Scarlet Knights Open BIG EAST Schedule at USF Wednesday Evening
Dec 31 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers, under the leadership of second-year head coach Fred Hill, opens its BIG EAST schedule with a nationally-televised contest versus USF in a 7:00 p.m. tip-off at the 10,411-seat Sun Dome on Wednesday, January 2. The Bulls are one of three league opponents (Seton Hall, Louisville) that the Scarlet Knights will play twice this season as a result of the BIG EAST's expanded, 18-game schedule. USF travels to Piscataway for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Saturday, March 1. RU will be looking to win its BIG EAST opener for the first time since defeating Seton Hall, 82-78, on January 7, 2006 at the RAC.
The game will be televised live on ESPN2, with Jon Sciambi calling the action and Bob Wenzel providing the commentary. On the radio, the contest will be broadcast live on the Rutgers Radio Network, WOR 710 AM in New York City and WCTC 1450 AM in New Brunswick. Bruce Johnson will serve as play-by-play announcer and Dick Lloyd will provide commentary.
Wednesday evening's contest marks the sixth meeting between Rutgers and USF on the hardwood dating back to 1996-97, with the Scarlet Knights holding a 4-1 advantage in victories. The Bulls won last years match-up, 62-40, in behind Kentrell Gransberry's 13-point, 13-rebound performance before his home crowd. JR Inman (Pomona, N.Y.) scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the losing effort. RU is 2-1 all-time versus the Bulls in Tampa.
Rutgers (8-5) is coming off a 73-67 win over Manhattan Saturday afternoon at the RAC. Inman scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, as the Scarlet Knights shot a season-best 47.2 percent (25-53) from the field. Anthony Farmer (Millville, N.J.) made five of nine FGAs and five of six FTAs en route to 16 points, his fourth straight game in double figures, while Courtney Nelson (Newark, N.J.) chipped-in a season-best 12 points off the bench.
Inman, whose performance versus the Jaspers earned him BIG EAST Honor Roll accolades for a second time this season, ranks among the top 10 in the Conference in scoring (10th, 16.1), rebounding (8th, 8.4), defensive rebounds (t-5th, 6.0) and minutes played (4th, 35.38). Sophomore center Hamady Ndiaye (Dakar, Senegal) leads the BIG EAST and is among the national leaders in blocks (3.85), while Farmer ranks 10th in the league in free throw percentage (.789).
USF (9-4) is fresh from an 87-48 home victory over Winston-Salem State last Saturday night. Gransberry, who leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (11.0), scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to pace the Bulls. USF, under the direction of first-year head coach Stan Heath, has won nine of its last 10 games after starting its season with three straight losses. 
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