Thursday, March 12
Chicago, Ill.
9:00 PM
Rutgers University
vs
UCLA
Men’s Basketball Faces No. 6 Seed UCLA Thursday Night at Big Ten Tournament
Mar 12 | Men's Basketball
Approximately a 9 PM tipoff on Big Ten Network
CHICAGO – Rutgers men's basketball continues play on Thursday night at the Big Ten Tournament. After an opening round win over Minnesota, RU faces No. 6 seed UCLA next on Thursday. Tipoff will come at approximately 9 pm on Big Ten Network.
The Scarlet Knights continued their strong play to conclude the regular season with a big win to open conference tournament play in Chicago. Rutgers has won three of their past four games and five of the past eight to hold a 14-16 overall record.
Rutgers defeated Minnesota in their opening game of the Big Ten Tournament, 72-67. RU was led by an elite scoring performance from Tariq Francis. The guard posted 29 points to lead RU to the victory, scoring the most points for any RU player in a Big Ten Tournament game. Francis made five three-pointers, and RU made 10 as a team, representing the most three-pointers for RU in a Big Ten Tournament game. Francis has made 12 of his last 17 three pointers over the past three games. As a team, Rutgers had 22 assists, the most for RU in any Big Ten Tournament game.
Jamichael Davis added 13 points and six assists for RU. Emmanuel Ogbole had 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Darren Buchanan tied a career-high with seven assists. RU shot 46 percent for the game, including 50% from the field after halftime. RU made 10-of-23 three-pointers and 12-of-17 from the free throw line.
With the win over the Gophers, RU earned its first Big Ten Tournament win since 2023. RU is now 6-10 all-time at the Big Ten Tournament.
An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection, Tariq Francis is securing his place on RU's all-time record books as one of the top free throw shooting seasons in program history. Francis is 150-of-166 at the charity stripe this season (90.4%).
Most Free Throws Made in A Single Season at Rutgers
3. Tom Savage (1988-89) 172
4. Bob Lloyd (1965-66): 161
t-5. John Somogyi (1971-72): 150
t-5. Tariq Francis (2025-26): 150
Best Single Season Free Throw Percentage at Rutgers
1. Steve Kaplan (1969-70) .927
2. Bob Lloyd (1966-67) .921
3. Tariq Francis (2025-26) .904
4. Geoff Billet (1995-96) .900
Under seventh-year head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA is 21-10 overall and 13-7 in league play, receiving votes in both the national polls. The Bruins are 11-4 in their past 15 games, including wins over top-25 teams in Purdue, Illinois and Nebraska in that span.
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.
UCLA ranks fifth in the country in turnovers per game (9.0) and ninth nationally in assist to turnover ratio (1.79). Point guard Donovan Dent, the Mountain West Player of the Year last season at New Mexico, is fourth in the nation at 7.5 assists per game and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (3.88).
Tyler Bilodeau is the team's leading scorer (18.0) and rebounder (5.8). He also shoots 51.8 percent from the field and 86.5% at the free throw line.
Rutgers and UCLA have played five times previously, with the series 3-2 in UCLA's favor. The first three matchups came between 1976 and 1981. Earlier this season, RU fell at Pauley Pavilion to UCLA, 98-66. Kaden Powers had a team-high 18 points in that game, while Tariq Francis had 12 and Lino Mark scored 10. 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.
With a win, RU would advance to the Quarterfinals. No. 3 seed Michigan State awaits the winner in the late game Friday night.
| About Rutgers |
The Scarlet Knights continued their strong play to conclude the regular season with a big win to open conference tournament play in Chicago. Rutgers has won three of their past four games and five of the past eight to hold a 14-16 overall record.
Rutgers defeated Minnesota in their opening game of the Big Ten Tournament, 72-67. RU was led by an elite scoring performance from Tariq Francis. The guard posted 29 points to lead RU to the victory, scoring the most points for any RU player in a Big Ten Tournament game. Francis made five three-pointers, and RU made 10 as a team, representing the most three-pointers for RU in a Big Ten Tournament game. Francis has made 12 of his last 17 three pointers over the past three games. As a team, Rutgers had 22 assists, the most for RU in any Big Ten Tournament game.
Jamichael Davis added 13 points and six assists for RU. Emmanuel Ogbole had 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Darren Buchanan tied a career-high with seven assists. RU shot 46 percent for the game, including 50% from the field after halftime. RU made 10-of-23 three-pointers and 12-of-17 from the free throw line.
With the win over the Gophers, RU earned its first Big Ten Tournament win since 2023. RU is now 6-10 all-time at the Big Ten Tournament.
| In the Record Books |
An All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection, Tariq Francis is securing his place on RU's all-time record books as one of the top free throw shooting seasons in program history. Francis is 150-of-166 at the charity stripe this season (90.4%).
Most Free Throws Made in A Single Season at Rutgers
3. Tom Savage (1988-89) 172
4. Bob Lloyd (1965-66): 161
t-5. John Somogyi (1971-72): 150
t-5. Tariq Francis (2025-26): 150
Best Single Season Free Throw Percentage at Rutgers
1. Steve Kaplan (1969-70) .927
2. Bob Lloyd (1966-67) .921
3. Tariq Francis (2025-26) .904
4. Geoff Billet (1995-96) .900
| About UCLA |
Under seventh-year head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA is 21-10 overall and 13-7 in league play, receiving votes in both the national polls. The Bruins are 11-4 in their past 15 games, including wins over top-25 teams in Purdue, Illinois and Nebraska in that span.
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.
UCLA ranks fifth in the country in turnovers per game (9.0) and ninth nationally in assist to turnover ratio (1.79). Point guard Donovan Dent, the Mountain West Player of the Year last season at New Mexico, is fourth in the nation at 7.5 assists per game and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (3.88).
Tyler Bilodeau is the team's leading scorer (18.0) and rebounder (5.8). He also shoots 51.8 percent from the field and 86.5% at the free throw line.
| About the Series |
Rutgers and UCLA have played five times previously, with the series 3-2 in UCLA's favor. The first three matchups came between 1976 and 1981. Earlier this season, RU fell at Pauley Pavilion to UCLA, 98-66. Kaden Powers had a team-high 18 points in that game, while Tariq Francis had 12 and Lino Mark scored 10. 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.
| With a Win |
- Rutgers would earn back-to-back Big Ten Tournament games for the first time since 2018.
- Wins in four of the past five games and six of the past nine.
- Wins in two of the last three games against UCLA.
| Up Next |
With a win, RU would advance to the Quarterfinals. No. 3 seed Michigan State awaits the winner in the late game Friday night.
Players Mentioned
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