NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (10-7, 1-5) AT RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (8-8, 1-5)
FRIDAY, JAN. 18, 2019 | 7 P.M.
THE RAC (8,000) | PISCATAWAY, N.J.
 
TV: BTN (Jason Horowitz, play-by-play & Shon Morris, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/Sirius 133/XM 195) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Justin Sontupe & Raj Shah)
 
Series Record: Northwestern leads 9-2
Last Meeting: Rutgers 67, Northwestern 58 (OT), Feb. 13, 2018 at the RAC
 
PROMOTIONS: New Jersey Night: fans can choose between a North Jersey, Central Jersey, or South Jersey cap at the door; Winter Break at The RAC: students with a valid Rutgers ID to bring up to two guests in the student section free of charge; halftime performance by Drums of Thunder.
 
OPENING TIP: Rutgers returns home after a two game road trip over five days to welcome Northwestern to the RAC on Friday. Freshmen Myles Johnson and Montez Mathis scored career-highs at Minnesota and Purdue, respectively, to help lead the Scarlet Knights in the absence of leading scorer and rebounder Eugene Omoruyi, who has been sidelined due to injury. The Gophers and Boilermakers are receiving votes in both polls, as RU is in the midst of playing seven opponents either ranked or receiving votes over nine games. Mathis scored 19 points Tuesday evening at Mackey Arena and has paced Rutgers with 12.2 points-per-game over the last five contests. Since joining the starting lineup eight games ago, the rookie has shot 46.7% (28-of-60), while setting career scoring highs in three of the last four contests.
 
THE SERIES: Friday marks the 12th match-up between RU and Northwestern dating back to 1969, with the Wildcats holding a 9-2 advantage. Rutgers is 1-3 at the RAC versus NU, which includes a 67-58 overtime victory last season in the most recent meeting. The Scarlet Knights scored 32 of the game's final 45 points to overcome a double-digit deficit, while limiting the Wildcats to a 23.5 FG% (8-of-34) over the final 25 minutes. Three games in the series have been played at neutral sites, including an 80-75 Rutgers victory in El Paso on Dec. 27, 2003.
 
THE OPPONENT: Northwestern ranks 16th nationally in 3-point FG defense (28.6) and 33rd in scoring defense (64.8). Vic Law paces the Wildcats with 17.3 points-per-game, but did not play in NU's 80-60 loss at 2/4 Michigan on Sunday due to injury. Derek Pardon leads the team in rebounding (7.8) and is fourth in the Big Ten with a 61.5 FG%.
 
CONNECTION: Steve Pikiell's daughter Brooke is a sophomore guard on the Northwestern women's basketball team under head coach Jack McKeown.
 
COACHING COMPARISON
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years)                     230-201 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years)                    38-45 (3rd)
Record vs. Northwestern (RU)         1-3
Record vs. Northwestern (overall)    1-4
 
Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins
Overall Record (years)                     98-83 (6th)
Northwestern Record (years)           98-83 (6th)
Record vs. RU (Northwestern)         5-1
Record vs. RU (Overall)                   5-1
 
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES

• Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers' strength of schedule ranks 23rd nationally. Through six Big Ten games, RU has played four of the top five teams in the league standings.
• Rutgers ranks 19th nationally in offensive rebounds (13.56) and 43rd in total rebounds (39.38). RU is among the top five in the Big Ten in four stat categories and leads the league in offensive boards.
• Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers is among the nation's youngest teams with 1.15 years of experience to rank 319th nationally out of 353 Division I programs. RU is also one of the nation's tallest teams with an average height of 79.0" to rank sixth in D-I.
• 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.
• 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 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.

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