Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Welsh-Ryan Arena - (Evanston, Ill.)
TV: Big Ten Network (PXP: Dave Revsine, Color: Brian Butch)
Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM; PXP: Jerry Recco and Color: Austin Johnson)
WRSU 88.7 FM RU Student Radio

EVANSTON, ILL. - The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-8, 6-4) take on the Northwestern Wildcats (9-10, 2-8) on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois at 7:00 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. RU looks for back-to-back road wins for the first time this season and the first time since Jan 31, 2020 when RU defeated Northwestern 64-56 following a victory at Indiana on Jan. 24.
 
Rutgers has won seven of the last ten games   dating back to its three-week long break due it a COVID-19 outbreak on Dec. 13.
 
Pikiell building RU success in the Big Ten
 
The Scarlet Knights are off to a (6-4) start to the Big Ten slate at the midpoint of the conference schedule.
 
Pikiell has led RU to a (27-23) Big Ten regular season record over the past 2 and a half seasons. Pikiell was (13-43) in his first three seasons building Rutgers in the conference. RU was just (16-76) in their first five years in the league. This season marks the school's second-best start to conference play.
 
RU last time out
 
The Rutgers men's basketball team leaned on their defense when they needed it most on Saturday night.
 
RU only let up one basket on the last ten possessions to come back from an 11-point deficit and defeat Nebraska 63-61 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

After struggling throughout the game, senior forward Ron Harper Jr. knocked down a huge three-pointer to bring RU within one point with 3:53 remaining on the clock. Timely baskets from Mawot Mag, Geo Baker and Paul Mulcahy in the final minutes gave the Scarlet Knights a one-point lead with under two minutes to play.
 
Harper Jr. knocked down two free throws with under a minute remaining to give Rutgers a 63-60 lead. On the last possession for the Cornhuskers, guard Kobe Webster was fouled behind the three-point line by Baker. With 0.9 remaining on the clock, Webster missed the first of three free throws to seal and RU victory.
 
Rutgers held Nebraska to (17-58) shooting from the field on the night, good for 29.3 percent. 29.3 percent is a season-low for Nebraska.

Scouting Northwestern

Senior forward Dave Nance leads the way for the Wildcats in the scoring and rebounding categories. Nance is averaging 16.3 points-per-game and 7.3 rebounds-per-game. He's shooting a spectacular 50.6 percent from the field and 44.6 percent from three-point range.

Junior guard Boo Buie is averaging 14.6 points and leads the team in both assists (5.6) and minutes (31.1) per game. His partner in the backcourt, junior guard Chase Audige is averaging 10.9 points-per-game and 4.1 rebounds-per-game. Junior center Ryan Young is the starting big man for the Wildcats and averages 9.6 points and 4.5 rebounds. 
 
History with Northwestern
 
The Scarlet Knights 64-56 victory over Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena was the first of two wins against the Wildcats last season. Geo Baker scored 12 points, and added four boards and two assists, while Ron Harper Jr. scored all 13 of his points in the second half to help secure the road victory. Rutgers jumped out to a 31-11 lead to open the game, shooting 11-of-17 in that stretch.
 
A 64-50 victory on Feb. 13 at Jersey Mike's Arena gave the Scarlet Knights five wins in their last six meetings with Northwestern. The win tied RU for the most wins over any Big Ten team (also five vs. Minnesota).RU is (6-10) in 16 matchups with the Wildcats.
 
Student-athlete Scarlet Knights
 
The Scarlet Knights continued to excel in the classroom in 2021-22. The team term GPA was 3.082 and the team cumulative GPA was 3.240. Luke Nathan earned a perfect 4.0 in his graduate program courses. Jalen Miller, Oskar Palmquist & Logan Stephens earned Dean's List honors (3.50 term GPA w/12 or more credits). A total of 11 students (73% of roster) earned a term GPA of 3.00 or higher.  A total of 12 students (80% of roster) hold a cum GPA of 3.00 or higher. The success of Steve Pikiell's Scarlet Knights in the classroom is the best in RU's history.
 
Midwest road trip!

The Rutgers men's basketball team left Piscataway on Friday, Jan 27 for Nebraska and has been on the road ever since. RU knocked out two road trips in one and headed straight to Chicago after the victory over Northwestern on Saturday. Rutgers will head back home and look ahead to a Saturday matchup against Michigan State at Jersey Mike's Arena on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.