'Cats Welcome Scarlet Knights for Tuesday Night Battle

NORTHWESTERN MEN'S BASKETBALL: GAME INFORMATION
DATE	Opponent	TIME	LOCATION	Watch	Live Stats
Tuesday, Feb. 1	Rutgers	6 pm CT	Welsh-Ryan Arena Evanston, Ill.	Big Ten Network	Live Stats
Radio: WGN Radio 720 AM Social: Twitter: @NUMensbball \| Instagram: @numensbball

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern continues a two-game homestand on Tuesday as the Wildcats welcome Rutgers to Welsh-Ryan Arena. Tip-off is slated for 6 pm CT, with coverage live on Big Ten Network.

In Tuesday's matchup, Northwestern will join Rutgers in celebrating "This Game Is No Secret" at Welsh-Ryan Arena in commemoration of legendary coach John McLendon as part of the "Eracism" social inclusion movement. Created, by College Insider, Inc., Eracism is committed to bringing forth change through education, awareness, and action with current and former college basketball coaches leading the way.

A 2016 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee, McLendon became the first African American coach to win an integrated national championship. His team went on to win the NAIA Division I Men's Tournament in 1957, 1958 and 1959, making him the first coach in history to win three consecutive NAIA championships. He was also the first African-American on a U.S. Olympic basketball team coaching staff, in 1968 and 1972.

In their last time out, Northwestern took the 24th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini down to the wire in front of a raucous sold-out Welsh-Ryan Arena. Pete Nance led the team with 21 points, his fifth game of the season with more than 20 points, while also tying his career high of three made three-pointers, the fourth time this season he has done so.

Northwestern played stingy defense on Saturday vs. Illiniois, becoming just the third team this season to hold Illinois to under 60 points in a game, while also limiting the Illini to just 24 points in the first half, their lowest in a half this season.

This marks the 17th meeting between Northwestern and Rutgers, with the Wildcats leading the all-time series, 10-6. The 'Cats are looking to snap a four-game skid against the Scarlet Knights, however the series has seen its fair share of tight matchups in recent years. Since the 2017-18 season, four of the previous five meetings between Rutgers and Northwestern have been decided by 8 points or fewer.

On the defensive end, Northwestern has excelled in creating turnover as the Wildcats currently rank fourth in the conference at 6.53 steals per game. Leading the Wildcats is Chase Audige at 1.75 steals per game (third in the conference), while Julian Roper II is just behind him at 19 steals per game, second among all Big Ten first-years. Per KenPom, Audige (3.7% steal percentage) and Roper (3.5% steal percentage) both ranks among the top defensive guards in the conference.

Also standing out in the backcourt is Boo Buie, who at 14.6 points per game (17th in Big Ten) and 5.2 assists per game (2nd in Big Ten) is one of just two high-major players to be averaging at least 14 points and five assists this season. Buie is also on pace to join Bryant McIntosh as the only NU players to average at least 13 points and five assists in a season since 1992-93.

'Cats Welcome Scarlet Knights for Tuesday Night Battle

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Chase Audige

Boo Buie

Pete Nance

Julian Roper II

Northwestern University Athletics