Rutgers @ Northwestern preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 18, 2019 ) Northwestern 65, Rutgers 57

Rutgers put forth a valiant -- albeit unsuccessful -- effort in its bid to win a second conference road game for the first time since the 2012-13 season, when the school was still a member of the Big East. The Scarlet Knights look to put their overtime setback and current three-game losing skid in their rearview mirror on Wednesday when they visit Northwestern, which has dropped four in a row.

Freshman guard Caleb McConnell, who averages just 4.7 points per game, erupted for a career-high 25 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field in Saturday's 99-94 overtime loss at Illinois. McConnell, conversely, misfired on all three of his attempts and had a season-high four turnovers in a 65-57 setback to Northwestern on Jan. 18. Wildcats forward Vic Law, who averages a team-best 15.4 points per contest, returned from a one-game absence due to a knee injury and overcame a dismal shooting performance (2-for-10) to score the go-ahead basket late in the second half of that outing. The senior forward had 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting on Sunday and 10 rebounds for the second straight contest, but Northwestern surrendered a 13-point lead in the second half of an 80-79 loss to Iowa.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT RUTGERS (11-12, 4-9, Big Ten): Ron Harper Jr. wasn't disheartened by an 0-for-7 performance from 3-point range against the Illini, as the freshman forward forced overtime with a game-tying basket with 10 seconds left. Harper matched a season high with 15 points while his rebound total was one shy of his campaign best of seven, set in a 63-36 victory versus Eastern Michigan on Nov. 19. Sophomore guard Geo Baker, who leads the team with 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals, had 15 points on 6-for-14 shooting after going 3-for-19 in his previous two contests.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (12-11, 3-9): The Wildcats emerged from an offensive malaise in which they averaged just 50 points in their previous three games with 41 in the first half alone versus the Hawkeyes. Northwestern shot a season-best 51.8 percent from the field against Iowa, however coach Chris Collins was left to lament a defense that allowed Iowa to make its last seven shots -- including four from 3-point range. "Could the defense have been a little better? Maybe," Collins said. "... Sometimes in basketball, what stinks is the team that's deserving of winning doesn't win, and I thought that was the case (on Sunday)."

TIP-INS

1. Northwestern C Dererk Pardon, who averages a team-best 7.8 rebounds, has 34 in his last four outings.

2. Rutgers is bidding to win five league games for the first time since 2013-14, which was its lone year in the American Athletic Conference.

3. Wildcats G Ryan Taylor went 6-for-11 from the field for 16 points on Sunday after shooting 9-for-31 for 24 in his previous four games combined.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 68, Northwestern 64