Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big Ten Basketball: Ranking each team’s league schedule for 2021-22 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 15
Next
Big Ten Basketball Geo Baker Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Big Ten Basketball Geo Baker Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

8. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Home & Away – Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Home Only – Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State

Away Only – Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern

The Scarlet Knights are projected to land right in the middle of the conference and so is their conference strength of schedule. With three of the top four teams on their schedule twice, as well as three of the lower five teams, the wins, as well as the losses, will come and go. Led by Ron Harper Jr and Geo Baker, the Scarlet Knights are more likely to get an upset victory against Illinois, Purdue, or Michigan than to fall to Penn State, Nebraska, or Wisconsin, all of who they play twice.

Last season Rutgers pulled out an 81-76 victory at home over Purdue, and while the recently transferred Montez Mathis led Rutgers with 25 points, Ron Harper Jr did not dress. With Purdue having the same line-up, this should be highlighted on every Rutgers fan calendar as a potential upset victory. The Scarlet Knights managed a three-point victory of Illinois as well, as the now-departed Ayo Dosunmu led Illinois with 28 points. Yet, playing Illinois, Purdue, and Michigan twice is a daunting task.

With six of their four conference wins coming at home last season, it bodes well for their home schedule this season. When Iowa comes to Rutgers, Cliff Omoruyi does not have the offensive mind frame to take advantage of the size mismatch on the offensive end for Rutgers, but Geo Baker and Paul Mulcahy will be difficult to stop. As well, if Rutgers is to beat Ohio State or Michigan State it will have to be at home. They also catch a break by traveling to Minnesota and Penn State which should be easy victories.

Depending on when the road game versus Indiana is, it could be very important in the standings. While it seems the advantage goes to Indiana, the biggest advantage the Hoosiers will have is Trayce Jackson-Davis putting the Rutgers centers in pick’n’roll action with Pittsburgh transfer and starting point guard Xavier Johnson.

Home/Big Ten