Tuesday, February 3
Los Angeles, Calif.
9:30 PM
Rutgers University
at
UCLA
Photo by: Ben Solomon
Men’s Basketball Continues West Coast Swing at UCLA
Feb 01 | Men's Basketball
Tuesday Game Is at 9:30 PM Eastern Time on BTN
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Rutgers men's basketball continues its stay in California with another game this week. After Saturday's contest against USC, RU heads to Pauley Pavillion to face UCLA, with a 9:30 pm game time for Tuesday's BTN game, with Guy Haberman and Don MacLean on the call.
About Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights made a furious comeback push in the opening contest on their West Coast trip, ultimately falling by three, 78-75. After USC led 74-57 with 4:34 to play, the visitors finished the game on an 18-4 run, but were just one basket shy. Tariq Francis, who had a game-high 26 points, scored nine points in the final 2:23, but was unable to get the game-tying attempt hoisted at the buzzer.
The defense held USC without a field goal across the last 4:34, as the Trojans could only even attempt two field goals as the Scarlet Knights press cut off the water for the Trojans. USC shot 4-of-13 across the final 14:37 of the contest, but made 14 free throws after halftime and 22 on the day to push past RU.
Dylan Grant had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the game. Grant recorded his fourth double-double of the season and the first against a Big Ten opponent.
Tariq Francis is up to 16.2 points per game, boosted by 88.5% from the free throw line. The guard continued his streak of 15+ point games to six straight and 10 of the past 11. He averages 25.6 points across his last three games.
Despite the results, RU continues to show its mettle with tough battles against Big Ten opponents. Earlier in the week, Rutgers led for 36 minutes against No. 7 Michigan State, just faltering late and falling in overtime.
About UCLA
Under seventh-year head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA enters the matchup at 15-7 overall and 7-4 in the Big Ten. Their three-game winning streak was halted against Indiana on Saturday as the Hoosiers prevailed in double overtime, 98-87. UCLA had a comeback from 10-points down with 1:50 to play in the second half, and Trent Perry hit a tying shot with 1.1 seconds left in regulation to send it to extra time. An extremely tight contest saw IU hit the game winning free throw with 0.3 seconds to play. Donovan Dent played all 50 minutes against the Hoosiers with 24 points and 11 assist, while Trent perry had 25 points.
Cronin previously coached at Cincinnati from 2006-2019, where he was 8-1 against Rutgers. He has made four NCAA Tournament trips with 10 NCAA Tournament wins thus far at UCLA. UCLA associate head coach Darren Savino, a New Jersey native, spent four years at Rutgers up until 2010 prior to joining Cronin at Cincinnati.
The Bruins recently earned a signature win over No. 4 Purdue. Donovan Dent posted 23 points and 13 assists in the game.
Tyler Bilodeau, the Bruins leading returning scoring (18.2 ppg) was a third-team All-Big Ten selection last year after playing his first two seasons at Oregon State).Donovan Dent joined the Bruins after three seasons at New Mexico, where he was the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and an All-American, posting 20.4 points per game. He is at 13.6 points per game this season. Skyy Clark, who came to UCLA via Illinois and Louisville, is at 13.5 points per game. In addition to those three, Trent Perry (12.2 ppg) and Eric Dailey (11) give UCLA five players that score in double-figures, with Dailey the leading rebounder at just 6.0 boards per game.
The Bruins lead the Big Ten in three-point percentage defense. The Bruins' foes shoot just 29.7% from long-range this year.
About the Series
Rutgers and UCLA have played four times previously, with the series even at 2-2. The first three matchups came between 1976 and 1981. Last season, RU earned a 75-68 win at Jersey Mike's Arena in the first meeting between the two opposite coast foes as Big Ten members. Ace Bailey led RU with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Dylan Harper had 18 points in the game. Dylan Grant made his first collegiate start in that game
UCLA was a top-10 team in all three early meetings. Rutgers fell against No. 6 UCLA, 106-92, in the consolation game of the 1976 NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia to conclude the team's famous Final Four season. RU then lost a road game in 1979 to the sixth-ranked Bruins, falling 78-57. RU won a neutral site meeting on December 3, 1981, prevailing 57-54 over No. 8 UCLA at the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., the first ever college basketball game played at the venue. Rutgers sealed the game on a layup in the waning seconds from Brian Ellerbe.
