Tomorrow night, Friday 11/18/22 at 5 pm EST, Rutgers and Temple will tip off against each other in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase, an event played at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Seeking their fourth straight win, Rutgers will be battling a Temple squad that is eager to get a bounce-back win, after losing to Vanderbilt 89-87 in overtime. Rutgers, 3-0, is trying to stay perfect on the season, as Temple (1-2) is trying to get back to .500.
The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and 88.7 WRSU-FM radio.
Who has the edge?
Looking over the team stats, Rutgers has the edge in this matchup. Head coach Steve Pikiell, is thrilled with the Scarlet Knights’ balanced scoring attack, averaging 78.7 points per game. Ball movement is key to a balanced offense and Rutgers is doing just that, averaging 15.3 assists per game. Rutgers’ big man, Cliff Omoruyi, will be a force in this matchup. Omoruyi has been a force to be reckoned with in the paint, averaging 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.7 blocked shots. The Owls are averaging 30.7 rebounds per game, ranking them No. 284 in the nation. Rebounding isn’t the Owls’ strength, losing the rebounding battle in their first three games.
Rutgers’ aggressive defense is going to play a major factor in this matchup. The Scarlet Knights are averaging 13.7 steals per game, ranking them 5th in the nation. Meanwhile, the Owls are only averaging 5 steals a game, ranking them 300th. The Scarlet Knights currently have 41 steals in their first three games, leading the Big Ten Conference. Turnovers lead to easy points, so look for Rutgers to put a ton of pressure on Temple’s guards.
.@MoheganSun to Host Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase on Friday, November 18.
🔗: https://t.co/TLy3521PjT#BHOFShowcase | #HoophallU pic.twitter.com/OvErnApYJL
— University of Hoophall (@hoophallu) June 28, 2022
Even though Rutgers might have the edge in this matchup, the Temple Owls are no pushover. A few nights ago, the Owls pulled off an upset, beating No. 16 Villanova 68-64. The Owls’ inconsistency is not uncommon during the season’s early stages, but Temple’s guard Damian Dunn has been on fire. In Temple’s first three games, Dunn is averaging a team-high 29.7 points per game. Pikiell will look to get the ball out of Dunn’s hands, forcing him to dish it off to his teammates. Rutgers’ will put a full-court press on the Sophomore guard, trapping him when he gets over half-court. Rutgers will try to wear Dunn down with constant pressure. If Temple is going to win this game, the Scarlet Knights are going to make sure Dunn doesn’t beat them.
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