Rutgers Returns Home to Face Indiana After Gritty Road Trip
After a tough two-game swing through the Midwest, Rutgers men’s basketball is back on familiar ground this Friday night, hosting Indiana at Jersey Mike’s Arena in a 6 p.m. tipoff on FS1. And while the Scarlet Knights didn’t come away with a win in Iowa City, there was a lot to like about their fight-and even more to build on heading into this Big Ten matchup.
Scarlet Knights Show Grit in Iowa Loss
Rutgers went toe-to-toe with a top-20 KenPom Iowa squad on Tuesday, staying within striking distance all night and even holding the lead with just over 13 minutes to play. The Scarlet Knights trailed by only six at the final buzzer, falling 68-62, but the game was anything but one-sided.
In fact, RU came out swinging in the second half, stringing together runs of 10-0, 15-5, and 20-8 to take control early in the period. Their defense locked in, holding Iowa to just 3-of-13 shooting over a 12-minute stretch-a sharp contrast to the Hawkeyes’ hot start, when they hit 50% of their shots in the game’s opening 18 minutes.
Despite the loss, Rutgers controlled the glass, out-rebounding Iowa 31-24, and took care of business at the free throw line, knocking down 19-of-24. But 19 turnovers proved costly, especially in a game that was decided by just six points.
Buchanan, Francis Lead the Way
Darren Buchanan Jr. turned in his best scoring performance of the season with 17 points, continuing a strong stretch of play. It was his third game with 13+ points in the last five outings, and he’s quietly become a reliable threat from deep-hitting 5-of-8 from three over that span and shooting 47.4% from beyond the arc on the season. In Big Ten play, he’s been even better, connecting on 60% of his triples.
Tariq Francis added 15 points of his own, making it seven times in the last eight games he’s hit at least that mark. He’s averaging 19.2 points over his last five and leads the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game. Francis has also been automatic at the line, shooting an impressive 87.5% on the season (77-of-88).
Down low, Emmanuel Ogbole continued to anchor the paint with eight points and 10 rebounds-his sixth double-digit rebounding effort of the year. He leads the team with 131 total boards (6.9 per game), including a team-best 59 offensive rebounds. Add in his 25 blocks, and it’s clear Ogbole is doing the dirty work that doesn’t always show up in the headlines.
Bench Production and Defensive Identity
One of the strengths of this Rutgers team has been its depth. With Francis coming off the bench, the Scarlet Knights are second in the Big Ten in bench scoring, averaging over 29 points per game. They also rank fourth in the conference in free throw attempts and fifth in offensive rebounding-two stats that speak to their physical style of play and ability to generate second-chance opportunities.
Defensively, RU continues to make its mark. Iowa’s 24 rebounds were the second fewest by a Rutgers opponent all season and the lowest by a Big Ten team since Penn State grabbed just 22 boards in a game nearly a year ago.
Scouting the Hoosiers
Indiana rolls into Piscataway on a four-game losing skid, most recently dropping an 86-72 contest to No. 3 Michigan.
That slide has come against a gauntlet of ranked teams-Nebraska, Michigan State, Iowa, and now Michigan. The Hoosiers are 12-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten, after opening conference play 3-1 with wins over Penn State, Washington, and Maryland.
Despite the recent struggles, Indiana can still light it up offensively. They’re third in the Big Ten in free throw shooting at 78.1% and fourth in three-point attempts per game (29.2).
Head coach Darian DeVries, in his first year at the helm, brings a strong track record with him. He won 19 games last season at West Virginia and posted a 150-55 mark over six seasons at Drake, including three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Hoosier Firepower
Lamar Wilkerson is the headliner for IU. A two-time First Team pick in Conference USA, Wilkerson is fifth in the Big Ten in scoring at 19.0 points per game and leads the league in made threes with 62.
He’s not alone on the perimeter-Tucker DeVries, a National Player of the Year candidate and former Missouri Valley Conference star, is averaging 14.2 points per game. Both Wilkerson and DeVries rank top-two in the Big Ten in three-point attempts and are among the top six in percentage.
Indiana also gets steady backcourt play from Conor Enright, whose 3.81 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks seventh nationally. Add in Tayton Conerway (11.5 points, 4.3 assists per game) and Reed Bailey (9.8 points per game), and the Hoosiers have a balanced attack with multiple scoring threats.
Series History: Dead Even, But Momentum with Rutgers
This will be the 19th meeting between Rutgers and Indiana, with the all-time series knotted at 9-9. But recent history favors the Scarlet Knights-they’ve won nine of the last 12, including four by double digits. Since RU’s Big Ten Tournament win over IU in 2018, the Knights have gone 9-3 in the matchup.
Last season, the teams met just once, with Rutgers falling 84-74 at Assembly Hall. That game, though, featured a breakout performance from Ace Bailey, who dropped 39 points-the most ever by a Rutgers freshman in a regulation game and tied for the most by a freshman in a Big Ten contest in program history. The last time Indiana visited Jersey Mike’s Arena, RU came away with a 66-57 win.
Friday Night Lights in Piscataway
With a strong defensive identity, balanced scoring, and a deep bench, Rutgers is looking to get back in the win column in front of a home crowd that’s always ready to bring the energy. Indiana’s offensive firepower will test the Scarlet Knights, but RU’s recent history in this matchup-and their ability to grind out games-makes this one to watch.
Throw in a halftime show featuring ONE PIECE and an exclusive giveaway, and Friday night in Piscataway is shaping up to be more than just another Big Ten battle. It’s a chance for Rutgers to reset, refocus, and remind the conference that they’re not going anywhere.