PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men’s basketball is back in action on Saturday afternoon at Jersey Mike’s Arena for the team’s first Big Ten game of the season. The Scarlet Knights will host No. 24/24 Illinois on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a game nationally televised by Big Ten Network, with Cory Provus and Stephen Bardo on the call. Rutgers’ radio broadcast with Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson will be available on WCBS 880 and Sirius XM channel 372.
The Scarlet Knights enter the game at 5-1, on a current five game-winning streak. RU will play its sixth consecutive game at Jersey Mike’s Arena, having downed BU, Bryant, Georgetown, Howard and Saint Peter’s at home this season.
Following this game against Illinois, Rutgers only plays three games at Jersey Mike’s Arena in the following 45 days. In the next eight contests between December 3 and January 16, Rutgers plays two games at the Prudential Center in Newark (Seton Hall, Mississippi State) and plays three road games in Big Ten play come January. In that span, RU is only home three times (LIU – Dec. 16, Stonehill – Dec. 30, Indiana – Jan. 9).
Rutgers thus far has outscored its opponents 70.5 to 55.5, a +15.0 margin. The Scarlet Knights have balanced scoring, with five players averaging between 9.0 and 12.0 points per game. Cliff Omoruyi leads the team with 9.2 rebounds per game (fifth in the Big Ten) and 16 blocks, second in the Big Ten at 2.67 blocks per game. Offensively, Rutgers averages 20.33 fastbreak points, seventh nationally and first in the Big Ten.
Following the performance against Saint Peter’s, the Scarlet Knights are now second nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.6%) and third in scoring defense (55.5 points per game). RU is also 15th nationally and first in the league with 17.33 turnovers forced per game. Rutgers has forced at least 21 opponent turnovers in three straight games.
Per KenPom, Rutgers’ defense is second nationally in opponent two-point percentage (37.7%), third nationally in effective field goal percentage (40.7%), fourth nationally in turnover percentage (25.5%), ninth in block percentage (16.6%) and 11th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency (92.2%).
Rutgers and Illinois have met 15 times lifetime, with RU claiming four victories, including three of the past five games. All of RU wins in the series have…
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