RV/RV Rutgers Scarlet Knights (18-9, 9-7) at NR/RV Wisconsin Badgers (16-10, 9-6)
Sunday, February 22, 2020 | 1 p.m. (ET)
Kohl Center (17,527) | Madison, Wis. 

TV: BTN (Chris Vosters, play-by-play; Shon Morris, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/XM 394; Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Justin Sontupe and Jake Ostrove)

Series Record: Wisconsin leads 7-3
Last Meeting: Rutgers 72, Wisconsin 65 (Dec. 11, 2019)

OPENING TIP: With three of four games on the road to conclude the regular season, Rutgers travels to Wisconsin for a 12-noon local tip-off on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights have an opportunity sweep the home-and-home series with the Badgers after a 72-65 win at the RAC on Dec. 11. RU earned its first ever series sweep since joining the Big Ten earlier this season over Nebraska. In Madison, the Scarlet Knights also have an opportunity to earn their most conference wins in league play (10) since 1990-91 (14-4; A-10).
 
RU's remaining schedule ranks first in difficulty per the ESPN BPI. Rutgers is one of three teams nationally (Michigan State, Maryland) with all its remaining games currently designated as Quadrant 1 opportunities. The four remaining opponents boast an average NCAA Net ranking of 23.5.
 
Steve Pikiell was is one of 15 D- I men's basketball coaches named to the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late 2020 Season Watch List on Friday. Team tri-captain Geo Baker has averaged 16.5 points over the last four games and enters Sunday 13 points shy of 1,000 for his career. The junior would become the 44th RU player to achieve the mark.
 
THE OPPONENT: Under fifth-year head coach Greg Gard, Wisconsin has been nationally ranked for 15 weeks this season, peaking at No. 12. The Badgers have won four-of -five, including three-straight, and boast a 12-1 home record. UW's lone loss at the Kohl Center was a 71-70 decision to Illinois on Jan. 8. Since 2001-02, Wisconsin owns a 273-39 record at the venue. UW is the only team to clinch a top-four finish in the Big Ten in 17 of the last 18 seasons. The Badgers rank fifth nationally in fewest turnovers (10.3) and 17th in scoring defense (61.9). Nate Reuvers leads UW in scoring (13.5), while D'Mitrik Trice adds both scoring (9.7) and has 103 assists.
 
THE SERIES: Sunday marks the 11th meeting dating back to 1949, with Wisconsin holding a 7-3 advantage. RU is 0-3 at the Kohl Center. The teams last met in Dec., with Rutgers winning 72-65 behind 22 points from Baker. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded the Badgers 40-26, establishing a 42-28 scoring advantage in the paint and benefiting 23-5 in second chance points. It was RU's third win over the Badgers since joining the Big Ten, all of which came at the RAC. In 2015, Rutgers downed No. 4 Wisconsin 67-62 for the highest-ranked victory in program history.  Myles Mack scored 21 points and Kadeem Jack added 20 points to deal UW one of four losses during its national finalist campaign.
 
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.
• RU has earned nine conference wins for the first time since 1998-98 (9-9; Big East).
• RU has ensured its first winning season since 2005-06 (19-14).
• Rutgers has tied its record for home wins (17) in a season and boasted the best home record in the nation at a perfect 17-0. RU has a +14.3 scoring margin, a +8.6 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 12th nationally in FG% defense (38.1),12th in rebounding (40.37), 15th in scoring defense (61.6), 22nd in rebound margin (+6.4), 30th in blocks (4.7) and 47th in scoring margin (8.2).
• Myles Johnson is 18th nationally in offensive rebound percentage (14.8) and 39th nationally in FG% (.609).
• Akwasi Yeboah is one of 25 active NCAA players with 1,500 points and 600 rebounds.
• Rutgers is a young squad, ranking 242nd in experience per Pomeroy.
• Rutgers is undefeated when scoring 15 or more fast break points (9-0).
• RU has claimed three ranked victories for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign.
• 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.
• 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.

HEAD COACH STEVE PIKIELL
Overall Record (years):  254-219 (15th)
Rutgers Record (years):  62-63 (4th)
Record vs. Wisconsin (RU):  2-3
Record vs. Wisconsin (overall):  2-3
 
RATED RUTGERS

Haslametrics	24
Rothstein 45	28
Andy Katz Power 36	30
Ken Pomeroy	31
ESPN BPI	34
NCAA NET	35
Massey	38
Jeff Sagarin	41
RPI	48

Through 2/20/20 games
 
QUADRANT 1/3
Forget Quad 1, Rutgers men's basketball is playing 90% of its Big Ten games away from the RAC in Quad 1/3. Quadrant 1 is defined as games with an opponent NCAA NET ranking of 30 or better at home, 50 or better at a neutral site, and 75 or better on the road. The Scarlet Knights are one of three teams nationally (Michigan State, Maryland) with all their remaining games designated as Quadrant 1 opportunities.
 
On the road in conference, other than Rutgers' game at Nebraska, the nine games are against opponents with Net rankings of 33 or lower. Collectively, the teams boast an average NCAA Net score of 23.5, placing them in the top third of the Quad 1 road game parameters. Including Nebraska, the average NET of RU's Big Ten opponents on the road is 39.5.
 
