Rutgers Looks to Regain Footing Against Penn After Seton Hall Letdown
Rutgers is in search of answers - and maybe a little redemption - as it prepares to host Penn on Saturday night in Piscataway. After a rough stretch that’s seen the Scarlet Knights drop six of their last seven, including a lopsided rivalry loss to Seton Hall, this matchup offers a much-needed chance to recalibrate before diving back into Big Ten play.
At 5-6, Rutgers has struggled to find rhythm or consistency. The current skid began with a surprising home loss to Central Connecticut State and has included heavy defeats at the hands of Tennessee, Purdue, and Michigan. The latest blow came last weekend in Newark, where Seton Hall controlled the game from the opening tip and cruised to an 81-59 win.
Head coach Steve Pikiell tried to shake things up with some bold lineup changes against the Pirates, but the moves didn’t pay off. Denis Badalau was reinserted into the starting five, but the sophomore forward played just three minutes before being pulled for the rest of the game. Badalau has been in a deep shooting slump, connecting on just 19% of his shots from the field and going 1-for-14 from beyond the arc over the last six games.
At point guard, Pikiell opted to start freshman Tariq Francis while bringing veteran Jamichael Davis off the bench. That decision backfired early.
Francis turned the ball over three straight times to start the game, fueling a 6-0 Seton Hall run before he was quickly subbed out. Davis, meanwhile, couldn’t get anything going either - he finished scoreless and committed five turnovers in 22 minutes of action.
If there’s been one bright spot for Rutgers during this tough stretch, it’s been Harun Zrno. The sophomore wing has stepped up in big games, delivering double-digit scoring efforts against Tennessee (14 points), Purdue (13), Michigan (13), and Seton Hall (15). He’s also been reliable from deep, hitting multiple threes in each of those contests.
“In all of our high-level games, he's been able to produce for us,” Pikiell said after the Seton Hall loss. “We gotta start putting him in more stuff for him.”
Rutgers will need that kind of production again Saturday night, even against a Penn team that’s dealing with some key absences of its own.
The Quakers (6-4) haven’t played since edging Lafayette 74-72 back on Dec. 8.
In their two matchups against Power 5 opponents, they were overwhelmed - losing to Providence by 25 and to Villanova by 27. After the Villanova loss, forward TJ Power acknowledged the physical mismatch.
“I think physically and athletically, we were outmatched a little bit,” Power said. “We have to make up for that with our intensity, guarding the ball, guarding ball screens.”
Penn will be without its leading scorer, Ethan Roberts, who suffered an injury in the Dec. 6 game against Villanova and was taken to the hospital. While the nature of the injury hasn’t been disclosed, he hasn’t returned to practice yet, though he remains around the team.
In Roberts’ absence, Power has taken on a bigger role. The sophomore is averaging 15.0 points and leads the team with 7.6 rebounds per game.
Saturday’s game also marks a familiar coaching matchup. Pikiell and Penn head coach Fran McCaffery - formerly of Iowa - have gone head-to-head every season since Pikiell took over at Rutgers in 2016. McCaffery’s teams have had the upper hand in recent years, winning their last five meetings against the Scarlet Knights.
For Rutgers, this is more than just a non-conference tune-up. It’s a chance to reset, reestablish roles, and build some confidence before the Big Ten gauntlet resumes. And with the way things have gone lately, the Scarlet Knights could use a win - and a little momentum - in the worst way.