Rutgers Welcomes Marist to the RAC Tonight
Dec 06 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J.- Rutgers (4-2) will be working to improve to a perfect 5-0 at home when it welcomes Marist (2-6) to the Louis Brown Athletic Center on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. The contest versus the Red Foxes marks one of two "Faculty and Staff Nights" at the RAC, as Rutgers University faculty and staff can purchase advance tickets at a special rate.
The contest will be broadcast live on the Rutgers Radio Network, WOR 710 AM in New York and WCTC 1450 AM in New Brunswick. Chris Carlin will serve as play-by-play announcer and Dick Lloyd will provide commentary. WRSU (88.7) will also broadcast the game. On the web, the match-up will be streamed live via KnightVision Broadband at www.scarletknights.com with Danny Breslauer and Adam Helfgott calling the action.
Tuesday evening's game signals the third all-time meeting between the Scarlet Knights and the Red Foxes in three consecutive seasons, with Rutgers holding a 2-0 advantage in the series. RU defeated Marist at the RAC to begin the past two seasons. Last year, the Scarlet Knights earned a 74-67 victory, as three Rutgers players scored 13 or more points in a game that had six lead changes and four ties.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 66-54 home win over NJIT on Wednesday evening. Freshman forward Gilvydas Biruta (Jonava, Lithuania) shot six-of-eight to score a career-high 20 points. Senior forward Jonathan Mitchell (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) had his fifth career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Scarlet Knights led from start to finish. Senior guard Mike Coburn (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) continued to log quality time. He shot five-of-seven to post 13 points with four steals in 36 minutes of action. After struggling in previous games from the foul line, RU made 20 of 25 free throws.
Rutgers ranks among the nation's best statistically in turnovers (16th/11.2), blocked shots (24th/5.7), turnover margin (29th/4.7) and steals (31st/9.3). Individually, Coburn leads the BIG EAST and ranks 38th nationally with 2.33 steals-per-game. Has backcourt-mate James Beatty (Wilmington, N.C.) ranks 25th nationally and fifth in the league in three-point field goal percentage (48.5). Coburn is among the BIG EAST leaders in four statistical categories, while sophomore big man Austin Johnson (Elkins Park, Pa.) ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage (.690).
Marist, under the leadership of third-year head coach Chuck Martin, is fresh from a 74-64 home win over Canisius on Sunday afternoon. The game wrapped up a successful weekend for the Red Foxes, who snapped their 24-game losing streak against Niagara on Friday, then defeated Canisius for a 2-0 start in MAAC play. It's the team's first two-game winning streak since defeating Delaware and Bucknell in Dec. 2008. Sophomore Sam Prescott led the Red Foxes with 13 points and 10 rebounds versus Canisius, as Marist limited their visitors to 32.4 (23-71) shooting. GAME NOTES
