Men's Hoops Hosts Illini on Senior Day
Mar 02 | Men's Basketball
| Rutgers vs. Illinois (Senior Day) | |
| Date | Saturday, March 4 |
| Time | 12 p.m. |
| Location | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Video | ESPNU (Clay Matvick and Sean Harrington) |
| Radio |
Rutgers IMG Sports Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM & WOR 710 AM |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Illinois |
| RVision | Coach Pikiell Previews Senior Day |
| Promotions | Youth Sports Day Giveaway Pennants |
| Media Guide | Rutgers |
Rutgers Interactive Game Notes
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers (13-17, 2-15) hosts Illinois (18-12, 8-9) in 12 noon tip-off on Saturday in the annual Senior Day game at the RAC. Graduate center C.J. Gettys and senior guard Khalil Batie, along with the senior managers, will be recognized for their contributions to the program in a pre-game ceremony.
The Scarlet Knights, who have the most difficult conference schedule in the Big Ten according to Ken Pom, will be working to return to the win column and improve to 10-6 at the RAC. The encounter with the Illini will mark the seventh straight contest against an opponent positioning for an NCAA Tournament berth. Fourteen of RU's last 19 games have been against foes that have been ranked or receiving votes this season.
Nine of Rutgers' last 14 games, including five of its past seven, have been decided in single digits. Last season, 15 of 17 conference losses were by double digits.
Rutgers is third nationally in offensive rebounds-per-game (14.83) and ninth in overall rebounds (40.5) to lead the Big Ten in both categories. RU has out-rebounded its Conference foes in 10 of 17 games, after winning the boards in just three of 18 league contests last season.
With at least two more games remaining in the season, Rutgers has won six more games than it did during the entire 2015-16 campaign (7-25). The plus-six differential ranks tied for fourth among BCS conference-member programs.
Saturday afternoon's game will be televised 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, as well as on Sirius 135 and XM 195. 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 fifth meeting on the collegiate hardwood between RU and Illinois, with the Illini having won the prior four match-ups. On Feb. 3, 2016, in the lone meeting at the RAC, UI defeated RU 110-101 in triple overtime. Corey Sanders set a school freshman record with 39 points and dished-out 12 assists in a contest that featured seven ties and 12 lead changes. He became first player to have at least 39 points and 12 assists in a game since Ohio's D.J. Cooper in 2010. The No. 15-ranked Illini won the first match-up, 77-57, on Nov. 26, 2005 in the championship game of the South Padre Island Invitational in Texas.
Rutgers played a strong opening half, but could not sustain the effort for a full 40 minutes in a 79-59 home loss to Maryland Tuesday evening. Mike Williams registered team-highs of 14 points and six rebounds to pace three Scarlet Knights in double figures. Gettys shot 6-of-8 to score 12 points, while Deshawn Freeman added 11, helped by a 4-of-4 performance from the free throw line. The Terrapins shot 54.4 percent (31-of-57) and edged RU on the glass, 32-31, to claim the victory. Rutgers made 41.4 percent (24-of-58) of its field goal attempts.
Illinois, under the leadership of fifth-year head coach John Groce, has won four straight and five of its last six, including a 73-70 home victory over Michigan State on Wednesday. The Illini established an 18-7 advantage in points-off-turnovers to earn the win in a game that featured seven ties and nine lead changes. Malcolm Hill scored 22 points and leads UI with a 17.2 scoring average to rank fourth in the Big Ten. He is the only player from the six major conferences to lead his team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals this season.
Saturday's game is sponsored by AT&T. It is "Youth Sports Day" and the first 500 fans will receive complimentary pennants.