Up Next
Rutgers returns home for its next two games. The Scarlet Knights are back at Jersey Mike's Arena on Saturday, February 7 at 12 pm to host No. 5/5 Nebraska. Then, after a mid-week break, the Scarlet Knights welcome Maryland on Sunday, February 15.
About Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights made a furious comeback push in the opening contest on their West Coast trip, ultimately falling by three, 78-75. After USC led 74-57 with 4:34 to play, the visitors finished the game on an 18-4 run, but were just one basket shy. Tariq Francis, who had a game-high 26 points, scored nine points in the final 2:23, but was unable to get the game-tying attempt hoisted at the buzzer.
The defense held USC without a field goal across the last 4:34, as the Trojans could only even attempt two field goals as the Scarlet Knights press cut off the water for the Trojans. USC shot 4-of-13 across the final 14:37 of the contest, but made 14 free throws after halftime and 22 on the day to push past RU.
Dylan Grant had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the game. Grant recorded his fourth double-double of the season and the first against a Big Ten opponent.
Tariq Francis is up to 16.2 points per game, boosted by 88.5% from the free throw line. The guard continued his streak of 15+ point games to six straight and 10 of the past 11. He averages 25.6 points across his last three games.
Despite the results, RU continues to show its mettle with tough battles against Big Ten opponents. Earlier in the week, Rutgers led for 36 minutes against No. 7 Michigan State, just faltering late and falling in overtime.
About UCLA
Under seventh-year head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA enters the matchup at 15-7 overall and 7-4 in the Big Ten. Their three-game winning streak was halted against Indiana on Saturday as the Hoosiers prevailed in double overtime, 98-87. UCLA had a comeback from 10-points down with 1:50 to play in the second half, and Trent Perry hit a tying shot with 1.1 seconds left in regulation to send it to extra time. An extremely tight contest saw IU hit the game winning free throw with 0.3 seconds to play. Donovan Dent played all 50 minutes against the Hoosiers with 24 points and 11 assist, while Trent perry had 25 points.
Cronin previously coached at Cincinnati from 2006-2019, where he was 8-1 against Rutgers. He has made four NCAA Tournament trips with 10 NCAA Tournament wins thus far at UCLA. UCLA associate head coach Darren Savino, a New Jersey native, spent four years at Rutgers up until 2010 prior to joining Cronin at Cincinnati.
The Bruins recently earned a signature win over No. 4 Purdue. Donovan Dent posted 23 points and 13 assists in the game.
Tyler Bilodeau, the Bruins leading returning scoring (18.2 ppg) was a third-team All-Big Ten selection last year after playing his first two seasons at Oregon State).Donovan Dent joined the Bruins after three seasons at New Mexico, where he was the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and an All-American, posting 20.4 points per game. He is at 13.6 points per game this season. Skyy Clark, who came to UCLA via Illinois and Louisville, is at 13.5 points per game. In addition to those three, Trent Perry (12.2 ppg) and Eric Dailey (11) give UCLA five players that score in double-figures, with Dailey the leading rebounder at just 6.0 boards per game.
The Bruins lead the Big Ten in three-point percentage defense. The Bruins' foes shoot just 29.7% from long-range this year.
About the Series
Rutgers and UCLA have played four times previously, with the series even at 2-2. The first three matchups came between 1976 and 1981. Last season, RU earned a 75-68 win at Jersey Mike's Arena in the first meeting between the two opposite coast foes as Big Ten members. Ace Bailey led RU with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Dylan Harper had 18 points in the game. Dylan Grant made his first collegiate start in that game
UCLA was a top-10 team in all three early meetings. Rutgers fell against No. 6 UCLA, 106-92, in the consolation game of the 1976 NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia to conclude the team's famous Final Four season. RU then lost a road game in 1979 to the sixth-ranked Bruins, falling 78-57. RU won a neutral site meeting on December 3, 1981, prevailing 57-54 over No. 8 UCLA at the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., the first ever college basketball game played at the venue. Rutgers sealed the game on a layup in the waning seconds from Brian Ellerbe.
Up Next
Rutgers returns home for its next two games. The Scarlet Knights are back at Jersey Mike's Arena on Saturday, February 7 at 12 pm to host No. 5/5 Nebraska. Then, after a mid-week break, the Scarlet Knights welcome Maryland on Sunday, February 15.
Players Mentioned
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