Rutgers Host BIG EAST Foe Providence Saturday Evening
Jan 06 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (9-5, 0-2) hosts its second straight BIG EAST Conference game when it welcomes Providence (11-5, 0-3) to the RAC on Saturday (Jan. 8) for an 8 p.m. tip-off. The Scarlet Knights are 7-1 at home this season. Both squads have the opportunity to earn their initial league contest of the young campaign. The Friars are one of three opponents (Villanova, Seton Hall) that Rutgers will play home-and-home this season.
The game will be televised live on SNY in the New York market and The Comcast Network in the Philadelphia market with John Rooke calling the action and Tim O'Toole offering the analysis. It will also be available live on the web (subject to blackout) via ESPN3.com. On the radio, 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.
Saturday evening's contest marks the 21st all-time meeting between RU and PC, with the Friars holding a 13-7 advantage in victories. PC has won seven straight in the series after RU captured consecutive victories in 2004 and 2005. The Scarlet Knights are 5-5 at home against the Friars. In BIG'?EAST regular season play, PC'?holds a 12-7 edge. Last season, Rutgers dropped a 94-81 decision at Providence. Dane Miller (Rochester, N.Y.) shot 10-of-16 to score a career-high 26 points, while Jonathan Mitchell (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) added 18 points.
Rutgers is coming off a hard-fought 73-65 home loss to Marquette Wednesday evening. Senior point guard James Beatty (Wilmington, N.C.) shot eight-of-14 and six-of-10 from behind the arc to score a career-high 24 points. The Scarlet Knights deposited nine-of-18 from three-point range, but could overcome the hot shooting of the Golden Eagles, who made 51.2 percent of their field goals (22-43), including 56.3 percent (9-16) from behind the arc. Freshman forward Gilvydas Biruta (Jonava, Lithuania) and senior forward Robert Lumpkins (Washington, D.C.) added 12 and 10 points, respectively, to join Beatty in double figures. The RU scoring effort was aided by senior guard Mike Coburn (Mount Vernon, N.Y.), who dished-out a career-high eight assists for a second-consecutive game.
Rutgers ranks third in the BIG EAST in steals (9.0), while placing fourth in the league in turnover margin (+4.14) and fifth in blocks (5.29). Individually, Beatty is tied for third in the conference in steals (2.00).
Providence, under the leadership of third-year head coach Keno Davis, suffered an 83-79 home loss to No. 5 Pittsburgh Tuesday evening. Senior Marshon Brooks scored 27 points to lead four Friars in double figures. He and sophomore guard Vincent Council logged an entire 40 minutes. Brooks ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring (23.4), while Council leads the league in assists (7.0). Sophomore big man Bilal Dixon ranks second in the BIG EAST in rebounding (8.8). GAME NOTES
