Harper leads Rutgers against No. 12 Illinois after 21-point game

Illinois Fighting Illini (18-6, 11-3 Big Ten) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (15-9, 9-5 Big Ten)

Piscataway, New Jersey; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Rutgers hosts the No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini after Ron Harper Jr. scored 21 points in Rutgers' 73-65 win against the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Scarlet Knights are 12-2 on their home court. Rutgers is 5-5 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Fighting Illini are 11-3 in Big Ten play. Illinois scores 76.6 points and has outscored opponents by 10.3 points per game.

The teams meet for the 10th time in conference play this season. The Fighting Illini won 86-51 in the last matchup on Dec. 4. Alfonso Plummer led the Fighting Illini with 24 points, and Jaden Jones led the Scarlet Knights with 10 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Harper averages 2.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Scarlet Knights, scoring 15.7 points while shooting 41.1% from beyond the arc. Geo Baker is averaging 11.4 points and 3.7 assists over the last 10 games for Rutgers.

Trent Frazier is averaging 11.5 points and 3.6 assists for the Fighting Illini. Kofi Cockburn is averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds over the past 10 games for Illinois.

LAST 10 GAMES: Scarlet Knights: 6-4, averaging 65.6 points, 31.4 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 63.9 points per game.

Fighting Illini: 7-3, averaging 71.2 points, 32.3 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 4.7 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.6 points.

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