Illinois and Rutgers Prepare for Big Ten Matchup in Piscataway

Rutgers aims to end a five-game home losing streak while Illinois looks to continue its strong conference performance.

The Illinois Fighting Illini (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten) will face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-12, 1-9 Big Ten) on Thursday in their first conference matchup of the season.
Rutgers is on a five-game home losing streak but recently secured a road win over Northwestern, led by freshman Ace Bailey's 37-point performance.
Illinois has been consistent in Big Ten play, outscoring opponents by an average of 13 points per game and shooting 44.2% from the field this season.
Key players include Rutgers' Ace Bailey, the Big Ten's leading scorer, and Illinois' Kendall Bostic, who is averaging a double-double with 16.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
Rutgers will likely be without standout freshman Dylan Harper, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain sustained earlier this month.