Rutgers was Sports Illustrated’s most im- Wisconsin Badgers (5-4, 1-0 Big Ten) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-3, 0-1 Big Ten) proved team in 2018-19. The Scarlet Knights Wednesday, December 11, 2019 | 7 p.m. (ET) moved up 71 positions in the Pomeroy The RAC (8,000) | Piscataway, N.J. ratings, best among Power 5 Conference TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin, play-by-play, Stephen Bardo, analyst) programs. Radio: Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/SiriusXM 372; Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan); WRSU 88.7 FM (Jake Ostrove & Raj Shah) 1. Rutgers ......................+71 ..................(B1G) Wisconsin leads 7-2 2. Mississippi ................+51 ..................(SEC) Series Record: Wisconsin 69, Rutgers 64 (Dec. 3, 2018 in Madison, Wisc.) 3. Louisville ...................+43 .................(ACC) Last Meeting: 4. Pittsburgh .................+40 .................(ACC) 5. LSU ............................+32 ..................(SEC) OPENING TIP: Working to improve to 7-0 at home, Rutgers welcomes Wisconsin to the RAC Scarlet Knight Notables on Wednesday for its Big Ten home opener. • Rutgers is undefeated at home (6-0), when 2019-20 Schedule/Results The Scarlet Knights will wear retro uniforms and shooting a better percentage than its op- warm-ups that throwback to the 1970’s, includ- ponent (5-0), and when limiting foes to less Date Opponent .................. Time (p.m.)/TV ing RU’s 1976 undefeated regular season and than 60 points (5-0). N7 Bryant (GSS) ..............................W, 73-71 Final Four run. It marks the first of two matchups • Rutgers remains a young squad, ranking N10 Niagara (GSS) ............................W, 86-39 against the Badgers this season, with the second 235th nationally in experience per Pome- N13 Drexel (GSS)...............................W, 62-57 taking place Feb. 23 at the Kohl Center. roy. The starting lineup has featured one N16 vs. St. Bonaventure (NC) ........... L, 80-74 junior and four sophomores. N20 Stephen F. Austin (GSS) ...........W, 69-57 Rutgers is coming off a 77-65 loss at No. 11/12 • Rutgers announced the signings of 6-7 F Mawot Mag, 6-8 F Oskar Palmquist and N26 NJIT ............................................W, 85-58 Michigan State on Sunday evening. RU held a 6-10 F Dean Reiber. N29 UMass .........................................W, 82-57 first half lead and battled to within one point on multiple occasions after the break, but was • Rutgers entered the Fall 2019 semester D3 at Pitt (ACC/B1G) ....................... L, 71-60 with a 3.06 cumulative team GPA. unable to hold off the Spartans. Akwasi Yeboah D8 at No. 11/12 Michigan State* .... L, 77-65 • Rutgers is second in the Big Ten in steals D11 Wisconsin* .................................... 7/BTN scored a season-high 17 points on 6-of-9 shoot- (6.9), and turnovers forced (15.0), fourth in D14 No. 22 Seton Hall (GSHC) ........... 4/BTN ing. Michigan State made 22 free throws (22-of- FG% defense (39.2), and fifth in blocks (5.1) D22 Lafayette ..................................1/ESPNU 27) and were the first opponent to out-rebound and scoring defense (63.0). D30 Caldwell ................................ 7/BTN Plus the Scarlet Knights (40-32) this season. • Rutgers ranks 32nd nationally in blocks (5.1) J3 at Nebraska* ................................. 8/BTN and 43rd in rebounding margin (+6.8). J7 RV/RV Penn State* ....................... 7/BTN PROMOTIONS: Faculty/Staff Knight. Student • Geo Baker is 4th in the Big Ten in steals J11 at Illinois* ................................. TBA/BTN Section T-Shirts. (1.56) and 6th in assists (4.3). J15 RV/RV Indiana* ............................. 7/BTN • Paul Mulcahy is 3rd in the Big Ten in assist/ J19 Minnesota* ................................... 1/BTN THE OPPONENT: Under 5th-year head coach turnover ratio (2.75). J22 at Iowa* ......................................... 9/BTN Greg Gard, Wisconsin earned an 84-64 home • Myles Johnson is second in the Big Ten in J25 Nebraska* ..................................... 2/BTN win over previously undefeated Indiana on FG% (69.6), 7th in offensive rebounds (2.67), 9th in blocks (1.56) and 10th in rebounds J28 RV/RV Purdue* ............................. 8/BTN Saturday. The Badgers are looking for their (7.7). F1 vs. No. 5/7 Michigan* (MSG) .. 4:30/BTN first road win of the season. Nate Reuvers ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring (15.4) and third • Montez Mathis is third in the Big Ten in F4 at No. 4 Maryland* .........................7/FS1 steals (1.6). in blocks (2.56). Kobe King had a career-best F9 Northwestern* ......................... 6:30/BTN • Rutgers was named the Most Improved F12 at No. 3/2 Ohio State* ................. 7/BTN 24 points against the Hoosiers and provides Team of the 2018-19 season by Sports Il- F15 Illinois*...................................... 