Rutgers Travels to Steel City to Play Pitt Wednesday Night
Jan 09 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (9-7, 1-2) heads to the Steel City in search of its initial BIG EAST road win when it meets Pittsburgh (11-5, 0-3) in a 7 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday (Jan. 11) at the Petersen Events Center. The trip marks a homecoming for RU head coach Mike Rice, a native Pittsburghian, and some staff members. Rice served as an assistant under Jamie Dixon for the Panthers in 2006-07, while RU associate head coach David Cox worked as UP's Director of Basketball Operations that same season. Rice moved on to direct Robert Morris from 2007-10 in nearby Moon Township, Pa., where current RU assistant coach Jimmy Martelli also served as an assistant.
The game will be televised live in the New York metro market on SNY and via the web at ESPN3.com with Mike Gleason calling the action and Dickey Simpkins providing the analysis. 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 FM) will also broadcast the game.
Wednesday evening's match-up marks the 47th meeting between the schools on the collegiate hardwood dating back to 1915, with the series tied 23-23. Rutgers is 9-10 versus Pitt on its home floor and 6-14 in BIG EAST regular season play against the Panthers. UP has won three straight in the series and 11 of the last 12 meetings. Last season, Rutgers suffered a hard-fought 65-62 loss to No. 2 Pittsburgh at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights were unable to pull off the upset despite committing a season-low six turnovers while holding UP to 35.6 percent (16-45) shooting.
Rutgers is coming off a 67-60 victory over No. 8 Connecticut Saturday night at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights limited the Huskies to 37.7 percent (20-53) shooting, including 25 percent (7-28) in the second half, and forced 20 turnovers. Freshmen guards Eli Carter (Paterson. N.J.) and Myles Mack (Paterson, N.J.) scored 19 and 14 points, respectively. Carter posted 11 of his points in the opening half, while Mack collected 11 of his points after the break. UConn became the third consecutive top ten-ranked team to exit the truncated pyramid with a defeat.
Carter, who was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week last week, was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll on Monday. He is currently averaging a team-best 14.2 points-per-game and has scored in double figures in 10 consecutive contests. In conference only games, Carter ranks fourth in the league in scoring with 20.3 points-per-game.
Rutgers ranks 12th nationally in steals (9.4).
Pittsburgh, ranked as highly as No. 9 in both polls this season, has lost four straight games for the first time during the nine-year tenure of head coach Jamie Dixon. The Panthers dropped an 84-81 decision at DePaul on Thursday (Jan. 5). UP leads the nation in rebound margin (13.3), while ranking 14th nationally in assists (16.9) and 19th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.32). Ashton Gibbs is averaging a team-best 16.7 points, while fellow senior Nasir Robinson leads the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (.633).
