- Matchup: Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Scheduled Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
- Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
- Broadcast: BTN
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The prestigious United Center will host an exciting Big Ten Tournament clash, featuring the Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-16) pitted against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-18) this Wednesday.
In their previous game, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced off against Penn State and secured a solid victory, finishing 74-62. Rutgers committed 17 personal fouls while Penn State had 16. The Scarlet Knights were fairly accurate, hitting 3 out of 22 from beyond the arc. Conversely, Penn State managed just 59.1% at the free-throw line, converting 13 out of 22 attempts. The Nittany Lions gathered 34 rebounds (5 offensive, 29 defensive) but failed to record any blocks. They also registered 11 assists and 6 steals during the match. Defensively, Rutgers allowed Penn State a shooting percentage of 41.1% from the field, with their opponents landing 23 of 56 shots. Rutgers achieved 16 assists, created 9 turnovers, and gathered 5 steals, along with accumulating 35 total rebounds—6 of which were offensive. At the free-throw line, Rutgers excelled, completing 14 of 17 attempts for an impressive 82.4%. Rutgers ended the matchup shooting 44.3% overall (27 of 61) and made 6 of their 19 three-point attempts.
Tariq Francis was a standout performer, finishing with 18 points on 5 of 11 shooting and contributing 2 assists and 2 rebounds in his 31 minutes of play.
The Scarlet Knights enter this matchup holding a season record of 13-18. They average 70.9 points per game (ranking 289th in Division 1) while boasting a shooting percentage of 41.8% from the field. From three-point range, they hit 32.4% (201 of 620) and are shooting 73.9% from the free-throw line. On the boards, Rutgers collects 33.0 rebounds per game and has registered 369 assists this season—placing them 326th in Division 1 for assists. They turn the ball over 10.1 times per game and commit an average of 16.7 personal fouls each outing.
On the defensive end, the Scarlet Knights are forcing an average of 11.4 turnovers per game and draw 18.1 personal fouls. They allow opponents 35.8% shooting on three-pointers and are ranked 228th in points per game allowed (75.5). Defensively, Rutgers surrenders a shooting percentage of 46.1% (832 of 1,804) and allows 36.3 rebounds per game as a team. They rank 298th in assists allowed with a total of 474 this season.
In their last outing, the Minnesota Golden Gophers secured a narrow victory with a score of 67-66 against Northwestern. On the boards, Minnesota allowed Northwestern to collect 26 rebounds (11 offensive). They finished shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc, landing 8 of 23 attempts, and excelled at the charity stripe with 12 of 14 (85.7%). Northwestern made 23 of 53 shots from the field, bringing their overall shooting percentage to 43.4%. Minnesota, on the other hand, shot 54.5% from the field, hitting 24 of 44 shots. From three-point territory, they converted 6 of 17 attempts (35.3%) and succeeded with 13 free throws for an 81.3% efficiency. Northwestern committed 15 fouls, leading to 16 free-throw opportunities for the Golden Gophers. Minnesota turned the ball over 8 times while earning 6 steals and claiming 22 total rebounds (18 defensive, 4 offensive).
Langston Reynolds made a significant contribution for the Golden Gophers, scoring 21 points in 39 minutes and providing 4 assists. He shot 9 of 13 (69.2%) and secured 3 rebounds during the game.
With a season record of 15-16, Minnesota averages 70.1 points per game while committing 14.6 fouls per contest and hitting 70.1% from the free-throw line. Their assist rate is impressive at 17.2 per game (27th in Division 1), with a turnover average of 10.5. This season, they have accumulated 2,174 points (70.1 per game) and grab 31.2 rebounds per contest. Their shooting percentage stands at 45.8%, placing them 152nd nationally.
Defensively, Minnesota ranks 48th in college basketball for points per game allowed (68.4). They cause an average of 10.9 turnovers per game and allow opponents to shoot 44.6% from the field (213th in the nation). The Gophers restrict opponents to a 34.4% success rate on three-pointers (247 of 717) and permit a charity stripe efficiency of 72.8%. They also give up an average of 15.0 assists and 32.5 rebounds, ranking them 292nd and 73rd in those categories, respectively.
Who will be victorious in this thrilling NCAA matchup against the spread?
Pick: Support Minnesota
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