PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's basketball returns to Jersey Mike's Arena on Tuesday night. The Scarlet Knights will host Penn State, who will make a 237-mile bus trek through Pennsylvania for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff that will air nationally on Big Ten Network, with Jason Horowitz and Stephen Bardo on the call. Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson have the radio call for WCBS 880 AM, joined by student radio broadcasts from both Rutgers and Penn State crews.
 
THE SERIES
The contest marks the 80th meeting lifetime between Rutgers and Penn State dating back to the initial meeting in 1922. PSU holds an overall 44-35 record. Since RU joined the Big Ten play for the 2014-15 season, the series is 8-5 PSU, and RU has won 4 of the past 9 meetings. Last season, RU claimed a 59-58 win to close out the regular season on Senior Day at Jersey Mike's Arena. RU has won its last two home games against Penn State, also defeating a No. 20 ranked Penn State team in January of 2020 in a game where they overcame a 10-point first half defict by shooting 51.7 percent after the break.
 
WITH A WIN
A victory over Penn State would represent:
- A 8-2 mark in the past 10 games
- The fifth win over Penn State in the last 10 meetings.
- 26-5 over the past two seasons at home
 
ABOUT RUTGERS
Rutgers holds a 5-3 record through eight conference games and a 13-6 mark overall. The Scarlet Knights return to action following the weekend off since the last game on Thursday night. Rutgers will play two of its next three games at Jersey Mike's Arena, then be away from the venue for three straight contests.  Rutgers is 13-1 when holding its opponent to 65 or fewer points and 5-0 when doing so in Big Ten games.RU is one of just nine teams in the nation that haven't given up 80 points in a game yet this season, and just one of three to do so at the Power 5 level. 
 
STANDOUT STATS
Cam Spencer is currently fourth in the nation in total steals (50), averaging 2.63 per game (7th). The Davidsonville, Md. native is shooting 93.8 percent from the free throw line (45-of-48), which if he qualified for the NCAA stats would rank fifth nationally and lead the Big Ten. He is shooting 43.9% from three-point distance, which if he qualified would be 19th nationally and lead the Big Ten. He leads the Big Ten in steals (50) and is second with a 2.92 assist-turnover ration. He now leads RU at 13.6 points per game.
 
Clifford Omoruyi is leading RU with 10.2 rebounds per game, which is second in the Big Ten. His 37 blocks are third in the league.  Caleb McConnell (third, 34) and Paul Mulachy (eighth, 25) join Spencer (first, 50) in the top-10 in the Big Ten in steals.
 
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Rutgers' defense ranks in the top-15 nationally in scoring defense (fifth, 57.6), field goal percentage defense (seventh, 37.7%) and steals (10th, 9.8). RU leads the Big Ten in those categories, in addition to turnovers forced (16.05).
 
RUTGERS LAST TIME OUT
The Scarlet Knights were halted at Michigan State on a poor shooting night against the Spartans, falling 70-57. RU out-rebounded Michigan State 42 to 24 and had a season-high 18 offensive rebounds. Junior center Clifford Omoruyi led the way with his seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 boards. Senior guard Paul Mulcahy notched 12 points on 5-for-8 from the field. The Bayonne, N.J. native had four assists and passed Anthony Farmer for sixth all-time in career assists at RU.
 
THE LAST 9 GAMES
- 7-2 record (wins over Wake Forest, Bucknell, Coppin State, Purdue, Maryland, Northwestern and Ohio State with the lone loss coming to Iowa)
- Scoring margin of +10.0 (71.1 to 61.1)
- Holding opponents to 61.1 points per game, and under 65 points in seven of the nine games
- Cam Spencer leads the team in that span at 14.8 points per game
- Cliff Omoruyi is averaging a double-double in that span, 11.8 PPG (second on team) and team-best 10.9 RPG
 
ABOUT PENN STATE
Under second-year head coach Micah Shrewsberry, PSU enters the contest with a 13-6 record, one win away from tying last season's win total. PSU enters the game leading the nation in turnovers per game, second in assist-to-turnover ratio, fifth in three-pointers per game (10th in 3-point percentage) and 14th in free throw percentage. Guard Jalen Picket is the Big Ten's leader in assists and assist-to turnover ratio, fourth nationally at 7.2 apg.  Pickett also leads the team at 17.4 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game. Andrew Funk scores 12.4 points per game and leads the Big Ten with 3.21 three-pointers per game. Seth Lundy also contributes 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds a game. The Nittany Lions hold wins at No. 17 Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and over Nebraska in league play.