RV/RV PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (11-9, 4-5) AT 25/25 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (15-5, 6-3)
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 | 8 p.m. (ET)
The RAC (8,000) | Piscataway, N.J.

TV: BTN (Dave Revsine, play-by-play; Seth Davis, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/XM 372; Chris Carlin & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Justin Sontupe and Chris Tsakonas)
 
Series Record: Purdue leads 12-1
Last Meeting: Purdue 89, Rutgers 54 (Jan. 15, 2019)
 
PROMOTIONS: Faculty/Staff Knight
 
OPENING TIP: Before its fifth-straight sell-out crowd, a RAC record and the eighth overall this season, No. 25 Rutgers hosts Purdue Tuesday evening looking to improve upon its nation's-best home record. A victory would move RU's RAC mark to 15-0, tying the Boilermakers' Big Ten-best home record last season. The Scarlet Knights have an opportunity to go four games over .500 in conference play for the first time since the 1998-99 Big East campaign (9-5). A win would also provide RU its most season victories since 2005-06 (19-14).
 
The Scarlet Knights are nationally-ranked in consecutive weeks for the first time since voted No. 16 and No. 18, respectively, in the Nov. 28 and Dec. 5 AP polls in 1978.
 
Purdue is the first of three straight match-ups, followed by Michigan and Maryland, for RU against foes it has never defeated in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights' remaining schedule ranks 3rd nationally in difficulty per ESPN's BPI.
 
Geo Baker hit a step-back 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to lift No. 24/25 Rutgers to a 75-72 home defeat of Nebraska on Saturday. Trailing by six with three minutes remaining, RU held the Huskers scoreless for the remainder and out-rebounded the visitors 42-35, including 10-6 on the offensive glass. Akwasi Yeboah scored a season-high 20 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.
 
THE OPPONENT: Under 15th-year head coach Matt Painter, Purdue was nationally-ranked for two weeks this season and is coming off a convincing, 70-51, home win over Wisconsin. The Boilermakers are 10-0, and 30-1 since the start of last season, when shooting a better FG% than their opponent. Purdue leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (60.0), offensive rebounds (13.15) and 3-point FG% defense (28.1). Sophomore forward Trevon Williams leads the team in both scoring (11.0) and rebounding (7.5).
 
THE SERIES: Tuesday is the 14th match-up dating back to 1953, with the Boilermakers holding a 12-1 advantage. RU's lone victory was an 81-73 decision at MSG on Dec. 4, 1975 during the Scarlet Knights' 31-0 start en route to the Final Four. Last season, Montez Mathis scored 19 points, the second-highest output of his career, but Purdue made 14 3-pointers in an 89-54 loss at Mackey Arena. It marked the largest margin of defeat for RU under Steve Pikiell.
 
HEAD COACH STEVE PIKIELL
Overall Record (years):  251-215 (15th)
Rutgers Record (years):  59-59 (4th)
Record vs. Purdue (RU):  0-5
Record vs. Purdue (overall):  0-5
 
RATED RUTGERS
Haslametrics:  15
Jeff Goodman Top 25:  19
Seth Davis Top 25:  20
Andy Katz Power 36:  20
RPI:  22
NCAA NET:  23
Associated Press Top 25:  25
USA Today Coaches Top 25:  25
CBS Sports Top 25 and 1:  25
Ken Pomeroy:  26
Rothstein 45:  26
Jeff Sagarin:  32
ESPN BPI:  36
Through 1/26/20 games
 
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES

• Off to its best home start (14-0) in program history, Rutgers has a +17.1 scoring margin, a +10.2 rebounding advantage and has limited visitors to .356 shooting at the RAC.
• Rutgers is 12th nationally in FG% defense (37.2), 16th in scoring defense (60.7) and in rebounding (40.95), 17th in rebound margin (+7.7), 30th in blocks (4.8) and 31st in scoring margin (+11.0).
• Myles Johnson is 5th nationally in FG% (.689) and 16th nationally in offensive rebound percentage (15.5).
• Akwasi Yeboah ranks 47th among active NCAA players in career points (1,515) and 53rd in rebounds (656).
• Rutgers is a young squad, ranking 244th in experience per Pomeroy.
• After five sell-outs in 2018-19, its most since 2004-05 (7), Rutgers welcomed 8,329 fans vs. Seton Hall, its largest crowd in 18 seasons. RU has sold-out a record-tying eight games at the RAC this season, including five-straight for the first time in the venue's history.
• Rutgers is undefeated when scoring 15 or more fast break points (8-0).
• Rutgers' 12-3 start was its best through 15 games since the 1975-76 undefeated regular season.
• From Dec. 11 to Jan. Jan. 19, RU held opponents to 65 points or fewer in nine straight games (eight victories) for the first time since 1949-50.
• Rutgers last began league play with a 3-1 record as a member of the Atlantic 10 in 1994-95 (4-1).
• RU's 20-point win over No. 22 Seton Hall on Dec. 14 was its largest margin of victory over a ranked foe in program history.
• RU has claimed multiple ranked victories in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns.
• Rutgers was 4-0 against pro club teams during a tour of Spain in August. RU outscored its opponents 387-284 and had five players average double figures.

QUOTABLE

"They've played really well at home. Good players, good coach, they play very hard. They have good athleticism. They've established their depth with some interchangeable pieces that caused some matchup problems. They have good size with Myles Johnson on the interior. They defend, they rebound. They've been able to hold serve and win their home games with some really good opponents coming in there."

- Purdue Coach Matt Painter

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