Preview: Northwestern Wildcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the Big Ten will meet Sunday when the Northwestern Wildcats visit the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Louis Brown Athletic Center.

Northwestern (8-7, 0-2 Big Ten) arrives looking to snap a two-game conference skid, most recently a 76-66 loss at Michigan State on Thursday. Rutgers (8-8, 1-2) aims to rebound from a lopsided 81-55 defeat at Illinois the same night. Both teams sit at .500 or below, making this a critical early conference matchup for building a resume.

The Wildcats will lean heavily on the hot hand of forward Nick Martinelli. The junior is averaging 27.4 points over his last five games, including a 28-point effort in 38 minutes against the Spartans. His scoring surge has been the focal point of Northwestern’s offense.

Rutgers counters with guard Harun Zrno, who led the team with 11 points in the loss to Illinois. His production has been variable, but he logged 34 minutes in a tough road game at Seton Hall last month, showing his role in the rotation.

Northwestern’s recent struggles have come despite Martinelli’s output, as the Wildcats have lost three of their last five. Rutgers has split its last four, including an 88-85 overtime win over Oregon on Jan. 5, demonstrating an ability to grind out close victories at home.

The Scarlet Knights will rely on their home-court advantage, where they are 7-2 this season. Northwestern is 1-3 in true road games. Rutgers’ physical defense will test a Wildcats team that has shown offensive firepower but inconsistency.

History in the series has been close, adding another layer to Sunday’s contest. With both teams clustered in the middle of the league standings, the result could provide a key tiebreaker later in the season.

The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. EST tipoff on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.