Men's Hoops Hosts CCSU Tuesday
Dec 05 | Men's Basketball
| Game Nine: Rutgers vs. Central Connecticut State | |
| Date | Tuesday, December 6 |
| Time | 7:00 p.m. EST |
| Location | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Video | ESPN3 (Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy) |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Sports Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM & WOR 710 AM (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan) WRSU 88.7 FM (Gabe Sustick & Ryan Moran) |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | CCSU |
| Media Guide | Rutgers |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Promotions | Sponsored by SoFi |
Rutgers Game Notes
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (7-1) welcomes Central Connecticut State (2-4) to the RAC on Tuesday (Dec. 6) for a 7 p.m. tip-off in a game sponsored by SoFi. The Scarlet Knights are a perfect 6-0 at home for the first time since 2010-11 and have matched their victory total from the entire 2015-16 campaign in just eight games.
The Scarlet Knights lead the nation in offensive rebounding (17.9) after concluding the 2015-16 campaign tied for 249th in the category. RU is also fifth in rebounding margin (13.0) and sixth in total rebounding (45.8).
Tuesday's game will be streamed live via the web on ESPN3, with Doug Sherman calling the action and Rob Kennedy providing the analysis. On the radio, the contest will be broadcast live on the Rutgers IMG Sports Network, WOR 710 AM in New York and WCTC 1450 AM in New Brunswick. Jerry Recco will serve as play-by-play announcer and Joe Boylan will provide commentary. WRSU (88.7 FM) will also broadcast the game.
The match-up is the second on the collegiate hardwood between the Scarlet Knights and Blue Devils after RU defeated CCSU 75-59 at the RAC last December. Corey Sanders scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures as Rutgers shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) and out-scored the visitors 38-18 in the paint. CCSU is the fourth opponent with a color in its nickname this season for the Scarlet Knights, following the DePaul Blue Demons, Niagara Purple Eagles and North Texas Mean Green.
Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell served as an assistant coach at CCSU under Howie Dickenman from 1997-01 and helped the team win a NEC title and reach the NCAA Tournament in 1999-00. The Blue Devils are now under the leadership of first-year head coach Donyell Marshall. A Connecticut alum along with Pikiell and RU Associate Head Coach Karl Hobbs, Marshall was a player at UConn when both Pikiell and Hobbs served as assistant coaches in Storrs under Jim Calhoun.
Rutgers limited Morgan State to 29 percent (20-of-69) shooting, including just 18.5 percent (5-of-27) behind the arc, to defeat the visitors 72-58 at the RAC Saturday evening. Deshawn Freeman posted 22 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He was joined in double figures by C.J. Gettys, Nigel Johnson and Mike Williams. Gettys was a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor to register a career-high 15 points with seven rebounds and four blocks. Johnson added 12 points, while Williams contributed 10 and six boards.
Freeman ranks tied for ninth nationally in double-doubles. He is the first RU player to have five double-doubles this early in the season since Keith Hughes had five in the opening seven games in 1990-91.
CCSU is coming off a 75-58 home loss to Brown on Sunday in a contest that had 37 turnovers. Brown established a 37-28 rebounding advantage and benefitted from a 19-of-21 performance at the charity stripe. Austin Nehls, who averages a team-best 14.2 points-per-game and was an NEC All-Rookie selection last season, scored 18 on 5-of-10 shooting for CCSU. Fellow sophomore guard Eric Bowles ranks 10th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.4) coming off the bench. The Blue Devils were picked 10th in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll.
