Rutgers Prepares to Face Off Against Minnesota in Big Ten tournament

The Scarlet Knights are looking to continue their momentum against the Golden Gophers

Penn State basketball plays its regular-season finale against Rutgers inside Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey on March 8, 2026. | Taj Falconer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team is ready to kick off the Big Ten tournament against the No.11 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers. 

After winning an impressive game against Penn State on Sunday on Senior Day, the Scarlet Knights enter the postseason as the No. 14 seed. Both programs are familiar with each other. Rutgers and Minnesota have met 20 times. The Scarlet Knights are 8-12 against the Golden Gophers.

The Scarlet Knight doesn't care about their history against Minnesota. Their mission is to come away with a victory, and their matchup is on Wednesday night in Chicago at the United Center. Rutgers is rolling into the postseason witha lot of momentum. To beat the Golden Gophers, they have to play smart and aggressive defense in both halves.

Rutgers has a habit of playing better in the second half than in the first. Consistency will be a factor in whether they give teams a surprise throughout this tournament. It's a young Rutgers team with a bright future, with players such as Lino Mark and Tariq Francis. The last time we saw Rutgers in the Big Ten tournament was in 2023, when they played the Michigan Wolverines. 

Francis, Mark, and Darren Buchanan Jr must score double digits against Minnesota. Buchanan Jr has been on fire lately. He has given everything the Scarlet Knights have asked from him. He had a career-high 13 rebounds against the Nittany Lions. 

The Golden Gophers finished the season 15-16 overall. Niko Medved is in his first season with the team, and he has a good track record of winning with multiple teams, especially with Colorado State. Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell can't let Medved outcoach him in this game. Pikiell must make adjustments in key moments of the game, especially if it looks like it might slip away from them. 

One of the strengths of the Golden Gophers is their ability to move the ball. Minnesota is fifth in the Big Ten in assists per game. There's also a team that you don't want to turn the ball over to. Rutgers must keep an eye on Cade Tyson and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson. Both of them are very good scorers and can do some damage from long range. 

The Scarlet Knights avoided playing in the first round, which began on Tuesday. We are in for a very good match. This is not going to be a lopsided win for either team. Fewer than 10 points will likely decide this game.