Michigan Wolverines basketball (17-8, 8-7 Big Ten) completed the season sweep of Rutgers and the first win by a road team at The RAC this season, in a 60-52 victory.

Here's five takeaways from the game.

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RELATED: Michigan Hands Rutgers First Home Loss Of Season, 60-52

If you would've told many that junior forward Isaiah Livers would miss his 10th game of the season and that his replacement, sophomore forward Brandon Johns, would score just one point, most would predict Rutgers improves to 18-0 at home on the season.

Johns was in foul trouble most of the night, and that's where sophomore forward Colin Castleton comes in. Castleton came in early in the second half, and added a big lift, after being a non-factor for much of the season in just over eight minutes per game.

He had five points and four rebounds in 10 minutes, and played exceptional defense, even on the perimeter, something that he hasn't shown during his career to this point. He was a plus-nine when on the floor. His and-one early in the second half was big to help U-M climb out of a hole.

Sophomore guard David DeJulius was massive off the bench, as well. After not scoring in the first stanza, DeJulius poured in 10 second half points on 3-for-5 shooting. His three-pointer with 9:14 to go gave U-M a four-point lead, and helped lead a second half surge.

DeJulius, like Castleton, defended at a high level, taking the matchup with Rutgers junior guard Geo Baker personally. He guarded him for much of the second half. Baker scored just four points after the halftime break, on 2-for-9 shooting.

After a mediocre defensive first half, U-M clamped down in the second half. In the first half, U-M was jumping on just about every pump fake, and left Rutgers' shooters wide open for good looks from deep. In the second half, U-M was much more active, contesting more shots and making the Scarlet Knights work for every opportunity they had.

At halftime, Rutgers was shooting 48 percent from the field. In the second half, the Wolverines held the Scarlet Knights to just 8-for-34 from the field (24 percent), including 0-for-10 from three.

The adjustments were made — U-M stopped playing so much 2-3 zone, something it used quite frequently in the first half. The Wolverines also stayed on their feet and closed out better onto shooters.

Rutgers grabbed 26 offensive rebounds when U-M and Rutgers played Feb. 1 at Madison Square Garden. Coming into this one, it was a big point of emphasis for Juwan Howard and his team to limit second chance opportunities for the Scarlet Knights.

Easier said than done.

From the get-go, Rutgers was attacking the glass and having success. At the under-16 media timeout in the first half, the Scarlet Knights had already grabbed three offensive rebounds. They finished the game with 14, which is too many to be pleased with if you're Howard, but still not the mind boggling 26 that they got in the first meeting.

Senior point guard Zavier Simpson was the only thing working for U-M's offense early in the game. He was the only player with over five points at halftime (Simpson had 12 at the break on 5-for-7 shooting). His two three-pointers early were the band-aid on a cold road start for U-M.

Once Simpson got some help from his teammates as the game went along, U-M started to look closer and closer to the team that had won five of six coming in. He finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Brooks played a very quiet, but solid game. He finished with nine points on 4-for-10 shooting, two rebounds and one assist. It wasn't a flashy performance, to say the least. But, Brooks was solid on defense, playing well against Baker, when matched up with him.

But when U-M needed a big bucket, much like DeJulius' big three, Brooks stepped up, as he so often has in his junior season.

That three with three and a half to go put U-M up nine, and put the Wolverines in the driver's seat down the stretch.

Brooks, who was inconsistent shooting the ball in the first half of the season, has really stepped it up in the second

• Zavier Simpson reached a big milestone, in a very fitting way.

Simpson was 15 points away from scoring 1,000 career points coming into the game. He got his 1,000th on his signature hook shot, a very fitting way to reach the milestone.

Simpson now just needs 50 more rebounds this year to become the only player in U-M history to score 1,000 points, grab 500 or more rebounds and dish out 500 or more assists.

He is now one of four Wolverines to have 1,000 points and 500 assists, joining Gary Grant (1985-88), 2,222 points, 731 assists; Rumeal Robinson (1988-90), 1,446 points, 575 assists; and Antoine Joubert (1984-87), 1,594 points, 539 assists.

• Freshman guard Franz Wagner's defense is really rounding into form. His deflection and steal in the first half was outstanding. It wasn't even a play that anyone expects a wing player to make, but his length and instincts allowed him to. He could be an elite defender down the road for U-M.

On offense, Wagner didn't have his shot going, but was aggressive going to the hole, and was able to hit a second half three to help U-M pull away from Rutgers. He finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, after winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week last week.

• U-M is now 13-0 all-time against Rutgers, dating all the way back to 1933. The Wolverines have never lost a game at The RAC, a place where Rutgers had not lost this season until tonight.

Something had to give, and U-M is happy with the result.

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