PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's basketball is back in action on Saturday afternoon at Jersey Mike's Arena for the team's first Big Ten game of the season. The Scarlet Knights will host No. 24/24 Illinois on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a game nationally televised by Big Ten Network, with Cory Provus and Stephen Bardo on the call. Rutgers' radio broadcast with Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson will be available on WCBS 880 and Sirius XM channel 372.

Rutgers men's basketball teams will be hosting a Toy Drive at this game. Donations will benefit the New Brunswick Public School District Early Childhood Education pre-schools (kids ages 3-5).  Dropoffs will be at the Hermann Truck in front of the arena. As a thank you for donating, fans who give will receive two free tickets to the women's game versus Penn State on Sunday, Jan. 14 at 2 p.m. and will receive a voucher for a free drink (non-alcoholic) at our concession stands within Jersey Mike's Arena. 
 

About Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights enter the game at 5-1, on a current five game-winning streak. RU will play its sixth consecutive game at Jersey Mike's Arena, having downed BU, Bryant, Georgetown, Howard and Saint Peter's at home this season.

Following this game against Illinois, Rutgers only plays three games at Jersey Mike's Arena in the following 45 days. In the next eight contests between December 3 and January 16, Rutgers plays two games at the Prudential Center in Newark (Seton Hall, Mississippi State) and plays three road games in Big Ten play come January. In that span, RU is only home three times (LIU – Dec. 16, Stonehill – Dec. 30, Indiana – Jan. 9).

Rutgers thus far has outscored its opponents 70.5 to 55.5, a +15.0 margin. The Scarlet Knights have balanced scoring, with five players averaging between 9.0 and 12.0 points per game. Cliff Omoruyi leads the team with 9.2 rebounds per game (fifth in the Big Ten) and 16 blocks, second in the Big Ten at 2.67 blocks per game. Offensively, Rutgers averages 20.33 fastbreak points, seventh nationally and first in the Big Ten.

Following the performance against Saint Peter's, the Scarlet Knights are now second nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.6%) and third in scoring defense (55.5 points per game). RU is also 15^th nationally and first in the league with 17.33 turnovers forced per game. Rutgers has forced at least 21 opponent turnovers in three straight games.

Per KenPom, Rutgers' defense is second nationally in opponent two-point percentage (37.7%), third nationally in effective field goal percentage (40.7%), fourth nationally in turnover percentage (25.5%), ninth in block percentage (16.6%) and 11^th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency (92.2%). Rutgers also stood first nationally in rim defense, allowing just 41.9% there.

Rutgers is 5-0 at home this season. At Jersey Mike's Arena, the Scarlet Knights are 19-6 at home over the past two seasons, 29-10 at home over the past three seasons and 47-11 at home over the past four seasons.

Clifford Omoruyi enters the game with 988 points. He needs just 12 points to become the 46th 1,000 point scorer in RU history.  

 

All-Time Series

Rutgers and Illinois have met 15 times lifetime, with RU claiming four victories, including three of the past five games. All of RU wins in the series have come in Piscataway. RU head coach Steve Pikiell holds a 4-1 record against the Fighting Illini in Piscataway. This will be the fifth time in the last seven meetings that Illinois enters the matchup in the national rankings. Rutgers has previously claimed ranked wins over Illinois with them ranked No. 12 (2/16/22), No. 13 (12/20/20) and No. 22 (2/15/20).

Last season, RU played the Illini only on the road, falling 69-60. But RU has won the past three meetings in the series that have come at home. Rutgers also pushed Illinois to triple overtime on February 3, 2016 in Piscataway, with Corey Sanders setting a school freshman record with 39 points.
 

About Illinois

Illinois enters the game with a 5-1 record with the lone loss coming to then-No. 4 ranked Marquette. The team's wins have come against Oakland, Valparaiso, Southern, Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois.

The Illini are No. 1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (34.0), No. 2 in rebounds (48.33) and no. 9 in scoring defense (58.7). Terrance Shannon Jr. leads the team and is third in the Big Ten with 19.5 points per game. Shannon Jr. was featured on a number of preseason national Watch Lists, along with forward Coleman Hawkins.
 

With a Win

• A sixth straight win would represent the team's longest winning streak since the team started the 2020-21 season with a 6-0 record.
  • The last time that RU won six consecutive games with all of them coming at home was the opening six games of the 2017-18 season.  
• Rutgers would start Big Ten play 1-0 for the second consecutive season and the third time in the past four seasons.
  • Since the Big Ten introduced the schedule model where an early 1-2 conference games were inserted prior to New Year's, then a resumption of non-conference play, RU is 3-2 in the Big Ten home opener (entering this year, 1-4 in the opening game overall).
• Rutgers would earn its 16^th ranked win under head coach Steve Pikiell and improve to 11-3 in their last 14 home games against ranked teams.
• Rutgers would win their fifth game lifetime against Illinois, all coming at home.
  • RU would have claimed wins in four of the past six games against Illinois
  • Head Coach Steve Pikiell would improve to 5-1 against the Fighting Illini in Piscataway
     

• Up Next

  
  Following Saturday's game, the team has a two-game road swing. RU plays at ACC foe Wake Forest on Wednesday, Dec. 6, then heads to face Seton Hall on December 9 in the Garden State Hardwood Classic.