Rutgers men’s basketball looks to stave off sweep against Iowa
The Rutgers men’s basketball team will face off against Iowa on Sunday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights (14-6, 6-3) will travel to Carver-Hawkeye arena as they look to split the season series with the Hawkeyes (12-7, 4-4).
Some Rutgers history will be on the line in Iowa City, as it has been two years since the Knights have gotten swept by a conference opponent during the regular season. The last team to sweep Rutgers was Iowa in the 2020-2021 season.
The Knights have struggled against the Hawkeyes in recent years, with Rutgers only winning 1 of its last 5 games against Iowa. The first time these two teams met, the Hawkeyes came out with a convincing 76-65 victory, which was the most points the Knights have let an opponent score all season.
Rutgers will have a tough task in slowing down Iowa’s high-octane offense. The Knights are second in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, and that is due in part to the unrelenting pressure they create. The last time these two teams faced off, the Hawkeyes used their quick precision passing to break the press and get easy baskets. If Rutgers wants to press Iowa, it will need to have quicker defensive rotations.
The Hawkeyes are a more balanced team than in years past, ranking in the top 60 of both offensive and defensive efficiency
Iowa is led by its forward combination of Kris Murray and Filip Rebraca. Murray leads the teams with 21.3 points per game (PPG) and 8.9 rebounds per game (RPG). Murray is a three-level scorer on offense and uses his length effectively on defense.
Rebraca is second on the team scoring 13.9 PPG and 8.4 RPG. Rebraca is a strong scorer in the paint and is an effective rebounder.
Junior center Clifford Omoruyi will once again look to impose himself on the offensive glass and on defense. Omoruyi will be the tallest player on the court, so expect the Knights to try to find him in the low post.
The offense will once again flow through senior guard Paul Mulcahy. Mulcahy is second on the team with 68 assists and is averaging 9 PPG. Mulcahy is best when he is backing down his opponents to the high post and conducting the offense from the top of the key.
If Rutgers wants to win, it's going to need contributions off the bench from junior forward Aundre Hyatt. Hyatt has been serving as the Knights' sixth man, a role where his performance has fluctuated. Hyatt has only shot 30.1 percent from beyond the arc and 37.7 percent from the field but had a real breakout game against Penn State.
Against the Nittany Lions (13-7, 4-5) Hyatt scored 14 points, shooting 6-12 from the field to lead Rutgers to a victory by 20 more points than its opponent. With Hyatt shooting well, the Knights' offense is hard to contain.
The game will tip off on Sunday at 2 p.m. and will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network and 88.7 WRSU-FM
"We want to do more than what we have done," Mulcahy said when asked about the team's goals for the year. "We have a lot of big goals, and we are going to get it done."
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