The No. 11-seeded Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-17, 6-12 Big East) will face the No. 14-seeded Villanova Wildcats (12-18, 5-13 Big East) in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Tuesday evening. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. ET; the game can be seen on ESPNU and ESPN3D.
Big East Tournament 2012, Villanova Vs. Rutgers: Game Time, TV Schedule And More
In a game where Villanova led by as many as 18 in the second half, the Wildcats defeated Rutgers 77-71 last week in what was the second-to-last game on each team’s regular season schedule. The Scarlet Knights allowed ‘Nova to connect on their first nine field goal attempts and race out to a 28-9 lead.
Rutgers rebounded from that loss by knocking off St. John’s 61-58 and securing the No. 11 seed. Villanova, conversely, wrapped up its regular season with a 72-68 home loss to Cincinnati.
Junior guard Maalik Wayns is Villanova's unquestioned star, leading the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game. Fellow junior guard Dominic Cheek is a solid second option for Jay Wright, entering the postseason averaging 13.3 points per game. Junior forward/center Mouphtaou Yarou averages 10.9 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game, while JayVaughn Pinkston scores 10 points per game.
Rutgers has just one player, freshman guard Eli Carter, scoring in double figures. Carter averages 13.5 points per game. Junior Dane Miller is fourth in scoring with 7.9 points a night and leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 boards per game.
For more on the game, be sure to check out The Nova Blog and On the Banks.
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