4:30/BTN 12.1 points-per-game. Since 2001-02, Wisconsin lustrated in its year-end awards. The Scarlet F19 No. 5/7 Michigan* ........................ 7/BTN owns the best win percentage and most wins Knights improved 70 positions in the F23 at Wisconsin* ................................ 1/BTN among Big Ten teams, posting a mark of 218-97 Pomeroy ratings since the season’s initial F26 at RV/RV Penn State* ................... 7/BTN (.692). UW is the only team to clinch a top-four rating, best among all power conference M3 No. 4 Maryland* ........................... 7/BTN finish in the Big Ten in 17 of the last 18 seasons. programs. M7 at RV/RV Purdue* ......................... 2/BTN • Rutgers was among the approximately M11-15 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis THE SERIES: Rutgers and Wisconsin meet for 30,000 individuals who joined in the 18th the 10th time, with Wisconsin winning seven of annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk on * - Big Ten Conference. All Times Eastern. AP/ the first nine matchups. Since joining the Big Sept. 29. It marked the third consecutive coaches rank. GSS - Garden State Showcase. NC - Ten, the Scarlet Knights have won twice in six year the team has participated in the event, Naismith Classic. GSHC - Garden State Hardwood meetings, and are 2-0 against the Badgers at with proceeds benefitting first respond- Classic. MSG - Big Ten Super Saturday - Madison ers and catastrophically injured service Square Garden. Rankings are from Associated the RAC. In UW’s last visit on Jan. 5, 2018, RU earned a 64-60 victory. With the game tied and members. Under Steve Pikiell, RU has Press/Coaches Week 5 Polls. maintained 100 percent team participation two minutes remaining, Rutgers went on a 9-2 in Leadership Development and Strategic run to ensure the win. RU had just six turnovers, Partnerships community service initiatives. a program record for fewest in a Big Ten game Head Coach Steve Pikiell • Rutgers posted a 4-0 record against profes- since joining the conference. In 2015, Rutgers sional club teams during a tour of Spain in Overall Record (years) ................242-213 (15th) downed No. 4 Wisconsin 67-62 for the highest- August. RU outscored its opponents 387- Rutgers Record (years) .....................50-57 (4th) ranked victory in program history. Myles Mack 284 and had five players with double figure Record vs. Wisconsin (RU) ............................ 1-3 scored 21 points and Kadeem Jack added 20 scoring averages. Record vs. Wisconsin (overall) ..................... 1-3 points to deal the Badgers one of their four • Of Rutgers’ 11 scholarship players, 10 are losses during their national finalist campaign. 6’4 or above and seven are 6’6 or taller. 0 GEO BAKER 1 AKWASI YEBOAH 2 DANIEL LOBACH 3 NICK BROOKS 4 PAUL MULCAHY 10 JOEY DOWNES Jr. • 6-4 • 185 • G Gr. • 6-6 • 230 • F Fr. • 6-7 • 205 • F Jr. • 6-1 • 180 • G Fr. • 6-6 • 205 • G Jr. • 5-11 • 175 • G Derry, N.H. Chigwell, England Durham, N.C. Somerset, N.J. Bayonne, N.J. East Sandwich, Mass. 11 MAMADOU DOUCOURE 13 SHAQ CARTER 15 MYLES JOHNSON 22 CALEB MCCONNELL 23 MONTEZ MATHIS 24 RON HARPER JR. So. • 6-9 • 250 • F Sr. • 6-9 • 250 • F So. • 6-11 • 255 • C So. • 6-7 • 190 • G So. • 6-4 • 205 • G So. • 6-6 • 245 • G/F Bamako, Mali Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Long Beach, Calif. Jacksonville, Fla. Baltimore, Md. Franklin Lakes, N.J. 32 PETER KISS 42 JACOB YOUNG 55 LUKE NATHAN STEVE PIKIELL KARL HOBBS BRANDIN KNIGHT Jr. • 6-5 • 200 • G Jr. • 6-2 • 185 • G So. • 6-11 • 245 • F/C Head Coach Associate Head Coach Assistant Coach New York, N.Y. Houston, Texas Randolph, N.J. STEVE HAYN GREG VETRONE DAVID VANDYKE BEN ASHER MIKE LARKIN T.J. THOMPSON Assistant Coach Dir. Player Devel. Asst. AD-Strength & Cond. Director of Ops/Recruiting Special Assistant Director of Basketball Admin No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous School(s) 0 Geo Baker* G 6-4 185 Jr. Derry, N.H./Proctor Academy 1 Akwasi Yeboah F 6-6 230 Gr. Chigwell, England/Barking Abbey/Stony Brook 2 Daniel Lobach F 6-7 205 Fr. Durham, N.C./Moravian Prep 3 Nick Brooks G 6-1 180 Jr. Franklin Park, NJ/Vermont Acad./WV Wesleyan 4 Paul Mulcahy G 6-6 205 Fr. Bayonne, N.J./Gill St. Bernard’s 10 Joey Downes G 5-11 170 Jr. E. Sandwich, MA/E. Sandwich/Bridgton Acad. 11 Mamadou Doucoure F 6-9 243 So. Bamako, Mali/Our Savior New American (NY) 13 Shaq Carter* F 6-9 250 Sr. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Eastern Florida State 15 Myles Johnson C 6-11 255 So. Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly HS RICHARD CAMPBELL RANDI LARSON Athletic Trainer Academic Services 22 Caleb McConnell G 6-7 190 So. Jacksonville, Fla./SPIRE Academy (Ohio) 23 Montez Mathis G 6-4 205 So. Baltimore, Md. /The John Carroll School 24 Ron Harper, Jr. G/F 6-6 245 So. Franklin Lakes, N.J./Don Bosco Prep 32 Peter Kiss G 6-5 200 Jr.