RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (8-7, 1-4) AT RV PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (10-6, 3-2)
TUESDAY, JAN. 15, 2019 | 7 P.M.
MACKEY ARENA (14,804) | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
 
TV: BTN (Dave Revsine, play-by-play & Robbie Hummel, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/XM 384) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Matt Howe & Sam Marsdale)
 
Series Record: Purdue leads 11-1
Last Meeting: No. 8 Purdue 82, Rutgers 75 (March 2, 2018 at Madison Square Garden)
 
OPENING TIP: Rutgers remains on the rugged road of the Big Ten to take on Purdue Tuesday evening at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers are receiving votes in the AP poll and have been ranked as high as No. 19 this season. The match-up is the third of seven games over nine contests for the Scarlet Knights against foes either ranked or receiving votes.
 
Rutgers is coming off an 88-70 loss on Saturday at Minnesota. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded and out-scored the hosts in the paint, but could not overcome the Gophers' success in transition and at the free throw line. Freshmen center Myles Johnson scored a career-high 13 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds for an RU squad hampered by injuries. Leading scorer and rebounder Eugene Omoruyi and Mamadou Doucoure did not dress for the contest, and freshman Caleb McConnell was sidelined in the opening half after scoring nine points in 11 minutes.
 
THE SERIES: The contest signals the 13th match-up between RU and Purdue dating back to 1953, with the Boilermakers holding an 11-1 advantage, including nine straight victories and three meetings last season. RU is 0-6 on the road in the series. In the last match-up, guards Geo Baker (25) and Corey Sanders (23) combined for 48 points, but No. 14 seeded Rutgers could not overcome the 43.3% 3-point shooting of third seeded Purdue in a 82-75 loss in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded Purdue 36-28 in the hard fought defeat. RU's lone victory over the Boilermakers was an 81-73 win at MSG on Dec. 4, 1975 during the Scarlet Knights' 31-0 start en route to the Final Four.
 
THE OPPONENT: Purdue committed just eight turnovers, its seventh straight game with 10 or fewer, and outrebounded Wisconsin by a 39-32 margin in an 84-80 overtime win at the Kohl Center on Friday. The Boilermakers rank 10th nationally in 3-point field goals (10.5) and 22nd in turnovers-per-game (10.9). Junior guard Carsen Edwards, the Blue Ribbon Yearbook Pre-Season College Basketball National Player of the Year and 2017-18 First Team All-Big Ten selection, leads the league and is fifth nationally in both points (25.3) and 3-point FGs-per-game (3.81). Purdue, which is 18th in the NCAA NET rankings, is 7-0 at home and 192-35 (.846) under 14th-year head coach Matt Painter at Mackey Arena.
 
COACHING COMPARISON
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years): 230-200 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years): 38-44 (3rd)
Record vs. Purdue (RU): 0-4
Record vs. Purdue (overall):0-4
 
Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter
Overall Record (years): 330–160 (15th)
Purdue Record (years): 305–155 (14th)
Record vs. RU (Purdue): 7-0
Record vs. RU (Overall): 7-0
 
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES

• Rutgers ranks 14th nationally in offensive rebounds (13.93), 36th in total rebounds (40.0), 43rd in scoring defense (65.5) and 50th in blocked shots (4.6). RU is among the top five in the Big Ten in seven stat categories and leads the league in offensive boards.
• Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers is among the nation's youngest teams with 1.16 years of experience to rank 314th
• nationally out of 353 Division I programs. The D-I average is 1.68 years.
• Seventeen of Rutgers' 30 regular season games (56%) are against opponents currently ranked or receiving votes in the polls. Five Big Ten programs that have won NCAA titles will compete in Piscataway, including five-time champion Indiana.
• Rutgers is averaging 5,835 fans through its initial 10 home games with two sell-outs, a 67% increase over its average attendance through 10 games (3,889) last season.
• Eugene Omoruyi's 17 rebounds vs. BU marked the most for a Rutgers player since Adrian Hill grabbed 18 versus Notre Dame on March 3, 2007, a span of 12 seasons.
• Against Eastern Michigan, Rutgers allowed four points in the opening half to tie the NCAA D-I record for fewest points allowed in a half during the shot clock era (since 1985-86). The 36 points allowed also tied the school record, matching the defensive effort against Columbia (60-36) on Nov. 18, 2002 in the preseason NIT at the RAC.
• In the shot clock era, Rutgers has held an opponent under 40 points eight times. Steve Pikiell has been the head coach in four of those contests.
• Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers is among the nation's tallest teams with an average height of 79.0" to rank sixth among all D-I programs.

QUOTABLE
 
"Rutgers has good size. They are a really good defensive team. Rebounding is going to be really important for us. We'll need to contain the dribble and keep the ball in front of us. Geo Baker is very good with the ball. He's a crafty player, as we saw in the Big Ten Tournament. He's got a good crossover. He can break you down and get to the rim. He's tough to handle."

- Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter

Fans can secure single game tickets for the remaining home games, as well as flex ticket plans, online or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Additional information can obtained by visiting RutgersGameday.com. 

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