Boston University (0-1) at Rutgers (0-1)
Date & Time: Friday, Nov. 10 | 7 p.m.
Venue: Jersey Mike's Arena | Piscataway, N.J.
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMBB

BOSTON – Continuing a three-game road trip, the Boston University men's basketball team will open the Scarlet Knight Classic at Rutgers on Friday night with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.

As part of the event, the Terriers will visit Howard on Tuesday (Nov. 14) and host Bryant on Thursday (Nov. 16). The Scarlet Knights will host all three squads with BU the first opponent to pay a visit to Jersey Mike's Arena.

BU is looking to bounce back from Monday's 67-58 loss at Northeastern, while Rutgers is also hoping to rebound from a 68-61 season-opening defeat to Princeton at a neutral court in Trenton, New Jersey.

TERRIER TIDBITS

• BU will be seeking its first Power 5 victory since posting a 78-70 win at SEC member South Carolina on Nov. 19, 2019. The Terriers last defeated a Big Ten school in during the 2009 Puerto Rico Tip-Off with a 71-67 win over Indiana.
• Returning just 23.3 percent of the points from last season, BU had three Terriers earn their first career starts against the Huskies with a fourth, sophomore Otto Landrum, making just his second. In total, six of the eight newcomers appeared in the season opener.
• Freshman Kyrone Alexander went 6-of-9 from the field en route to 15 points to become the first true freshman to lead BU in scoring in a season opener since 2006. Both he and Matai Baptiste (11 pts.) were the first freshman duo to score in double figures in a season opener this century.
• Landrum tallied a career-high three steals alongside three blocks, while classmate Nico Nobili tied a personal best with a team-high five rebounds alongside Baptiste.
• Sophomore Ben Roy led BU in assists for the first time with three helpers off the bench, and junior transfer Ethan Okwuosa tallied nine points on 4-of-7 shooting.
• BU posted a 9-6 advantage in made 3-pointers alongside a 14-7 lead in points off turnovers against the Huskies but faced a 15-3 deficit in made free throws for the loss.

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• The Scarlet Knights went 19-15 last year with a 10-10 mark in the Big Ten en route to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). 
• Rutgers went 14-6 at home last season, highlighted by 63-48 victory over then-No. 8 Indiana, 81-57 win against Wake Forest and an 85-50 decision over another Patriot League member in Bucknell. The Scarlet Knights are unbeaten (7-0) in home openers under head coach Steve Pikiell.
• 6-foot-11 forward Clifford Omoruyi was named to the Naismith Top-50 Watchlist for the 2023-24 National Player of the Yer award after averaging 13.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg and 2.1 bpg last season en route to All-Big Ten Second Team and First Team All-Big Ten Defensive Team accolades.
• Omoruyi tallied 12 points and seven rebounds in the loss to Princeton, while 5-foot-11 UMass grad transfer guard Noah Fernandes recorded 10 points. 6-foot-9 forward Antwone Woolfolk was the other Knight in double figures at 10 points.
• Overall, Rutgers shot 40.3 FG% against Princeton while holding the Tigers to 43.3 FG%. Princeton posted a 9-4 advantage in made 3-pointers, as the teams finished in a 7-7 tie for made free throws.

SERIES HISTORY

• Rutgers leads the all-time series, 14-5, with a 2-0 record against head coach Joe Jones. The Scarlet Knights earned a 54-44 victory in 2018 following an 81-79 decision in 2012.
• Teams met 17 times from 1941-1972 with the Scarlet Knights winning 12 of the contests, including the last seven ... BU last claimed a 62-61 win on Dec. 4, 1964 at home.
• BU is quite familiar with Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell, eliminating both him and Stony Brook in the 2010 America East semifinals and 2011 AE title game. Pikiell has won the last four regular season meetings, including a sweep in 2012-13 during BU's last year in the AE.

UP NEXT

• BU will conclude the three-game road trip at Howard on Tuesday (Nov. 14) with a 7:30 p.m. tip.
• The Terriers won the only other meeting back in 2012 at a tournament hosted by Central Florida, 71-44.