Rutgers men's basketball prepares for 1st Big Ten matchup of season
The Rutgers men’s basketball team will take on Indiana tomorrow night in a highly anticipated matchup. The Scarlet Knights (5-2, 0-0) will look to get back to winning ways after suffering a 68-61 loss to Miami on Wednesday.
Rutgers led the Hurricanes (7-1, 0-0) by 11 points with 16:39 remaining in the game, but the team could not hold on to the lead. With less than 3 minutes remaining, the score was tied at 61, but Miami went on a 7-0 scoring run in the final 1:22 to secure the 7-point victory.
The Knights now open up Big Ten conference play against the No. 10 Hoosiers (7-0, 0-0). Indiana is undefeated to start the season and is coming off of a dominating 77-65 win over North Carolina. The Hoosiers were the preseason favorites to win the Big Ten and will be looking to make a statement in their first Big Ten game.
Indiana has a very balanced team as they currently sit at 13th in adjusted offensive efficiency and at 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Hoosiers are led by forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who is off to a fast start to the season averaging 19.2 points per game (PPG) while shooting 71.2 percent from the field. Jackson-Davis has also chipped in on the glass averaging 8.3 rebounds per game (RPG).
Guard Xavier Johnson has also had an encouraging start to the season and does a bit of everything for Indiana. Johnson is averaging 12.3 PPG on 56.3 percent shooting from the field and 53.3 percent from three-point range. Johnson is additionally averaging 4.4 RPG and 4.7 assists per game to lead the team.
Rutgers has had recent success against the Hoosiers. The last time Indiana defeated the Knights was March 10, 2019, and the program holds a five-game winning streak against the Hoosiers leading up to this game.
Rutgers will most likely be without senior guard Paul Mulcahy, who remains out with what head coach Steve Pikiell has characterized as a shoulder stinger.
"It's called a stinger," Pikiell said on Mulcahy's injury after Wednesday’s game. "When his arm feels better, he’ll be back on the floor, but right now that’s not where it is. He’s got to practice full contact before he can do anything, and he hasn’t done that yet."
The Knights will rely on junior center Clifford Omoruyi and fifth-year senior guard Caleb McConnell. Omoruyi is having a fantastic season averaging 16.7 PPG and 9.9 RPG so far. McConnell has only recently come back from his own injury, but he had a great game against the Hurricanes. He scored 16 points, bringing in six rebounds and dishing four assists.
If Rutgers wants to beat Indiana, it will need senior guard Cam Spencer to make an impact. Spencer has had a great season for the Knights but struggled against Miami, only scoring 3 points and going 1 for 10 from the field.
Rutgers' strength has been its defense so far, which is 12th in adjusted defensive efficiency. The defense will need to have a strong performance if the Knights are going to beat the Hoosiers in front of what should be a raucous crowd at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Livingston campus.
The game will tip off at 4 p.m. and will be broadcasted on Big Ten Network and 88.7 WRSU-FM as Rutgers hopes to stay undefeated at Jersey Mike’s Arena this season.
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