PACK THE RAC
The Scarlet Knights have sold-out a program-record 10 games this season at the RAC. RU has hosted capacity crowds versus No. 22 Seton Hall (Dec. 14), No. 20 Penn State (Jan. 7), Indiana (Jan. 15), Minnesota (Jan. 19), Nebraska (Jan. 25), Purdue (Jan. 28), Northwestern (Feb. 9), Illinois (Feb. 15) and Michigan (Feb. 19), as well as the Senior Knight game against Maryland (March 3). Rutgers streak of nine consecutive sold-out games is also a program record. Last season, RU had five sell-outs, its most since 2004-05 (7). The RAC has been sold-out 17 times in the past three seasons. The prior 17 sell-outs spanned 11 seasons, from 2004-05 to 2014-15.
 
TRAPEZOID OF TERROR
Rutgers began the home season with a nation's best 17 wins at The RAC prior to a loss to Michigan. The mark signaled RU's best home start to a season. The 1975-76 Final Four team boasted an undefeated regular season, but played only 10 home games at the College Avenue Gym. The most home wins prior to this season was also 17 (17-1) in 1977-78, the season the RAC opened. The 17 home wins remain the most in the nation. South Dakota State, Gonzaga and Maryland each have 15.
 
BUILDING A RESUME
Rutgers has a strong resume in the NCAA metrics, at 35th in the NET. RU has done so via seven wins versus Quad 1 + Quad 2 opponents, defeating Seton Hall (16), Penn State (25), Wisconsin (29), Purdue (32), Illinois (33), Minnesota (54) and Indiana (59). The Scarlet Knights are one of three teams nationally (Michigan State, Maryland) with all their remaining games designated as Quadrant 1 opportunities.
 
BUILT ON DEFENSE
Rutgers has built a legacy of tough defense under head coach Steve Pikiell. After Pikiell inherited a team that ranked 236th the season prior in Ken Pom's adjusted defense metric, he raised that number 166 spots the following season. RU has rated among the top-50 in the nation ever since. Currently, the program ranks 9th nationally in adjusted defense. Rutgers ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring defense (61.7), and second in field goal percentage defense (37.9) and rebounding (40.5). Five of the seven lowest ever field goal percentages against RU in Big Ten play have come this season.
 
HISTORIC START
As this season has progressed, the Scarlet Knight have eclipsed some historic markers for success along the way:

• Earned first national ranking in 41 years, since concluding 1978-79 No. 18 in the AP Poll.
• 17-0 home start was best in the nation and tops in program history.
• 17 home wins ties for the most (17-1; 1977-78) in a season in program history.
• Has sold-out 10 home games at the RAC, the most in program history.
• 12-3 start was its best through 15 games since the 1975-76 undefeated regular season.
• Held opponents to 65 points or fewer in nine straight games, RU's longest stretch in 70 years, since 1949-50 season.
• Opened conference play 3-1 for the first time since 1994-95 (4-1) as a member of the Atlantic 10.
• Four games over .500 in conference play (7-3) for the first time in 21 years, since the 1998-99 Big East campaign (9-5).
• Defeated three ranked teams, its most ranked wins since 2001-02 (4).
• Defeated three ranked teams by double digits for the first time in school history.
• Clinched its first winning season since 2005-06 (19-14).
• Earned nine conference wins for the first time since 1998-98 (9-9; Big East).
• Earned its largest comeback victory in 24 years, overcoming an 18-point deficit to defeat Northwestern at the RAC on Feb. 9.
• Have earned multiple ranked wins in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns.

PIKIELL AT A GLANCE | @Coachpikiell

• One of 15 Division I men's basketball coaches named to the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late 2020 Season Watch List.
• Earned his 250th career head-coaching victory in Rutgers' 64-56 defeat of Minnesota on Jan. 19 at the RAC.
• A father of four who has led the resurgence of Rutgers Basketball, both on and off the court.
• Entered his fourth season as head coach of the Scarlet Knights in 2019-20. With 28 years of coaching experience, the Bristol (Conn.) native is under contract to remain courtside at the RAC through 2023-24.
• The 19th head coach in the history of Rutgers men's basketball, has been instrumental in turnarounds throughout his playing and coaching career that have resulted in conference championships and NCAA berths.
• Has assembled an elite coaching staff that includes Karl Hobbs, Brandin Knight and Steve Hayn. Collectively, the four-member coaching staff enters the season with 96 years of collegiate leadership experience.
• Has welcomed four-star signees from New Jersey in consecutive classes, with Ron Harper, Jr. (2018) and Paul Mulcahy (2019) both electing to stay home.
• Began tenure with a 9-1 start, the best head-coaching debut in Rutgers men's basketball history.
• Led Stony Brook to six postseason appearances over seven years and was a four-time America East Conference Coach of the Year.
• Began his coaching career at UConn in 1991-92 with a roster that featured future NBA players Donyell Marshall, Chris Smith, Scott Burrell, Donny Marshall and Kevin Ollie.
• Was a four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain at Connecticut from 1987-91 under head coach Jim Calhoun. After placing ninth in the Big East with a 4-12 record his freshman season, UConn won its first Big East title and advanced to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 during the two years he captained the Huskies.
• As a senior, helped No. 11 seeded UConn to a 79-62 win over Shaquille O'Neal and No. 6 seed LSU in the round of 64. Played in 106 career games and averaged 8.2 points a game.
• One of nine children who grew up with three brothers and five sisters.

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