RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (9-9, 2-6) AT PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (7-12, 0-8)
SATURDAY, JAN. 26, 2019 | 4:30 P.M.
BRYCE JORDAN CENTER (15,261) | STATE COLLEGE, PA.
 
TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin, play-by-play & Shon Morris, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/XM 387) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Justin Sontupe & Randy DeGregorio)
 
Series Record: Penn State leads 40-32
Last Meeting: Penn State 60, Rutgers 43 (Jan. 27, 2018 at Bryce Jordan Center)
 
OPENING TIP: Rutgers returns to the road to face Penn State Saturday following a 76-69 win Monday evening over rv/rv Nebraska. Freshman Montez Mathis scored a career-high 20 points and fellow rookie Myles Johnson registered a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. The Scarlet Knights committed just two turnovers after halftime to overcome an early 13-point deficit. Co-captain Eugene Omoruyi, who was sidelined for the previous three games with a left leg injury, returned to action. Rutgers' 76 points was the most in a Big Ten Conference game this season. The Cornhuskers represented RU's fourth of seven Big Ten opponents either ranked or receiving votes over a nine-game span. The Scarlet Knights have defeated two of the initial four, downing No. 16 Ohio State and the Huskers.
 
Versus Nebraska, Mathis set a new career scoring best for the third time in the past five games. Over that span, the guard is leading the team with 15.8 points-per-game, while shooting 50 percent (28-of-56).
 
THE SERIES: Saturday marks the 73rd meeting between the two teams in a series that dates back to 1922, and the third straight played at the Bryce Jordan Center. Rutgers won 70-68 at the 15,261-seat venue on Feb. 4, 2017, the Scarlet Knights' first Big Ten road victory. RU is 9-26 all-time at PSU but has won four of the last six meetings in State College. Rutgers and Penn State were both members of the Atlantic 10 from 1976-79 and from 1982-1991.
 
THE OPPONENT: Penn State is 7-12 and 0-8 in conference play, with five league defeats by single digits. The Nittany Lions have the nation's No. 2 strength of schedule according to KenPom, and are coming off a 65-64 loss at Minnesota on Saturday. PSU led by 11 in the second half, but the Gophers made 10 more free throws to secure the win. Offensively, the team is led by Lamar Stevens, who averages 18.5 points-per-game, while fellow junior forward Mike Watkins paces Penn State on the glass (8.4). Senior guard Josh Reaves averages 2.68, first in the Big Ten and ninth nationally.
 
CONNECTION: Freshmen shooting guards Montez Mathis (RU) and Myles Dread (PSU) were both 2017 DMVelite All-DMV selections.
 
COACHING COMPARISON
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years): 231-202 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years): 39-46 (3rd)
Record vs. Penn State (RU):1-2
Record vs. Penn State (overall):2-2
 
Penn State Head Coach Pat Chambers
Overall Record (years): 162-161 (10th)
Penn State Record (years): 120-133 (8th)
Record vs. RU (Penn State): 4-2
Record vs. RU (Overall): 4-2
 
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES

• Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers' strength of schedule ranks 22nd nationally. RU has played three of the top four teams in the league standings.
• Rutgers ranks 23rd nationally in offensive rebounds (13.18) and 44th in total rebounds (39.06). RU and leads the Big Ten in offensive boards.
• Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers is among the nation's youngest teams with 1.15 years of experience to rank 320th 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.
• Sixteen of Rutgers' 30 regular season games (53%) 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 5,736 fans through its initial 12 home games with two sell-outs, a 37% increase over its average attendance through 12 games (4,217) 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.

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