Scarlet Knights Set to Battle the Fighting Illini at State Farm Center

As the Rutgers Scarlet Knights prepare to face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini, fans are eager to see how their team will perform at the State Farm Center. The upcoming game is a crucial test for Rutgers, who have shown both resilience and areas for improvement in their recent matchups.

In their last game against Penn State's Lady Lions, despite a strong offensive effort with 80 points and a commendable field goal percentage of 52, turnovers were a glaring issue for Rutgers. They gave up possession 24 times which significantly impacted their assist-to-turnover ratio. However, they showed strength under the basket with 38 rebounds and an impressive free throw accuracy of 78 percent.

The previous encounter with Ohio State's Buckeyes highlighted some defensive challenges as Rutgers allowed 90 points. Their field goal percentage dropped to 37 percent and turnovers continued to be problematic with a total of 28. On the bright side, they maintained high free throw accuracy at 83 percent.

Against Iowa's Hawkeyes, ranked fourth at that time, Rutgers scored a respectable total of 69 points but struggled from beyond the arc with only a three-point shooting percentage of just over one-fifth. They managed better ball control compared to other games but still recorded double-digit turnovers.

As they head into enemy territory on January 18th at Champaign's State Farm Center – known for its energetic home crowd – it will be essential for Rutgers to tighten up their defense and manage possessions more carefully if they hope to come out on top against Illinois.

Fans can catch this exciting matchup live on Thursday evening; details regarding broadcast options will be available closer to game day.