felt similar to the loss at UCF on Thursday.

Two main players for the opposition going off offensively. On Thursday against the Knights,

it was Darren Green Jr. and Brandon Mayhan. Tuesday against the Scarlet Knights, it was Geo Baker

and Ron Harper Jr. Michigan struggled from the three-point line on both sides of things. The Scarlet Knights, it was G. O. Baker and Ron Harper Jr. Michigan struggled from the three-point line on both sides of things. The

Scarlet Knights shot it at 48 percent, Michigan just three of 15. There was a long run that really put Michigan behind the eight ball in the first half on Tuesday, back on Thursday in Orlando. that came in the second half. There is something

that did feel a little bit different, and it did not mean a victory. It is not an excuse. It is

not something that Michigan can solely hang its hat on moving forward, but there was real

fight in this team. Now, fight doesn't get it done automatically in the Big Ten. Fight only gets

you a chance to compete, a chance to play down done automatically in the Big Ten. Fight only gets you a chance

to compete, a chance to play down the stretch in a ballgame. But Michigan, playing without five

players, playing in a hostile environment, playing from behind the entirety of this game, they made

it close. They made it interesting. And then you tip your cap to Rutgers. It seemed like every

time Michigan had a little bit of momentum, it was in essence, quicksand because Rutgers got it right back, whether it was a Baker or a Harper 3, or it was a big offensive rebound from Cliff Omori. Whatever it might have been, Rutgers had the answer.

If you're trying to turn this season around, and Michigan certainly is at 7 and 6, you need to hang your hat on something.

And when you have a talented ball club that has bought in and that cares and that tries its tail off, that's something to start with.

Now, to beat Michigan State on Saturday, to beat Purdue coming up a week from tonight on Tuesday

at Chrysler Center, you need more than effort, you need more than hustle, you need more than grits.

But that is a prerequisite. Michigan is learning how to win. They're learning how to overcome.

They're learning how to deal with adversity. Tuesday night at Rutgers was not a full step, but there are some

characteristics that can and should carry over if Michigan wants to get back into this big 10

hunt and if they want to get into an NCAA tournament journey. 7567, the final Wolverines

fall here in Piscataway to Rutgers. We'll give you all the analysis here on this postgame edition of Defend the Block.

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