22/23 ILLINOIS (16-8, 8-5) AT RV/RV RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (17-8, 8-6)
Saturday, February 15, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. (ET)
The RAC (8,000) | Piscataway, N.J.

TV: BTN (Cory Provus, play-by-play; Jess Settles, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/XM 195/Sirius 211; Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Corey Jason and Rah Shah)

Series Record: Illinois leads 8-1
Last Meeting: Illinois 54, Rutgers 51 (Jan. 11, 2020)

OPENING TIP: Rutgers returns to the RAC on Saturday to host Illinois in the seventh of nine consecutive sell-outs at the 8,000-seat venue. The Scarlet Knights are 16-29 all-time at a capacity RAC, including a 3-4 mark under head coach Steve Pikiell. Rutgers has a nation's-best 16-0 home record this season. The last Big Ten program to boast a 17-0 home record was Indiana in 2015-16.
 
Rutgers has an opportunity to earn its ninth conference win, which would signal RU's most in league play since 1998-99 (9-9; Big East), and to capture its third ranked victory of the season. Rutgers has not won three games against ranked foes since 2001-02, when it won four.
 
On Wednesday, Rutgers battled back from 20 points down with 13 minutes to go to get within three, but could get no closer in a 72-66 loss at Ohio State. Jacob Young scored 17 points to lead three Scarlet Knights off the bench in double figures. Geo Baker contributed 13 points and Paul Mulcahy made 5-of-6 field goals for 12 points. Young was 7-of-9 from the field. The trio enabled a 42-23 advantage in bench points for RU.
 
The Scarlet Knights' remaining schedule ranks second nationally in difficulty per the ESPN BPI. Of the six contests, five are currently designated as quad one opportunities, with the other residing in quad two. The stretch includes games against three ranked programs and another two receiving votes.

THE OPPONENT: Under second-year head coach Brad Underwood, Illinois is ranked for the fifth straight week, its longest streak since appearing in eight straight AP polls from Nov. 26, 2012-Jan. 14, 2013. The Illini have won three Big Ten road games, tied with Maryland and Michigan State for second-most in the league. UI has lost three straight match-ups, all to ranked foes. Freshman center Kofi Cockburn has nine double-doubles this season, while sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu is sixth in the league in scoring (15.8). Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally in rebound margin (+9.0) and is 15-1 this season when shooting better than its opponent. The lone win when being out-shot was to Rutgers on Jan. 11.
 
THE SERIES: Saturday marks the 10th meeting in the series, with Illinois holding an 8-1 advantage. In Pikiell's first season at the helm, RU overcame a 10-point second half deficit to earn a 62-59 senior day victory at the RAC. Earlier this season, RU held a halftime lead and limited Illinois to 28.6 percent shooting, but was edged 54-51 in Champaign. Jacob Young led RU with 16 points. Last season, RU fell 99-94 in overtime at Illinois despite a career-best 25 points from then freshman Caleb McConnell.
 
HEAD COACH STEVE PIKIELL
Overall Record (years):  253-218 (15th)
Rutgers Record (years):  61-62 (4th)
Record vs. Illinois (RU):  1-4
Record vs. Illinois (overall):  1-4
 
RATED RUTGERS

Haslametrics	21
Andy Katz Power 36	28
NCAA NET	32
Ken Pomeroy	33
Rothstein 45	33
ESPN BPI	35
RPI	39
Jeff Sagarin	43
Jay Bilas Index	Sweet 16 Contender

 
Through 2/13/20 games
 
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES

• RU joined the rankings for the first time since the final 1978-79 AP Poll (No. 18). The Scarlet Knight were No. 24/25 and No. 25/25 in the Jan. 20 & 27th polls, respectively.
• Off to its best home start (16-0) in program history, the top home record in the nation, Rutgers has a +15.7 scoring margin, a +9.5 rebounding advantage and has limited visitors to .365 shooting at the RAC.
• RU has sold-out a record 10 games at the RAC, including the final nine of the regular season. RU welcomed 8,329 fans vs. Seton Hall, its largest crowd in 18 seasons.
• Rutgers is 10th nationally in rebounding (40.64), 15th in FG% defense (38.2), 19th in rebound margin (+6.8), 21st in scoring defense (61.8), 37th in blocks (4.6) and 47th in scoring margin (8.6).
• Myles Johnson is 17th nationally in offensive rebound percentage (15.0) and 29th nationally in FG% (.622).
• Akwasi Yeboah is one of 23 active NCAA players with 1,500 points and 600 rebounds. He ranks 50th in career points (1,567) and 56th in rebounds (682).
• Rutgers is a young squad, ranking 242nd in experience per Pomeroy.
• Rutgers is undefeated when scoring 15 or more fast break points (9-0).
• Rutgers' 12-3 start was its best through 15 games since the 1975-76 season.
• From Dec. 11 to Jan. 19, RU held foes 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.

