Eastern Michigan @ Rutgers preview

Rutgers will try to shake off an ugly loss as it hosts Eastern Michigan as part of the Hub City Classic on Monday evening. The Scarlet Knights were thoroughly dominated on their home court by St. John’s on Friday night, losing 84-65 in a game where the Red Storm knocked down 16 3-pointers.

Rutgers was able to outrebound and outscore St. John’s in the paint, but Scarlet Knights coach Steve Pikiell acknowledged that there is not much you can do when a team shoots as well as the Red Storm did. "Obviously we have to play better. I thought we had a good game plan going into this game, but when the ball goes in like that, there is no plan that you can have that will salvage the game. We will be better as a team," Pikiell told reporters after the game. Eastern Michigan is also looking to rebound from an ugly first loss of the season after falling 84-46 at No. 3 Duke. The Eagles opened the game shooting 1-of-10 from the field and turned the ball over seven times in the first eight minutes, allowing the Blue Devils to open at 43-18 lead at the break.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT EASTERN MICHIGAN (3-1): “The atmosphere got the best of us the first 6-7 minutes of the game. It was a struggle for us to score in the first half, and once you get down in this building ... it's pretty hard to come back," coach Rob Murphy told reporters after the game. No one on the Eastern Michigan roster was able to get to double digits in scoring against the Blue Devils, though starting guard Damari Parris and reserve guard Kevin McAdoo each scored nine points. Senior guard Paul Jackson is leading the Eagles in scoring through four games with 15.5 points per game and is also averaging five assists, but he’ll need to take better care of the ball against Rutgers as he gave it away seven times against Duke.

ABOUT RUTGERS (2-1): The Scarlet Knights tried to keep pace with St. John’s from the 3-point line but only managed to hit on seven of their 26 attempts. They were also ice cold from the free-throw line, scoring on just 14-of-25 attempts, and are shooting just 54.4 percent on the season - last in the Big Ten. Junior forward Eugene Omoruyi, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder at 16.7 points and nine rebounds per game, had a nice night against St. John’s with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

TIP-INS

1. Rutgers F Issa Thiem has hit double digits in scoring in three of four games this season but is shooting just 40 percent from the free-throw line.

2. Scarlet Knights G Geo Baker is averaging six assists per game, third in the Big Ten.

3. Murphy used 16 different players in the loss at Duke.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 78, Eastern Michigan 70