Indiana Hoosiers (12-10, 7-8) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-9, 8-9)
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 8 p.m. The RAC | Piscataway, N.J.
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, play-by-play; Stephen Bardo, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/ Sirius 372 / XM 372; Jerry Recco and Joe Boylan), WRSU 88.7 FM (Chris Tsakonas, Raj Shah)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers men's basketball will face Indiana on Wednesday night (8 p.m.) on BTN. The game is the final contest this season at The RAC, and as such is Senior Night. The game is presented by RWJ Barnabas Health.
While the construct of the traditional Senior Night ceremony will look different this year, Rutgers will still pause for a pregame ceremony to honor six student-athletes and two managers for their contributions to the program.
While future options remain open for all players with the NCAA's COVID-19 eligibility adjustments, the program will recognize this class of six graduating seniors:
Geo Baker,
Jacob Young,
Luke Nathan,
Nick Brooks,
Mamadou Doucoure and
Myles Johnson. Rutgers will also recognize two graduating student managers: Will Abbamont and Sam Radowitz.
"This has been a great group of seniors," head coach
Steve Pikiell said. "They are a special collection of guys that took on the challenge years ago and helped change Rutgers basketball. It's just an unbelievable job that they've done. I'm so proud of these six guys and the job that they've done. They've had a full four years. I think about how far they've come and the work they've put in. They've helped change the expectations around the program. We'll try and see these seniors off the right way."
The Scarlet Knights' success over the past two seasons has come with the competition in the Big Ten at an all-time peak. For the second straight season, RU has won eight conference games after doing that only once previously in the prior 17 seasons. The Scarlet Knights are in the top half of the Big Ten standings in a league that rates as easily the top conference in the nation.
Rutgers stands at 31 in the NET rankings. The Scarlet Knights have four Quad 1 wins on the year, with victories over Illinois (4), Purdue (27), at Maryland (30) and at Indiana (52). Four Big Ten teams are in the top-8 of the NET, representing five of RU's eight losses. The Scarlet Knights' strength of schedule is ranked third overall in the nation per Ken Pomeroy.
Coming off a 78-71 home loss against Michigan State on Saturday, the Indiana Hoosiers enter The RAC with a record of 12-10 and 7-8 in conference play. Indiana is led by sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis. Jackson-Davis is averaging 20.2 points per game, 3rd in the conference, and 9.4 rebounds per game, 2nd in the conference. The Hoosiers are 6th in conference in turnovers forced per game (12.3) and 7th in scoring offense (72.5). However, Indiana is 10th in the conference in turnovers per game (12.2) and 11th in total rebounds per game (35.1)
Series Record: Indiana leads 7-4
Last Meeting: Rutgers 74, Indiana 70 (January 24, 2021)
Wednesday will mark the 12th meeting between these two programs. Indiana holds a 7-4 advantage in the series, but Rutgers has won four of the last five matchups and is 4-3 against the Hoosiers under
Steve Pikiell. That marked the first time for RU winning four out of five games against a Big Ten foe since joining the league.Earlier this season, Rutgers got back defeated Indiana 74-70 to spark a four-game winning streak. It was RU's first ever win at Assembly Hall. The Scarlet Knights were led by 19 points from
Geo Baker in the victory over the Hoosiers.
Ron Harper Jr. had a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Rutgers shot 51 percent from the field, its best mark in Big Ten play
A victory for Rutgers over Indiana would represent:
- The second sweep of a Big Ten series this season (previously swept home-and-home with Northwestern).
- A third straight win in the all-time series against Indiana, and five wins in the past six contests with the Hoosiers.