THE STORY BY NUMBERS
 
1
Number of Rutgers players in their third or fourth season competing in the Big Ten (Geo Baker).
 
2
Players with double-doubles at Nebraska. Myles Johnson and Ron Harper Jr. both achieved the feat, the first time multiple players had double-doubles for RU in a Big Ten game.
 
Number of double-digit victories RU has earned over Top 25-ranked teams this season.
 
3            
Scholarship players making their Rutgers debut this season: Akwasi Yeboah, Paul Mulcahy and Jacob Young.
 
3.04      
Cumulative team GPA entering the spring 2019 semester.
 
5            
Times Rutgers has limited an opponent to less than 40 points under head coach Steve Pikiell.
 
7            
Collegiate team captains on the Rutgers' staff, including six that played point guard.
 
8            
Big Ten wins this season, RU's most in conference play since an 8-8 Big East record in 2001-02.
 
9            
Children in the Pikiell family, comprised of five girls and four boys, with Steve as the seventh child and third boy.
 
10          
Number of scholarship Rutgers players 6'4 or above, including seven 6'6 or taller.
 
12          
Double-digit deficits overcome to earn victories under Steve Pikiell, including eight times against Big Ten foes. The largest under Pikiell is 18 points in a 77-73 win over Northwestern on Feb. 9, 2020. It marked the largest deficit overcome for RU since 20-point deficit overcome at Pitt, 71-70, on Feb. 21, 1996.
 
17          
Sold out crowds at the RAC over the past three seasons. Last year's mark of five was RU's most since seven in 2004-05. RU has sold out a record 10 games at the RAC this season.
 
21          
Years since Rutgers was three games over .500 in league play, which last occurred as a member of the Big East in 1998-99.
 
24          
Years since Rutgers had overcome an 18-plus point deficit in a comeback victory. Prior to doing so in an overtime win over Northwestern, it was Feb. 21, 1996 in a win over Pittsburgh.
 
25          
Years since Rutgers began conference play 3-1, last achieving the mark during the 1994-95 Atlantic 10 season (4-1).
 
26          
Years between New Jersey HS boys basketball players averaging a triple double, prior to it being done last season by Paul Mulcahy, who posted 18.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 10.1 assists-per-game for Gill St. Bernard's in Gladstone.
 
32          
NBA players the RU staff has combined to recruit and/or coach, including those making 19 All-Star appearances collectively.
 
41          
Years since Rutgers was nationally ranked prior joining the AP and Coaches Poll rankings on January 20. The Scarlet Knights were No. 18 in the final poll of the 1978-79 season.
 
44          
Years since Rutgers began its season with a better record than its 12-3 start, when the 1975-76 Final Four team was unbeaten (26-0) during the regular season.
 
70          
Years since RU has held opponents to 65 points or fewer in nine straight games, last occurring in 1949-50.
 
71          
Positions improved in the KenPom ratings last season, the best among Power 5 conference programs.
 
100       
Percent of men's basketball student-athletes participating in Rutgers Leadership Development community service initiatives during the tenure of Steve Pikiell.
 
408       
National prospect rating of Myles Johnson out of Long Beach Poly High School.
 
414       
National prospect rating of Geo Baker out of Proctor Academy.
 
604       
Days between collegiate basketball games for Jacob Young, who redshirted last season after transferring from Texas. Young had last played against Nevada in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
 
1,500    
Career points surpassed by Awkasi Yeboah with a 3-pointer in the home win over Nebraska. Yeboah scored 1,317 points in three seasons at Stony Brook before arriving "On the Banks" as a graduate transfer.
 
8,329    
Fans in attendance when Rutgers defeated No. 22 Seton Hall 68-48 in the Garden State Hardwood Classic, the largest crowd at the RAC since Feb. 23, 2002, also against SHU.
 
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