Game Day Essentials: Game #27 at Rutgers

Rutgers Info

Head Coach: Steve Pikiell
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Scarlet Knights

Last time out: Lost to Illinois

Point Spread: Rutgers by 11.5

Typical Rotation Depth: 7+

KenPom rank: 16

A couple of Famous Alumni: Roy Hinson, Eddie Jordan

Other:  

• CJ Wilcher and Jamarques Lawrence are New Jersey natives
• Rutgers swept the season series last in 2021-22
• Rutgers starting F Mawot Mag is out for the season after tearing his ACL to games ago vs Michigan St.

KenPom Analysis: It's tough to score on Rutgers and Nebraska could possibly struggle to even attempt shots at times given the Knight's ability to generate turnovers. Rutgers does it with shot volume; offensive rebounds and ball control offset what can be poor shooting

Player to watch: C Clifford Omoruyi

Rutgers' elite defense is anchored by Omoruyi who is an elite shot blocker and rebounder. Finishes well in the paint but little range beyond that 

Player to watch: G Cam Spencer

Loyola Maryland transfer Cam Spencer is an elite 3pt shooter and the main shooter Nebraska needs to track on the perimeter.  Functions as a secondary ball handler

Others to watch

• McConnell is one of the best defenders in the conference; would be wild if he was tasked with guarding Keisei
• Mulcahy is one of the few PGs in the league who brings the same package that Griesel brings to Nebraska; opportunistic 3pt maker
• Hyatt is the forward replacing Mag in the starting lineup. Hyatt tends to be a high volume scorer and probably the best candidate for having a guy try to beat you
• 6'3" backup PG Derek Simpson tends to be an offensive downgrade for a team that struggles on offense
• Dean Reiber, Oskar Palmquist, and Antwone Woolfolk are all 6'8"+ 220+ bodies that Rutgers can throw out on the court

Notes

Probable starters for Nebraska
5    Sam Griesel    G    6-7

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

10  Jamarques Lawrence - G  6-3

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

0   C.J. Wilcher    G    6-5

12  Denim Dawson - F  6-6

15   Blaise Keita C   6-11

12   Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0

33  Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0

35  Henry Burt  F  6-6

24  Jeffrey Grace III  G  6-3

Injured

3   Quaran McPherson   G   6-3 - Out for the Year

4   Juwan Gary  F  6-6 - Out for the Year

25  Emmanuel Bandoumel    G    6-4 - Out for the Year

Redshirting 

2   Ramel Lloyd Jr.  G 6-6

31  Cale Jacobsen  G  6-4

Hoiberg Presser

Talked about managing fatigue, Blaise Keita big day, Keisei being hot, tough winning in New Jersey 

The Skinny: 

Steve Pikiell has turned former laughingstock Rutgers into a conference power behind elite defenses. This year's defense might prove to be the best of all, currently clocking in at #2 in KenPom's defensive efficiency. Nebraska's streak of 3 consecutive games of scoring in the 70s likely ends tonight.

Rutgers has struggled offensively the last couple of games due to playing on the road and losing Mawot Mag. The Scarlet Knights will come out of the gate in their bandbox RAC/Jersey Mike's arena and will be hunting steals and offensive rebounds to bolster their bottom line.  The key for Nebraska will be to weather this storm and continue to make shots...something they've been doing in the month of February.

Would be one heck of an upset if Nebraska can pull it off

Prediction: Rutgers 65 - Nebraska 51