How To Watch Indiana Men’s Basketball As It Hosts Rutgers

Indiana needs to resume the conference slate with more success than it has in the recent past.

Todd Golden | Jan 2, 2025

Indiana's Myles Rice (1) shoots in front of Winthrop's Bryce Baker (55) during the Indiana versus Winthrop men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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(updated Thursday, Jan. 2 at 2:12 p.m. ET)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Since the Big Ten went to a 20-game conference schedule starting with the 2018-19 season, the league has scheduled one or two early December conference games, followed by a few more nonconference games, with the resumption of the full Big Ten schedule around New Year’s Day.

During the Mike Woodson era that began in 2021, the Hoosiers have not done well when the schedule has turned permanently to the Big Ten slate.

In three Big Ten “resumptions,” Indiana is 0-3 under Woodson. To be fair, all three have been road games, but all of them have set some tone for the remainder of the season.

In Woodson’s first year, Indiana lost 61-58 at Penn State on Jan. 2, 2022. That season Indiana went 3-7 on the road in the Big Ten.

During the 2022-23, Indiana resumed at Iowa on Jan. 5, 2023. This was a wild game in which Indiana took a 21-point lead in the first half, including fireworks from Iowa coach Fran McCaffery on the Iowa sideline.

However, Indiana starting forward Race Thompson got hurt in the contest (point guard Xavier Johnson was already out for the season) and Indiana collapsed in the second half. Iowa rallied for a 91-89 win that had Woodson hot about the behavior coming from the Iowa bench throughout the game.

This loss began an 0-3 resumption of Big Ten play for the Hoosiers, though Indiana would eventually play their way out of that slow start. Iowa would continue to dog the Hoosiers, though. With Indiana ranked No. 15 in the country, Iowa came to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Feb. 28, 2023, and rolled the Hoosiers, 90-68.

Last season, Indiana lost 81-65 at Nebraska on Jan. 2, 2024. It would portend bad things to come as the Hoosiers would go on to finish 0-3 against the Cornhuskers in the 2023-24 season, including a season-ending loss in the Big Ten Tournament.

Indiana hasn’t had good luck against Rutgers in the Woodson era, but the Hoosiers can give themselves a chance for a positive boost if they can master the art of Big Ten resumption.

How To Watch Rutgers at Indiana

• Who: Indiana Hoosiers (10-3, 1-1) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-5, 1-1)

• What: Indiana resumes Big Ten play for good as Rutgers comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in a Big Ten Conference clash.

• When: 8:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 2.

• Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind.

• TV: Peacock.

• Announcers: Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (color), Caroline Pineda (sideline).

• Radio: IU Radio Network (Bloomington: 105.1 WHCC-FM; Indianapolis: 107.5 WFNI-FM or 1070 WFNI-AM, or see media guide for other radio affiliates).

• Radio announcers: Don Fischer (play-by-play), Errek Suhr (color), John Herrick (pregame, halftime, postgame).

• Point spread: Indiana is a 5.5-point favorite over Rutgers according to Fan Duel. The over-under is 157.5 points.

• Recent results: Indiana has won two nonconference games – a 74-65 win over Chattanooga and a 77-68 win over Winthrop – since its last Big Ten contest, an 85-68 loss at Nebraska.

Rutgers defeated Columbia 91-64 on Monday but has lost five of nine games overall. In Big Ten games, Rutgers beat Penn State 80-76 at home but lost 80-66 at Ohio State.

• Home, road and neutral trends: Indiana is 9-0 at home, 1-2 in neutral site games and 0-1 in its only true road game. Rutgers is 7-0 in home games, 1-3 in neutral site games and 0-2 in true road games.

• Last season: Indiana went 19-14 overall and finished sixth in the Big Ten with a 10-10 record in conference play. The Hoosiers missed the NCAA Tournament and declined a bid to the NIT. Rutgers was 15-17 overall and 7-13 in Big Ten play in 2024.

• Series history: Rutgers leads 9-8. The Scarlet Knights have won all nine games in the series with coach Steve Pikiell in charge, including a 66-57 victory over Indiana on Jan. 9, 2024 – the only meeting in the 2023-24 season.

Leading scorers

Indiana's Malik Reneau (5) scores past Chattanooga's Frank Champion (5) during the Indiana versus Chattanooga men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2204. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana Hoosiers

• F Malik Reneau, 15 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.5 apg.

• F Mackenzie Mgbako, 13.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 apg.

• C Oumar Ballo, 12.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.5 apg.

• G Myles Rice 11.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.2 apg.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• G Dylan Harper, 22.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.8 apg.

• G-F Ace Bailey 18.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 0.7 apg.

• C Lathan Sommerville 7.8 ppg, 4 rpg, 0.6 apg.

• G Jeremiah Williams 7.8 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.2 apg

Kenpom rankings

Projected score: Indiana 81, Rutgers 76.

Indiana Hoosiers

• Overall: 57

• Adjusted defensive efficiency: 63

• Adjusted offensive efficiency: 59

• Strength of schedule: 112

• Preseason: 39

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Overall: 76

• Adjusted defensive efficiency: 97

• Adjusted offensive efficiency: 66

• Strength of schedule: 73

• Preseason: 63

Meet the coaches

• Steve Pikiell, Rutgers: Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell is in his ninth season at Rutgers, and he’s amassed a 140-128 record with the Scarlet Knights. Pikiell is in his 20th season overall as a head coach. He coached Stony Brook from 2005-16 and amassed a 192-156 record there. Overall, Pikiell is 332-284 as a head coach.

Before his head coaching career, Pikiell was an assistant at George Washington (2001-05), Central Connecticut (1997-2001), Wesleyan (1995-96, where he was also interim head coach), Yale (1993-95) and at his alma mater Connecticut (1991-92). He was also an assistant on the USBL New Haven Skyhawks in 1992. Pikiell played at UConn from 1987-91 and is originally from Bristol, Conn.

• Mike Woodson, Indiana: Woodson is in his fourth season at Indiana with a 73-43 overall record and a 32-30 mark in regular season Big Ten play. Indiana reached the NCAA Tournament in Woodson's first two seasons, peaking with a Round of 32 appearance in 2023, but the Hoosiers missed the tournament last year. Woodson, 66, has NBA head coaching experience with the Atlanta Hawks from 2004-10 and the New York Knicks from 2012-14. Woodson played at Indiana University from 1976-80, and was named the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player as a senior under coach Bob Knight. He was the 12th overall pick in the 1980 NBA Draft, and played for various teams from 1980-91, averaging 14 points over 786 games.

How To Watch Rutgers at Indiana

Leading scorers

Kenpom rankings

Meet the coaches

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