GAME NOTES: Big East action is set to take place in Morgantown tonight, as they Rutgers Scarlet Knights face off against the West Virginia Mountaineers. After knocking off a pair of ranked teams in a row, the Knights have fallen back into their losing ways, dropping each of their past four outings. Two of those losses have come in overtime, including a 72-68 setback to Cincinnati on Saturday. With the defeat, Rutgers dropped to 10-15 overall and a dismal 2-10 in conference play. As for WVU, it has been idle since suffering a heart- breaking 55-54 loss at Pittsburgh on February 7th. It was the third loss in the past four games for the Mountaineers, who dipped to 16-7 overall and an even 5-5 in conference play. The team now returns back home, where it has logged a 9-3 mark thus far. WVU holds a 40-26 advantage in the head-to-head series with Rutgers and it has won the last two meetings.

The Knights struggled from long distance (7-of-26) as well as at the foul line (13-of-23), as they were dropped by Cincinnati in overtime this past weekend. The team shot a lackluster 39.3 percent from the field and it was even dominated on the boards, 52-37. Corey Chandler led Rutgers in the loss with 16 points and seven boards, while Hamady Ndiaye notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. J.R. Inman was limited to just six points and four boards, but despite that effort, he still tops the roster with 13.0 ppg and 7.4 rpg for the season. Chandler is hot on his heels with 12.6 ppg and Anthony Farmer trails them both with 10.4 ppg. As a team, the Knights have not fared well at the offensive end of the floor, averaging a mere 62.9 ppg and shooting a sub par 39.7 percent from the field.

The Mountaineers have fared well at both ends of the floor this season, as they are producing 75.4 ppg and holding their opponents to only 60.6 ppg. Joe Alexander currently leads the team in scoring at 14.3 ppg and he is also collecting 5.7 rpg. Alex Ruoff nips at his heels with 14.1 ppg and he is handing out 3.2 apg and shooting 44.2 percent from downtown. Da'Sean Butler adds 12.4 ppg and 5.7 rpg to the mix, while Darris Nichols contributes 12.2 ppg and 3.2 apg. In the team's last game, Pittsburgh's Ronald Ramon drained a three-pointer with 0.1 seconds left, sending WVU to a heart-breaking defeat. The Mountaineers only have themselves to blame, as they shot just 35.8 percent from the field and went a dismal 7-of-17 at the foul line. Nichols guided the team in defeat with 16 points.

WVU has had plenty of time to regroup and prepare for this game and that should help it get past a less talented Rutgers club tonight.