Preview: Rutgers at Illinois

[February 16, 2016]  Rutgers will get one of its best chances to earn a win in Big Ten play and snap a lengthy slide when it visits Illinois on Tuesday. The Scarlet Knights are losers of 12 straight but will play the four teams closest to them in the conference standings over the next four games, beginning with Tuesday's game with the Fighting Illni.

Rutgers missed its previous best chance to earn that elusive Big Ten win but did manage to record a season high in points scored at home against Illinois in a 110-101 triple-overtime loss on Feb. 3. Freshman guard Corey Sanders posted career highs of 39 points and 12 assists in that contest but missed the potential go-ahead free throw with 3.3 seconds left in regulation and will miss the rematch after being suspended for the next four games for a violation of team rules. Rutgers has since lost at Nebraska and at home to Ohio State to run its streak to 27 consecutive Big Ten losses, including the conference tournament. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 58-56 loss at Northwestern on Saturday that dropped them into a tie for 11th place in the conference – ahead of only winless Minnesota and the Scarlet Knights.
 

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT RUTGERS (6-19, 0-12 Big Ten): Sanders was the lone bright spot in another lost Big Ten campaign for the Scarlet Knights, scoring 23 points against Ohio State on Saturday to bring his scoring average in conference games up to 18.4. The freshman guard is averaging 30 points in the last three games and has logged at least 34 minutes in each of the last nine, including 51 in the triple-overtime affair against the Fighting Illini, and drew heavy praise on Saturday from coach Eddie Jordan, who had a different tone when announcing the suspension. "Although I am disappointed to announce this suspension, I believe that it will serve as a valuable learning experience for Corey," Rutgers coach Eddie Jordan said in the release. "The team will continue to work hard in his absence and looks forward to his return."

ABOUT ILLINOIS (11-14, 3-9): The Fighting Illini have their own star in Malcolm Hill, who collected 32 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in the first meeting but came up short on Saturday. The junior guard hit a shot while being fouled with seconds left that appeared to tie the game before it was waived off as the referees determined the foul occurred prior to the act of shooting. Hill tripped on the ensuing inbounds play and ended up with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, marking the first time this season he failed to score in double figures.

TIP-INS

1. Illinois freshman G Jalen Coleman-Lands is averaging 18.3 points over the last three games.

2. Rutgers G Mike Williams is 5-of-20 from the field in the last two games.

3. Hill scored 15 points in a 66-54 home win over the Scarlet Knights last season.

PREDICTION: Illinois 72, Rutgers 60

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