PISCATAWAY – Rutgers (13-18, 3-15) dropped a hard-fought, 75-62, decision to Illinois (14-17, 4-14) at the RAC on Sunday to conclude its regular season. Four players scored in double figures for the Scarlet Knights in a contest that featured three ties and six lead changes.
 
Rutgers will be the 14 seed and will play Wednesday in the opening round of the Big Ten Championship at Madison Square Garden. RU will meet No. 11 seeded Minnesota at approximately 8 p.m.
 
Corey Sanders shot 6-of-11 to score 18 points on Sunday, while also grabbing a team-high six rebounds. He was joined in double digits by junior Eugene Omoruyi (14) and seniors Deshawn Freeman (11) and Mike Williams (10). In their final home game, RU's three competing seniors combined for 25 points, including four by Jake Dadika, who made his first career start.
 
"I'm disappointed for these guys," said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. "These guys have been awesome and worked their tails off in that game. We couldn't make some plays for the stretch, and we're a little bit banged up too, as you can see. We have to get healthy before we start this next round for us."
 
The Scarlet Knights, who have battled injuries throughout the conference season, were without the services of senior big man Candido Sa, who was sidelined due to a shoulder injury sustained in practice on Saturday. Geo Baker, who did not make the trip to No. 16 Ohio State on Tuesday due to flu-like symptoms, returned to the lineup, but was limited.
 
"We're in a big league, and we play the best schedule in the Big Ten," said Pikiell. "We've had injuries. We've probably gone through the most. Mike missed nine games. Eugene is still getting back, and Geo is getting over the flu. These aren't excuses, but we need everybody. We need everybody to be playing while we're in the best league in the country."
 
The Fighting Illini, which benefitted from a 37-5 advantage in bench points, shot 47.1 percent (24-of-51), including a 52.2 percent mark after the break. The visitors also deposited 40.9 percent (9-of-22) of their attempts from behind the arc. Rutgers shot 43.2 percent (19-of-44) and 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from long range.
 
"They made shots," said Pikiell. "They made their free throws. That's a team that defends, and we got a couple good looks, but we didn't capitalize. We didn't make free throws when we need to. They played really good defense and they made some big shots."
 
Rutgers out-rebounded Illinois 18-16 in the opening half, but the visitors took a 35-30 lead into the locker room at the break courtesy of a 21-0 advantage in bench points.
 
The Scarlet Knights began the second stanza with a 6-0 run to establish a 36-35 lead. Unfortunately for the more than 7,000 fans in attendance, it would be the only advantage of the half for the home squad. Illinois posted the next four points and retained its lead for the remainder.
 
"These guys always play with energy, and the seniors are going to lead us," said Pikiell. "We're going to Madison Square Garden, and 40 minutes gets us 40. That's going to be our slogan, and we're going to play. I'm very confident in that."
 
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Postgame Notes

• Prior to the game, seniors Mike Williams, Deshawn Freeman, Candido Sa and Jake Dadika, as well as manager Cheikh N'Diaye, were recognized in a ceremony. All five honorees are poised to graduate in May.
• Williams celebrated his Senior Day with 10 points, the 49^th time he has reached double-digits in his career. Now with 1,068 career points, Williams surpasses JR Inman (2005-09) for 34^th all-time on the Rutgers scoring list.
• Freeman scored 11 points in his final game at the RAC, his 48^th career game in double-figures.
• Dadika made his first career start and logged a career-best 25 minutes on Senior Day, chipping in four points, two assists and a rebound.
• Sa was sidelined for the game due to a shoulder injury sustained in practice the day prior.
• With four assists, Corey Sanders took over sole possession of eighth place all-time in RU history with 318 career helpers. He also paced the Scarlet Knights in scoring (18 points) for the 14^th time this season.
• Eugene Omoruyi made his fourth start of the season and drew his 27^th charge of the year. With 14 points, he scored in double-figures for the 10^th time in 2017-18, and 11^th time in his career.
• Rutgers outscored a team in the paint (28-24) for the 17^th time this season, falling to 10-7 in those contests.
• RU had four players score in double-digits for the 11^th time this season, and lost for just the third time when four or more score 10+ points.
• Rutgers made 21 free throws, tied for the second most in a game this season.
• The contest had 47 fouls called, the second most fouls whistled in a regulation game this season for Rutgers, behind the 48 fouls against Florida State (Nov. 28).
• Illinois moves to 6-1 in the all-time series.
• Rutgers' seed for the upcoming Big Ten Championship at Madison Square Garden is still to be determined. The Scarlet Knights will be either the 13 or 14 seed, depending on the result of the Northwestern at Iowa game Sunday evening. If Iowa loses, the Scarlet Knights will be the No. 13 seed and will play No. 12 seed Illinois in the opening round at 5:30 on Wednesday. If Iowa wins, RU will be the No. 14 seed and will meet No. 11 seed Minnesota at approximately 8:30 p.m. in the opening round on Wednesday.

