Scarlet Knights Travel to Iowa Sunday
Jan 06 | Men's Basketball
| Rutgers at Iowa | |
| Date | Sunday, January 8 |
| Time | 4:30 p.m. |
| Location | Carver-Hawkeye Arena | Iowa City, Iowa |
| Video | (Jeff Levering and Shon Morris) |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Sports Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM & WOR 710 AM (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan) |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Media Guide | Rutgers |
Rutgers Game Notes
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (11-5, 0-3) plays its fifth of five games away from the RAC over six contests, when it travels to Iowa (9-7, 1-2) for a 4:30 p.m. (ET) tip-off at 15,400-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights will be working to snap a four-game skid and earn their initial Big Ten Conference road win. The Hawkeyes will be looking to improve to 9-2 at home, where they have won five straight.
Rutgers is sixth nationally in rebounds-per-game (43.69), 15th in rebound margin (+8.8) and 27th in field goal percentage defense (38.8). Iowa ranks 24th in scoring offense (83.9) and 28th in assists-per-game (17.2).
Sunday's game will be televised live on BTN, with Jeff Levering calling the action and Shon Morris providing the analysis. On the radio, the contest will be broadcast live on the Rutgers IMG Sports Network, WOR 710 AM in New York & 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 contest will mark the fourth match-up on the collegiate hardwood between RU and Iowa, with the Hawkeyes winning the prior three meetings. Last season, Mike Williams scored 17 points to lead four Scarlet Knights in double figures in a 90-76 loss to No. 9 Iowa at the RAC. RU out-scored the Hawkeyes 46-38 in the paint and established a 26-9 advantage in bench points. Jonathan Laurent posted 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting and Corey Sanders added 12 points with nine assists. In the only meeting at Carver-Hawkeye, Rutgers dropped an 81-47 decision on Feb. 19, 2015, as Iowa made 50.8 percent (30-of-59) of its FGAs and established a 39-33 rebounding advantage. In the initial match-up, the No. 14 Hawkeyes captured an 87-73 victory on March 17, 1989 in an NCAA Tournament opening round match-up in Providence, R.I.
As head coach at Stony Brook, Steve Pikiell faced Fran McCaffery-led Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye in an NIT second round game on March 22, 2013, with the Hawkeyes capturing a 75-63 victory. The game was tied 41-41, in the second half before Iowa went on a 13-3 run to secure the win.
Sanders shot 9-of-16 to score a season-high 22 points, but Rutgers was unable to slow Michigan State in a 93-65 loss at the Breslin Center Wednesday night. The Scarlet Knights struggled at the free throw line, making 12-of-27, including missing front ends on three one-and-ones, to leave a potential of 18 additional points on the floor. Nigel Johnson and C.J. Gettys joined Sanders in double digits, with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Johnson was 6-of-12 from the field, while Gettys contributed to the Scarlet Knights' 38-34 scoring advantage in the paint.
Iowa dropped a 93-90 double-overtime decision at Nebraska on Thursday in a game that featured 14 ties and 12 lead changes. Senior Peter Jok, who leads the Big Ten in scoring with 22.9 points-per-game, posted 30 of his team-high 34 points in the second half and two overtimes. It marked the second straight OT game for the Hawkeyes after an 86-83 home win over Michigan on New Year's Day. In addition to Jok, one redshirt freshman and three true freshmen typically start for Iowa, comprising what is believed to be the youngest starting lineup in school history.
