Maize and Blue Returns Home to Host Rutgers

» Michigan returns to Crisler Center to host Rutgers in the lone meeting between the two teams this season. Rutgers is making its first trip to Ann Arbor since Dec. 28, 2016.
» U-M has won six straight games, the third-longest win streak during conference action in program history.
» Michigan is fourth in the Big Ten with a 9-6 record, with Rutgers just ahead in third with a 10-4 mark.

THIS WEEK
Thursday, Feb. 21 -- vs. Rutgers (Crisler Center), 7 p.m.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team (18-9, 9-6 Big Ten) returns to Crisler Center to host Rutgers (18-7, 10-4 Big Ten) for the only meeting this season between the two teams on Thursday evening (Feb. 21) at Crisler Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

• Michigan has won its last six games to bring its Big Ten record to 9-6, good for fourth place in the league. It is the first six-game win streak in Big Ten action for U-M since winning six in a row from Jan. 10-28, 2018. It is just the fifth time in school history that Michigan has won at least six consecutive Big Ten games. Three of those five instances have come under seventh-year head coach Kim Barnes Arico.

• Michigan has three games remaining in the regular season before the Big Ten Tournament (March 6-10) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Michigan is playing its final first-time opponent in Rutgers on Thursday (Feb. 21) before closing against second-time foes Michigan State (Feb. 24) and Wisconsin (March 3). Michigan is fourth in the conference, with Iowa (12-3), Maryland (12-3) and Rutgers (10-4) ahead of the Wolverines.

• Junior Kayla Robbins turned in one of the best performances of her career the last time out, going for a career-high 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting, five rebounds and two steals. Robbins has appeared in all 27 games off the bench this season and is averaging 5.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game. Robbins has played in 94 games the last three seasons and is closing in on becoming the 42nd Wolverine in school history to play in 100 games. Robbins is the ninth different Wolverine to lead the team in scoring this season.

• Michigan is back at Crisler Center to host Rutgers in one of two remaining home games for the Maize and Blue this season. U-M is 11-1 at home this season after knocking off No. 13 Iowa, Nebraska and Indiana in the last three home games. U-M's only loss at Crisler was a four-point decision to Michigan State on Jan. 27. Michigan has won at least 10 games at Crisler Center in six of head coach Kim Barnes Arico's seven seasons in Ann Arbor.

• Senior Hallie Thome became the third member of the 2,000-point club at Michigan after scoring 14 points at Illinois (Feb. 17). Thome is third all-time at Michigan in scoring (2,013) and fourth in rebounding (847). Katelynn Flaherty (2,776) and Diane Dietz (2,076) are ahead of Thome on Michigan's all-time scoring list. Thome made the cut for the top 10 for this year's Lisa Leslie Award, given to the nation's top center.

• Rutgers (18-7, 10-4 Big Ten) is coming off a 69-61 win at Indiana on Monday (Feb. 18) to snap a three-game skid. The Scarlet Knights have a pair scoring in double figures in Stasha Carey (12.2 ppg) and Arella Guirantes (10.8 ppg). RU is averaging 63.0 points per game on 41.8 percent shooting while allowing 56.4 points per game on 35.9 percent shooting. Rutgers is 5-1 all-time against Michigan, with U-M picking up a 63-50 win the last time the Scarlet Knights came to Ann Arbor (Dec. 28, 2016).