Postgame Quotes
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening Statement: "I want to thank Rutgers nation for showing up all year at the RAC. I'm disappointed for these guys. These guys have been awesome and worked their tails off in that game. We couldn't make some plays for the stretch, and we're a little bit banged up too, as you can see. We have to get healthy before we start this next round for us."
 
On the crowd and disappointment of losing: "I'm thankful that they came out, and these guys deserve that. They've worked hard. I took over the job two years ago and they didn't know me from anyone. There are guys that have chosen to leave and go different routes, but these guys have stuck with us and the rise of this program is because of the work that they've done. We took over a team that won seven games, and now we're in every game just about. These guys have done immense work over the years and I'm proud of them. Candido too, this game on senior night was the first game he's missed with a shoulder injury. The last play of practice yesterday he hurt his shoulder. We missed him tonight, and he would have given us a bit of a lift, especially after the foul trouble we were in."
 
On how Illinois pulled away: "They made shots. They made their free throws. That's a team that defends, and we got a couple good looks but we didn't capitalize. We didn't make free throws when we need to. They played really good defense and they made some big shots."
 
On how being in foul trouble affected them: "Candido is our other four-man, and we wanted to play their small team so we really needed him to give Deshawn a "blow", and at times Eugene needed a "blow". It was just a difficult game in that they play a different style so it was very taxing. Having Deshawn and other guys in foul trouble like Issa hurt our rotation. Candido has been a real rock coming off the bench for us. He can play the four and the five so he's a bit of a different defender, so that hurt us too… they got into lane too and they had some pick-and-pop fours and fives that step out, so sometimes that's harder for our true fives to guard. That's where Deshawn and Eugene and Candido are kind of hybrids, they can guard those guys on the perimeter. That hurt us and they took advantage of it."
 
On the team's struggles in the past month: "We're in a big league, and we play the best schedule in the Big Ten. We've had injuries. We've probably gone through the most. Mike missed nine games, Eugene is still getting back, and Geo is getting over the flu. These aren't excuses, but we need everybody. We need everybody to be playing while we're in the best league in the country. You've got to play better on both sides of the ball here, it's not just a one-side of the ball league. We have got to play better on both sides."
 
On Jake Dadika's higher-than-usual minutes: "Jake had no turnovers, and last time we turned the ball over alarming. We needed more ball handlers, and Geo was not quite back yet. We needed more ball handling and Jake's been really good and trustworthy, and did a really nice job for us today. Having extra ball handlers on the floor helped us. If you saw the last game we played, we really struggled to get up some shots."
 
On what the teams needs to do moving forward: "We've got to get healthy. Corey has been having a little foot problem too, so we've got to give him a tip of the hat today for playing the minutes he did. He missed practice the other day. So we've got to get healthy, and these guys are good. We've got 40 minutes to get you 40, and we're going to be there ready to play. These guys always play with energy, and the seniors are going to lead us. We're going to Madison Square Garden, and 40 minutes gets us 40. That's going to be our slogan, and we're going to play. I'm very confident in that."
 
Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood
 
Opening Statement: "I thought it was a really hard-fought game. I was expecting that. Rutgers has played everyone extremely tough here at the RAC and tonight was no different. I thought that our bench was absolutely the difference in the game. I think Michael Finke and Aaron Jordan stepped into rolls tonight with Trent Frazier and Leron Black really playing sub-par games compared to the way they have been playing. That being said, I thought the player of the game was Te'Jon Lucas. I thought his effort and energy - this is our fourth game in eight days and we've traveled all over the place - was absolutely dynamite. We're not the most vocal team, and his energy carried us early and then became contagious. We put Leron back in in the second half and his two pick and pop three's took what was really a close game in that five to six range and broke it open. Onto the Big Ten Tournament and we'll find out who we'll play tonight. Maybe it's these guys again."
 
On shaking Mike Williams' hand: "I love seniors. It's a commitment. Those guys have paid a great, great price and it's an honor for me to shake a guy's hand. I know as a player - remember, a long time ago now - I remember what I went through and guys who commit four years, I have a lot of respect for and tremendous admiration for."
 
On managing foul trouble with a short roster: "On most nights we play nine or 10 guys. We've had to do it at various points throughout the year. At Michigan State the other night, Leron had a couple and we bought two, three and four possessions with him and I told we were going to cut off his lunch money if he committed a foul. Trent hasn't played with a lot of foul trouble so tonight that was really unique, but again, we have three or four guys that can handle it. We kind of play position-less basketball. You feel good when you get eight rebounds from Da'Monte [Williams] and the production you get from AJ and Finke, you're going to be okay when the other guys don't play so great."
 
On seeding in the Big Ten Tournament: "We haven't talked one second of it. I don't believe in that. We keep everything really simple at our place. It's all about the next game and the next practice. I only just mentioned it to them in the locker room. They had no idea who we could play, it was just about winning the game that was in front of us. That's been my philosophy all along, not to get ahead. We just want to try and get the win that day. 
 
"I think at the end of the season, I never worry about that. This may sound trite, but the one thing I do is every day. And then when they're all play, let's see where we're at. I did it when we were at other places when we were winning conferences. I try not to make too much about that and we just make it about day to day. Let's worry about the process."