PISCATAWAY – Rutgers (12-15, 2-12) hosts its final weekday home game of the regular season when it welcomes Northwestern (15-11, 6-7) for a 9 p.m. tip-off on Tuesday. It marks the latest start time for the Scarlet Knights this season at the RAC, where they have compiled a 12-8 record. The match-up features two of the top scoring defenses in the Big Ten. Rutgers is 2nd in the league and 15th nationally in the category, allowing 63.9 points-per-game, while the Wildcats are fifth in the Big Ten and 35th in the nation (65.8).

Rutgers is also 11th nationally in offensive rebounding (13.63), 20th in rebounding (39.70) and 24th in FG% defense (40.4). The Scarlet Knights have the second most difficult conference schedule in the Big Ten and are 18th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency according to Ken Pom analysis.

The game will be televised live on BTN with Jeff Levering calling the action and Stephen Bardo providing the commentary. 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, as well as on Sirius/XM 83. Jerry Recco will serve as play-by-play announcer and Joe Boylan will provide commentary. WRSU (88.7 FM) will also broadcast the game.

It will mark the 11th meeting between RU and Northwestern dating back to 1969, with the Wildcats holding a 9-1 advantage. In the most recent match-up, Rutgers made a season-high nine three-pointers but could not overcome a sluggish first half in an 83-61 loss in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at the Verizon Center. RU is 0-3 at the RAC versus NU, with all three defeats by single digits. Three of the six games in the series have been played at neutral sites, including an 80-75 Rutgers victory in El Paso on Dec. 27, 2003.

Rutgers grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, but struggled from the field, in a 67-55 loss to Nebraska Saturday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Three players scored in double digits for the Scarlet Knights in their first of three road games over four contests. Corey Sanders paced RU with 14 points. He was joined in double digits by Deshawn Freeman and Eugene Omoruyi, who contributed 12 and 11, respectively.  Omoruyi and senior captain Mike Williams both returned from injury to provide a boost. Williams missed eight games, while Omoruyi was sidelined for the prior two.

Under sixth-year head coach Chris Collins, Northwestern has won two of its past three games, including a 61-52 victory over No. 20 Michigan last Tuesday (Feb. 6). The Wildcats dropped a 73-57 decision at Maryland on Saturday afternoon. Scottie Lindsey scored 20 points, but the Terps shot 53% to earn the home victory. Northwestern, which switched to playing primarily a zone defense beginning with the Jan. 10 game against Minnesota, shoots a Big Ten-best.755 at the charity stripe. Junior center Dererk Pardon ranks third in the Big Ten with a .618 FG% and is NU's all-time leader with a .620 career FG%, which ranks 10th among all active Division I players. NU's senior class of Lindsey, Bryant McIntosh and Gavin Skelly has compiled 74 career wins, two shy of the school record of 76 held by the class of 2012.

Single game tickets for Rutgers men's basketball home games are available online or by calling the Rutgers Ticket Office at 1-866-445-GORU.

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