The Rutgers men’s basketball team is gearing up for its toughest test of the season as they get ready to play the third-ranked Michigan.

If the Scarlet Knights defeat Michigan, it would be the highest-ranked win in the program’s history.

“When you’re getting into a place like that, they are arguably the No. 1 team in the country. I know one of the coaches in our league said this is a national championship-caliber team. So you got to play great,” says coach Steve Pikiell.

Rutgers has never beaten Michigan. Pikiell says that the Wolverines have elite players and that their size is just one of many obstacles that Rutgers will have to face.

“They have three guys on the draft board, so they have pros. They are well coached, but their size at the rim, they lead the league in blocked shots. They blocked a lot of our shots the last two years and you don’t get to the free throw line, so you really have to earn your points,” Pikiell says.

At 27-7, Rutgers has five games left to play before the Big 10 Tournament begins. Pikiell says that he is trying to keep his guys focused on the present.

“If you look too far down the road, you’re in trouble. So we go one game at a time. I like where our team is. I like health-wise where we are and that we’ve continued to stay COVID-free,” Pikiell says. “We’re playing good basketball right now, which is important at any time of the year to be playing good basketball in this league.”

Rutgers will play Michigan on Thursday at 9 p.m.