PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers men's basketball hits the road for the Big Ten / ACC Challenge. The Scarlet Knights (5-1) head south to face the 6-1 Miami Hurricanes, who are receiving votes in the AP Poll. The matchup begins a challenging five-game stretch, with consecutive games at Miami, vs. Indiana, at Ohio State, vs. Seton Hall and vs. Wake Forest over a span of three weeks. The game will air Wednesday on ESPNU at 7:15 p.m., with Mike Corey and Jon Crispin on the call. WCBS 880 AM will have a radio broadcast with Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson on the dial.
LAST TIME OUT
RU moved to 23-1 in the past three seasons in non-conference games at home with an 83-49 victory over Central Connecticut State on Saturday at Jersey Mike's Arena. Rutgers as a team shot a red-hot 61.5 percent in the first half. The team shot 44.4 percent from long range and racked up 19 team assists. The perimeter defense continued to be a strength as the Scarlet Knights limited CCSU to 3-of-27 from long range.
Senior wing
Caleb McConnell returned to action after being sidelined for six weeks due to a knee injury and his presence was felt immediately. McConnell made his first shot attempt from the field in the first half. McConnell finished with four points, four rebounds, three assists, and a block.
THE MIAMI MATCHUP
The contest signals the 17th meeting between the Scarlet Knights and Hurricanes on the collegiate hardwood dating back to 1989 with UM holding a 10-6 advantage. This will be the third time that RU travels down to Miami for a Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup with UM since 2016. In the last meeting, RU earned a 57-54 win in the Challenge at the Watsco Center in 2018, led by 16 points from
Geo Baker and holding the Hurricanes to 34 percent shooting. RU and Miami were also conference rivals in the BIG EAST. The squads met annually from 1996 to 2004.
Miami enters the contest at 6-1, with its loss coming to Big Ten foe Maryland, and a best win over Providence. The team is buoyed by Isaiah Wong at 14.3 points per game. Norchad Omier follows him at 14.0 points per game and is fourth nationally at 4.33 offensive rebounds per game and 10th with three double-doubles. Nijel Pack, a preseason member of the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award Watch Lists alongside Wong, has averaged 13.0 points per game.
BIG TEN-ACC CHALLENGE
RU is 4-4 all-time in the Big Ten / ACC Challenge, having won two straight games in the Challenge, downing Clemson (2021) and Syracuse (2020) in home games. RU has claimed victories in the Challenge in road games at Miami (2018) and Clemson (2014).
12/1/14: 69-64 Win at Clemson
11/30/15: 69-68 Loss vs. Wake Forest
11/30/16: 73-61 Loss at Miami
11/28/17: 78-73 Loss vs. Florida State
11/28/18: 57-54 Win at Miami
12/3/19: 70-61 Loss at Pittsburgh
12/8/20: 79-69 Win vs. Syracuse
11/30/21: 74-64 Win vs. Clemson
The Big Ten has won three straight Big Ten / ACC Challenges. All-time, the ACC holds a 13-10-3 mark in the event.
RU'S DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Junior guard Cam Spencer has 22 steals through six contests. He currently is second in the nation with 3.67 steals per game and fourth overall in total steals, just two behind the NCAA's leader.
Rutgers is fifth in the country in steals-per-game (11.8) and leads Big Ten teams in total steals (71). RU is first in the country in three-point defense percentage (18.0 percent). The Scarlet Knights are seventh in the country in field goal percentage defense (34.1 percent). Rutgers is 8th in the country in scoring defense (52.8) and 12th in scoring margin (+24.0). Rutgers is tied for eighth in the country in turnover margin (+8) and 15th in turnovers forced (19.5).
Per Ken Pom, RU is also third in the nation in effective field goal percentage (37.7%), fifth in steal percentage (16.5%), is ninth in turnover percentage (27.4%) and is 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency (88.8).
CLIFFORD OMORUYI, DUNK KING
Junior center
Clifford Omoruyi has continued his success from last season being one of the nation's top dunkers. He led the country in dunks heading into the NCAA Tournament last season and is off to another hot start in 22-23. Omoruyi has 17 dunks in six games thus far (2.83 per-game). That is good for fifth-best in the country.
STANDOUT STATS
Junior center
Clifford Omoruyi is leading RU with 10.0 rebounds, one of just 17 players in the country to be averaging double-digit rebounds. He is one of just 12 players nationally to already post three double-doubles. Omoruyi has scored 17.3 points-per-game and has been a force to be reckoned with in the paint thus far. Omoruyi is shooting 50.6 percent from the field.
"He's really grown and now he's understanding how teams are playing him," Pikiell said. "He can now beat you from outside the paint and teams have to step out and guard him there. His development is going to be huge for us."
Junior transfer Cam Spencer has been just as advertised on the offensive side of the floor. The Davidsonville, Md. Native is leading the team with 17.3 points-per-game and 3.83 assists. Spencer is shooting 95.5 percent from the free throw line, fifth best nationally and the best mark thus far of any Big Ten player. Spencer is shooting 53.1 percent from the field He also leads the team thus far with 33.3 minutes-per-game. He has 22 steals in the first six games of the season.
Senior forward
Aundre Hyatt has been a huge contributor on the offensive side of the ball averaging 11.3 points. He's averaging 5.0 rebounds in 27.5 minutes thus far. After entering the year with just 4 career double-figure scoring games, he scored in double figures in the first four games of the season.
