Photo by: Mel Evans
Game 3: Men's Basketball Hosts St. John's in Gavitt Games
Nov 14 | Men's Basketball
St. John's Red Storm (2-0) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-0)
Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 | 7 p.m. ET
The RAC (8,000) | Piscataway, N.J.
TV: BTN (Cory Provus, play-by-play; Jon Crispin, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan) and WRSU 88.7 FM (Justin Sontupe & Matt Howe)
Series Record: St. John's leads 27-14
Last Meeting: St. John's 61, Rutgers 59 (Nov. 19, 2015 at Carnesecca Arena)
PROMOTIONS: Halftime performance by Drums of Thunder. Student Greek Game.
OPENING TIP: Rutgers hosts rival St. John's on Friday night in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. The Scarlet Knights will work to improve upon their 19-3 record in non-conference home games under Steve Pikiell. Rutgers is 1-1 in the Gavitt after last earning a 66-59 win at DePaul on Nov. 17, 2016, Pikiell's first road game at the RU helm.
Rutgers deposited 14 3-pointers, the second-most in program history, to defeat Drexel 95-66 on Sunday. Eugene Omoruyi had career-highs of 24 points and eight FGs with 10 rebounds en route to his second straight double-double. Geo Baker contributed 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
The Scarlet Knights won consecutive games by 25 or more points to begin a season for the first time in school history. It signaled the third time RU opened with a pair of 20 point wins, joining the 1935-36 and 2016-17 (Pikiell's first season at RU) campaigns. Rutgers scored 90 points in consecutive games to begin a season for the first time in school history.
THE SERIES: Rutgers and St. John's have met 41 times, with the Red Storm holding a 27-14 advantage. RU is 6-7 all-time at home versus St. John's. In the last official match-up, Rutgers dropped a 61-59 decision to St. John's at Carnesecca Arena on Nov. 19, 2015, in the inaugural Gavitt Tipoff. This past season, RU defeated SJU 80-78 in a charity exhibition at the RAC.
THE OPPONENT: Under fourth-year head coach Chris Mullin, St. John's is picked sixth in the Big East Preseason Coaches Poll and is receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Shamorie Ponds is the Big East Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 21.6 points last season. Justin Simon is a Preseason All-Big East Second Team choice. SJU is 2-0 after home wins over Loyola Maryland (76-55) and Bowling Green (84-80).
CONNECTIONS: Rutgers sophomore guard Peter Kiss and St. John's sophomore guard Mikey Dixon were teammates and unanimous MAAC All-Rookie selections as true freshmen at Quinnipiac in 2016-17. RU's' Ron Harper Jr. and SJU's Marcellus Earlington were both all-state selections as seniors last year at Don Bosco Prep.
Coaching Comparison:
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years): 223-193 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years): 32-37 (3rd)
Record vs. St. John's (RU): 0-0
Record vs. St. John's (overall): 0-2
St. John's Head Coach Chris Mullin
Overall Record (years): 42-60 (4th)
St. John's Record (years): 42-60 (4th)
Record vs. RU (St. John's): 1-0
Record vs. RU (overall): 1-0
Scarlet Knight Notables
• Rutgers has opened the season 26-of-46 (.565) from behind the arc. The 26 made 3-pointers is the most in any two-game span in program history. Forward Eugene Omoruyi is 6-of-7 from 3-point distance after shooting 0-of-16 in his first two seasons. Following the opening week of games, RU leads the nation in 3-point FG% and is second in blocked shots per game (10.0).
• Rutgers returns seven scholarship lettermen, including 2017-18 redshirts Peter Kiss and Myles Johnson, from a team that advanced to the 2018 Big Ten quarterfinals at MSG via victories over Minnesota and Indiana. It marked the first time RU won two conference tournament games since 1998. Four players who started in the B1G Championship return in co-captains Shaquille Doorson and Eugene Omoruyi, Issa Thiam and MET Rookie of the Year Geo Baker.
• The Scarlet Knights must replace two regular season starters, six scholarship letterwinners, 55% of its scoring and 48% of its rebounding from last season. Eleven of Rutgers' 30 regular season games in 2018-19 are against opponents ranked or receiving votes in the preseason polls.
• Rutgers welcomes a signing class that includes multiple (Montez Mathis, Ron Harper, Jr.) four-star players for the first time since 2008. Junior college transfer Shaq Carter is a preseason Big Ten All-Newcomer selection by Street & Smith's.
• Five Big Ten programs that have won NCAA men's basketball titles will compete in Piscataway, including five-time champion Indiana.
• Rutgers battles upon a new surface in 2018-19. An outline of the State of New Jersey is displayed prominently at center court, along with Block R spirit mark, on the newly-installed hardwood. The illustration projects the Scarlet Knights' state pride.
• With limited tickets available for this game, Rutgers Athletics has implemented an alternate traffic pattern.
QUOTABLE:
"St. John's is a talented team all around, they've got good players. They're a veteran team. This is the most athletic team we could face all year. We have to take care of the ball. This is a great test for us early with our young team. Hopefully it will be a great environment here at the RAC. I hope our fans come out and support. We like it when the place is loud, it gives us a home court advantage. It's an old rivalry matchup. We want this place to be a tough place to play, and we need it rocking Friday."
- Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 | 7 p.m. ET
The RAC (8,000) | Piscataway, N.J.
TV: BTN (Cory Provus, play-by-play; Jon Crispin, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan) and WRSU 88.7 FM (Justin Sontupe & Matt Howe)
Series Record: St. John's leads 27-14
Last Meeting: St. John's 61, Rutgers 59 (Nov. 19, 2015 at Carnesecca Arena)
PROMOTIONS: Halftime performance by Drums of Thunder. Student Greek Game.
OPENING TIP: Rutgers hosts rival St. John's on Friday night in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. The Scarlet Knights will work to improve upon their 19-3 record in non-conference home games under Steve Pikiell. Rutgers is 1-1 in the Gavitt after last earning a 66-59 win at DePaul on Nov. 17, 2016, Pikiell's first road game at the RU helm.
Rutgers deposited 14 3-pointers, the second-most in program history, to defeat Drexel 95-66 on Sunday. Eugene Omoruyi had career-highs of 24 points and eight FGs with 10 rebounds en route to his second straight double-double. Geo Baker contributed 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
The Scarlet Knights won consecutive games by 25 or more points to begin a season for the first time in school history. It signaled the third time RU opened with a pair of 20 point wins, joining the 1935-36 and 2016-17 (Pikiell's first season at RU) campaigns. Rutgers scored 90 points in consecutive games to begin a season for the first time in school history.
THE SERIES: Rutgers and St. John's have met 41 times, with the Red Storm holding a 27-14 advantage. RU is 6-7 all-time at home versus St. John's. In the last official match-up, Rutgers dropped a 61-59 decision to St. John's at Carnesecca Arena on Nov. 19, 2015, in the inaugural Gavitt Tipoff. This past season, RU defeated SJU 80-78 in a charity exhibition at the RAC.
THE OPPONENT: Under fourth-year head coach Chris Mullin, St. John's is picked sixth in the Big East Preseason Coaches Poll and is receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Shamorie Ponds is the Big East Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 21.6 points last season. Justin Simon is a Preseason All-Big East Second Team choice. SJU is 2-0 after home wins over Loyola Maryland (76-55) and Bowling Green (84-80).
CONNECTIONS: Rutgers sophomore guard Peter Kiss and St. John's sophomore guard Mikey Dixon were teammates and unanimous MAAC All-Rookie selections as true freshmen at Quinnipiac in 2016-17. RU's' Ron Harper Jr. and SJU's Marcellus Earlington were both all-state selections as seniors last year at Don Bosco Prep.
Coaching Comparison:
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years): 223-193 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years): 32-37 (3rd)
Record vs. St. John's (RU): 0-0
Record vs. St. John's (overall): 0-2
St. John's Head Coach Chris Mullin
Overall Record (years): 42-60 (4th)
St. John's Record (years): 42-60 (4th)
Record vs. RU (St. John's): 1-0
Record vs. RU (overall): 1-0
Scarlet Knight Notables
• Rutgers has opened the season 26-of-46 (.565) from behind the arc. The 26 made 3-pointers is the most in any two-game span in program history. Forward Eugene Omoruyi is 6-of-7 from 3-point distance after shooting 0-of-16 in his first two seasons. Following the opening week of games, RU leads the nation in 3-point FG% and is second in blocked shots per game (10.0).
• Rutgers returns seven scholarship lettermen, including 2017-18 redshirts Peter Kiss and Myles Johnson, from a team that advanced to the 2018 Big Ten quarterfinals at MSG via victories over Minnesota and Indiana. It marked the first time RU won two conference tournament games since 1998. Four players who started in the B1G Championship return in co-captains Shaquille Doorson and Eugene Omoruyi, Issa Thiam and MET Rookie of the Year Geo Baker.
• The Scarlet Knights must replace two regular season starters, six scholarship letterwinners, 55% of its scoring and 48% of its rebounding from last season. Eleven of Rutgers' 30 regular season games in 2018-19 are against opponents ranked or receiving votes in the preseason polls.
• Rutgers welcomes a signing class that includes multiple (Montez Mathis, Ron Harper, Jr.) four-star players for the first time since 2008. Junior college transfer Shaq Carter is a preseason Big Ten All-Newcomer selection by Street & Smith's.
• Five Big Ten programs that have won NCAA men's basketball titles will compete in Piscataway, including five-time champion Indiana.
• Rutgers battles upon a new surface in 2018-19. An outline of the State of New Jersey is displayed prominently at center court, along with Block R spirit mark, on the newly-installed hardwood. The illustration projects the Scarlet Knights' state pride.
• With limited tickets available for this game, Rutgers Athletics has implemented an alternate traffic pattern.
QUOTABLE:
"St. John's is a talented team all around, they've got good players. They're a veteran team. This is the most athletic team we could face all year. We have to take care of the ball. This is a great test for us early with our young team. Hopefully it will be a great environment here at the RAC. I hope our fans come out and support. We like it when the place is loud, it gives us a home court advantage. It's an old rivalry matchup. We want this place to be a tough place to play, and we need it rocking Friday."
- Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Players Mentioned
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