Big Ten Daily (Jan. 22): Once Ranked Rutgers Now on Five-Game Losing Streak

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Rutgers Scarlet Knights started the season 7-1 and were ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll.

Since then, the Scarlet Knights have had games postponed due to COVID-19, they've dealt with injuries up and down the roster and essentially haven't been able to regain the rhythm they once had.

Rutgers' 65-57 loss to Penn State Thursday night marked the fifth-straight game the team has dropped. The Scarlet Knights are now 7-6 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten.

“We played really hard for the last 16 minutes, but that’s not enough in a game like this,” head coach Steve Pikiell said after the game. “Penn State got off to a good start and we didn’t come out with the energy that we needed to on the road. We fought back into it. They clawed back into it, this team didn’t quit. But it’s a forty-minute game. We have to play better and we’ll figure this out. When hard times hit, you see what you’re made of. There’s still a lot of basketball left to be played. I have confidence that we’ll get better.”

Their next game will come on the road against an Indiana team that just knocked off No. 4 Iowa in Iowa City.

In a piece by Aaron Breitman on onthebanks.com, he wrote, "Rutgers is a broken team — can they be fixed?"

For the full analysis of what has gone wrong with the Scarlet Knights, CLICK HERE.

Purdue's Win Streak Reaches Ultimate Test Versus Michigan

The Purdue Boilermakers have been red hot as of late, winning four consecutive games. The last time the black and gold were on the floor, freshman Jaden Ivy banged a three at the last second to defeat Ohio State 67-65 in Columbus.

Purdue is now 6-3 in the Big Ten and performing much better than most predicted before the start of this season. But now, they run into perhaps their biggest test yet as No. 7 Michigan comes to West Lafayette Friday night. And they'll have to do it with leading three-point shooter Sasha Stefanovic, who tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss at least three days over the next 17 days.

The Wolverines had one slip up to Minnesota a week ago on the road, but other than that, no one has been able to stop them.

Michigan is 11-1 on the season and 7-1 in the Big Ten, which places them at the top of the standings. The last time out, Michigan beat Maryland 87-63 in Ann Arbor on Tuesday with Isaiah Livers leading the way with 20 points.

It's a big opportunity for Purdue to keep proving it's for real in the Big Ten, as well as a chance for Michigan to get a solid road win in Mackey Arena.

The game is slated to tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

Wisconsin Freshman Close to Rejoining Program

Wisconsin freshman Lorne Bowman is getting closer to returning to the program after taking an indefinite leave from the program in October to “tend to a personal family matter,” according to a statement put out by Wisconsin at the time.

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard was asked about Bowman after the Badgers defeated Northwestern this week, and Gard said Bowman is enrolled at Wisconsin for the second semester. He withdrew from classes in November.

Below is what Gard had to say about Bowman:

“I don’t (know) when, in terms of when he’ll be back. That’s really not in my (hands), it’s more in the medical hands, that type of decision. He is re-enrolled, I believe, in school, going to walk back a little bit of the things academically virtually and do it from his home in Detroit.

“We’ll just continue to help him, help the family work through his situation and whenever that time comes where it’s appropriate for him to come back, I don’t know when, I don’t have a date, a time. The main thing is to walk this forward at what is best for Lorne and his family. I think jumping back into school, that’s a step in the right direction. But again, that’s just one small step. But that was good news to see he was going to attempt to come back and do some things academically.

“We definitely support (Bowman’s) decision and have kind of helped along the way with continuing to find the best path with him and his family as they deal with their situation at home.”

Purdue's Win Streak Reaches Ultimate Test Versus Michigan

Wisconsin Freshman Close to Rejoining Program

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