Rutgers men's basketball hosts Penn State on Sunday for Senior Day
For the final time this season, the Rutgers men’s basketball team will play at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Livingston campus as it faces Penn State on Sunday. The game is also the program’s Senior Day, where several of the Scarlet Knights’ (17-12, 11-8) most important players will be honored.
The season finale comes on the heels of a dramatic 66-63 win over Indiana at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. In the final seconds of the win, senior guard Ron Harper Jr., who finished with a team-high 19 points, delivered a game-clinching three-pointer that silenced the Hoosier (18-11, 9-10) crowd.
“Hitting a shot at home is great, but I feel like hitting a shot on the road is better," Harper said after the game. "The place was roaring in the final minutes and when they hit that three to tie it the place erupted. For me, to hear it go from 100 to zero is just the best feeling."
Harper will be 1 of 5 seniors that will be recognized on Sunday. Joining Harper will be senior guards Geo Baker and Caleb McConnell, senior forward Luke Nathan and graduate student forward Ralph Gonzales-Agee.
Baker, Harper, McConnell and Nathan are all veterans of the program who over the years helped Rutgers rise from mediocrity to annual NCAA Tournament contention. The group has supplemented this success with countless moments and memories that make Sunday’s game even more special.
“They came here four years ago, we didn’t have a lot of fans at the games, we didn’t have a lot of traditions, we didn’t have a lot of winning streaks,” said head coach Steve Pikiell. “It’s going to be a sad day, but it's going to be a great day.”
Looking at the game at hand, the Knights are in must-win territory against the Nittany Lions (12-15, 7-12) as they look to strengthen their March Madness resume and improve their Big Ten Tournament seeding. In terms of Big Ten Tournament seeding, Rutgers could rise as high as the fourth seed and drop as low as the eighth seed.
The Big Ten Tournament is set to start in Indianapolis on Wednesday with the NCAA Tournament beginning the following week.
The Knights will play a Penn State team that took home a 66-49 victory in the two teams’ first matchup on Jan. 11. The Nittany Lions were led by Sam Sessoms and John Harrar in scoring in what was their eighth win of the season.
Sophomore center Clifford Omoruyi was the only Rutgers player to score in double-figures in the loss. The Knights have lost their last three games to Penn State with the last win coming on Jan. 7, 2020.
The game will tip off at noon and will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network and 88.7 WRSU-FM. With a win, Rutgers will set a new record for most conference wins by a Knights team in the Big Ten.
“Senior Day is coming up, and I am certainly going to cry for all of these guys," Pikiell said. "These guys believed in Rutgers when there wasn't as much to believe in here, and I am really thankful for them."
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