The Hoosiers take on Illinois in Champaign today in their nineteenth Big Ten game of the season.
Tipoff is set for 12:00 p.m. ET and will be aired on BTN.
TheHoosier.com has gathered previews and predictions for the game below.
1. Continued contributions from Justin Smith and Devonte Green -- Both at full strength are clear difference-makers for this Indiana team. Smith's defense and scoring help take some of the pressure off Juwan Morgan, while Green's scoring ability gives IU a valuable sixth-man off the bench who can help spark the offense during a scoring draught.
2. Transition defense -- It felt like the Hoosiers got killed in this category in the first meeting, especially with how freshman wing Ron Harper Jr. was running the floor. At the same time, Indiana wasn't at full strength, so perhaps an IU team less likely to be fatigued is able to be more effective in this area as a result.
3. Paint production -- This game will feature two of the three worst 3-point shooting teams in the Big Ten. Barring an atypical performance from either side, points in the paint - and crashing the offensive glass for second chance points - will be at a premium Sunday afternoon.
1. Another must-win scenario.
Beating Rutgers won’t do much to enhance Indiana’s NCAA Tournament resume, but a loss would eliminate any hope the Hoosiers have of securing an at-large bid next week on Selection Sunday. Without question, IU cannot settle for anything but a victory in the regular season finale. The Scarlet Knights have won each of the last two meetings between the schools — Rutgers’ only two victories in the series’ short history. Rutgers ended IU’s 2018 season at the Big Ten Tournament before swatting the Hoosiers away with a 66-58 win on Jan. 30 in New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights no longer appear outclassed inside of the conference, and their seven Big Ten victories are their most in league play in 13 years when they were members of the Big East. With a noon tipoff and IU students on spring break, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall won’t feel as electric as it typically does for these crucial conference contests. IU will need to create its own energy in order to propel itself through a game that the team absolutely cannot afford to drop.
Indiana’s loss at Rutgers back on Jan. 30 is in the conversation as the season’s lowest point along with an early January home loss to Nebraska and a mid-February loss at Minnesota.
It was a truly abysmal offensive performance from Indiana, which managed just .843 points per possession against the Scarlet Knights at the RAC. At the time, it was the worst offensive performance of the season by a Big Ten opponent against Rutgers and if not for Northwestern managing just .834 points per trip on Feb. 13, it would still be in the cellar.
The game also featured a 22-0 scoring run by Rutgers that allowed the Scarlet Knights to take complete control of the contest. At the time, it looked like the season was spiraling out of control as a road trip to Michigan State loomed just a couple of days later.
Predictions and Probabilities
TheHoosier.com Staff Predictions
Jon Sauber: Indiana 77, Rutgers 63
Stu Jackson: Indiana 70, Rutgers 60
KenPom
Indiana 68, Rutgers 61 (74 percent chance Indiana wins)
Thrill Score: 48.4 (No. 8 among Sunday's games)
ESPN
Indiana 80.7 percent
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