Men's Hoops Travels to PSU Saturday
Feb 02 | Men's Basketball
| Rutgers at Penn State | |
| Date | Saturday, February 3 |
| Time | 1 p.m. |
| Location | Bryce Jordan Center | State College, Pa. |
| Video | (Clay Matvick and Sean Harrington) |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Sports Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM & WOR 710 AM (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan) WRSU (88.7 FM) |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Penn State | Big Ten |
| Media Guide | Rutgers |
Rutgers Interactive Game Notes
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (12-11, 1-9) plays its ninth game away from the RAC over 13 contests, when it travels to State College to meet Penn State (12-11, 4-6) in a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center. The Scarlet Knights will be working to return to the win column and earn their first Big Ten road victory. The Nittany Lions are also looking to bounce back, while seeking the home-and-home series sweep over RU.
Rutgers is fourth nationally in rebounds-per-game (42.3), 15th in blocks (5.6), 18th in rebound margin (+7.2) and 22nd in field goal percentage defense (39.6). Penn State is 20th in blocks (5.4).
Saturday afternoon's game will be televised live on ESPNU, with Clay Matvick calling the action and Sean Harrington 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 game will mark the 71st meeting on the collegiate hardwood between RU and PSU dating back to 1922, with the Nittany Lions holding a 40-30 advantage. RU is 8-25 all-time at PSU, but has won three of the last four meetings in State College. Rutgers and Penn State were both members of the Atlantic 10 from 1976-79 and from 1982-1991. Mike Williams scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but RU dropped a 60-47 decision to PSU at the RAC on New Year's Day. Rutgers committed 17 turnovers, which contributed to 16-4 advantage in fast break points for Penn State. Despite a tough defense that held the Nittany Lions to 36.4 (20-of-55) percent shooting, RU was unable to capitalize due to its season-low 28.6 (18-of-63) shooting percentage.
Deshawn Freeman had his ninth double-double of the season, posting 17 points and 13 rebounds, but Rutgers was unable to stifle the hot shooting of Iowa in an 83-63 loss at the RAC Tuesday night. The Hawkeyes made 61.1 percent (11-of-18) of their attempts from behind the arc to lead from start to finish. Williams joined Freeman in double figures, falling just short of a double-double, with 16 points and nine rebounds, while also grabbing five steals. The duo helped RU establish a 44-34 advantage on the glass.
Penn State, under the leadership of sixth-year head coach Patrick Chambers, suffered a 110-102 triple overtime loss at Indiana on Wednesday night. Five PSU players scored in double-figures, including Lamar Stephens with a career-high 26. Tony Carr added 23 points and 14 assists for Penn State in its first triple overtime game since a 75-67 loss to Alabama on Dec. 11, 1982. The Nittany Lions are 8-4 at home, where they have defeated Georgia Tech, Minnesota and Illinois. Shep Garner, one of six players on the roster from metro Philadelphia, leads the team with a 12.5 scoring average.
