PISCATWAY, N.J. – Fresh off a 20-point home win over Penn State, Rutgers men's basketball takes to the road. The Scarlet Knights travel to Iowa, where they will face the Hawkeyes Sunday at 2 p.m. on BTN. Dave Revsine and Brian Butch have the TV call, with Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson on WCBS 880 AM on the radio dial.
THE SERIES
Rutgers and Iowa are meeting for the 14th time, with Iowa holding a 10-3 lead in the all-time series. Rutgers is 3-5 in the last eight meetings dating back to 2018. The two teams matched up in Piscataway earlier this month, a 76-65 Hawkeyes win.
Last season, Rutgers defeated Iowa at Jersey Mike's Arena, 48-46, but fell to the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals last season. The team also notably claimed a 14-point road win over the No. 22 Hawkeyes in 2019 that still stands as the Scarlet Knights greatest on the road against a ranked foe in program history.
WITH A WIN
A victory over Iowa would represent:
- A 9-2 mark in the past 11 games
- The third Big Ten road win this season
- Seventh Big Ten win, the second most of any league teams
Over the past two seasons, RU is 5-8 on the road in Big Ten play and has eight Big Ten road wins in the past three seasons. Prior to that, RU won just five Big Ten road games in the first five seasons as a league member.
ABOUT RUTGERS
Rutgers has been propelled by an outstanding defense. The Scarlet Knights are 14-1 when holding its opponent to 65 or fewer points and 6-0 when doing so in Big Ten games. RU is one of just eight 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. (Rutgers, Utah, Saint Mary's, Iowa State, North Texas, Virginia, Dayton, Hawaii).
RUTGERS LAST TIME OUT
Rutgers defeated the Nittany Lions 65-45 behind a second half performance in which forward Aundre Hyatt dropped 12 points and went on his own 8-0 run. Hyatt finished the game with 14 points and shot 6-for-12 from the field. The defense was in prime form and held Penn State to a season-low in points and three-pointers made (four).
THE LAST 10 GAMES
- 8-2 record (wins over Wake Forest, Bucknell, Coppin State, Purdue, Maryland, Northwestern and Ohio State)
- Scoring margin of +11.0 (70.5 to 59.5)
- Holding opponents to 59.5 points per game, and under 65 points in eight of the ten games
- Cliff Omoruyi is averaging a double-double in that span, at 12.2 points and 10.8 rebounds.
ABOUT IOWA
Iowa enters the game at 12-8 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten following a one-possession loss at Michigan State, as their game-winning three-point attempt was too strong in the final seconds. Kris Murray leads the team at 20.6 points per game (17th nationally, second in the Big Ten) and with 8.8 rebounds. The Hawkeyes average 80.7 points a game as a team and have scored at least 75 points in every true home game.
Iowa leads the Big Ten in scoring offense (80.7), assists (16.6 apg) and free throw attempts (21.2).
MILESTONE WATCH
Caleb McConnell needs four steals to tie Rashod Kent for third all-time at RU. Cliff Omoruyi needs one block to tie Eugene Dabney for 14th and four blocks to tie Kadeem Jack and Gene Armstead for 12th all-time at RU in blocks (and reach 100 blocks). Omoruyi has 40 blocks on the season, tied with his previous season-high.
MCCONNELL NAISMITH DPOY WATCHLIST
The 2021-22 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is receiving more-and-more national recognition in 2023.
Rutgers men's basketball's fifth-year captain Caleb McConnell has been named to the 2023 Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist, consisting of 15 of the top defenders in the country.
"Caleb McConnell is not only the best defender in the conference, but the best in the whole country," head coach Steve Pikiell said earlier this season. "I can do so much more defensively with McConnell's ability to guard positions 1 through 5. People always want to talk about scorers in this league. They should be talking about the amount of points Caleb takes off the board for the other team. He is paramount to our team's defensive success night in and night out."
"It's an honor to be named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist along with some of the greatest defenders in college basketball," McConnell said. "My defense is something I take extreme pride and effort in, and I appreciate the recognition. There is much more work to be done and I look forward to continuing to help my team win games as we look to take Rutgers basketball to new heights this season."
PIKIELL PODCAST IOWA PREVIEW
