Rutgers Hosts WVU on Senior Day Sunday
Feb 25 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (13-14, 4-11) plays its final home regular season contest of the season when it welcomes West Virginia (17-10, 8-7) to the Louis Brown Athletic Center on Sunday for a 12 noon tip-off. The Mountaineers are receiving votes in both polls and have been ranked as high as No. 21 by the AP this season. The Scarlet Knights will be working to snap a three-game skid, including two straight losses to top 20-ranked foes. WVU, who has suffered defeats in its last three league road contests, will also be seeking a return to the win column.
Prior to tip-off, RU's senior trio of James Beatty (Wilmington, N.C.), Mike Coburn (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) and Jonathan Mitchell (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) will be recognized in a ceremony. Beatty has played in 59 career contests in Scarlet and is currently among the BIG EAST leaders in steals, three-point field goals and assist-to-turnover ratio. Coburn has competed in 122 games at RU and concludes his career among the all-time leaders in both assists and steals. An All-BIG EAST candidate, Mitchell has started all 59 games he has played at Rutgers and is one of just five league players ranked among the top 15 in both scoring and rebounding in conference games.
The match-up is a BIG EAST Network Game of the Week and will be televised live in high definition on SNY in the New York market and Phl17 in the Philadelphia market with Bob Picozzi calling the action and Bob Wenzel offering the analysis. The game will also be available via the web at ESPN3.com (subject to blackout). 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.
Sunday afternoon's contest marks the 70th meeting between the schools dating back to 1919, with the Mountaineers holding a 43-26 advantage in victories. RU and WVU, both former members of the Eastern 8 and the Atlantic 10, have met every year since 1972-73, except during the 2005-06 season. The Scarlet Knights are 16-14 at home versus the Mountaineers and 5-15 in BIG EAST regular season play. Last season, No. 8 WVU'?defeated RU 86-52 in Morgantown. Mitchell shot seven-of-eight to score 17 points in the defeat.
Rutgers is coming off a 55-37 loss to No. 16 Louisville Tuesday evening at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights were never able to find their rhythm, shooting a season-low 29.5 percent (13-44). Freshman forward Gilvydas Biruta (Jonava, Lithuania) was the only RU player in double figures, shooting three-of-six to score 12 points, while also grabbing six rebounds. The Cardinals led from start to finish.
West Virginia, under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Bob Huggins, suffered a 71-58 defeat at No. 4/6 Pittsburgh Thursday night. WVU was held to 33.3 percent (17-51) shooting, while the Panthers deposited 57.4 percent (27-47) of their field goal attempts. Casey Mitchell came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points in 24 minutes, but was the only Mountaineer in double figures. The West Virginia starters managed to score only 31 points. WVU leads the BIG EAST in three-point field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to .286 shooting from behind the arc. GAME NOTES
