Rutgers is hopeful it will see a large contingent of its fans in the stands at Madison Square Garden when it faces Michigan State there on Saturday.
Now more than ever, the Scarlet Knights will need them to make it feel like home.
Originally slated as a neutral-court game, the NCAA informed Rutgers on Thursday that the contest against the Spartans will be designated as a Scarlet Knights home game, a source with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media. The game’s designation has been changed to a home game on the team’s schedule on its website.
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The league made a similar decision for Penn State’s meeting with No. 1 Purdue at the Palestra in Philadelphia, a venue much closer to the Nittany Lions’ State College campus that featured a heavy contingent of Penn State fans.
The designation changes the dynamic of how the contest is viewed for NCAA Tournament purposes. It removes an opportunity for Rutgers to earn a highly-sought-after neutral-court win, an area their postseason résumé is lacking in — the Scarlet Knights are 2-5 outside of Piscataway this season. It also turns what would have been a Quadrant One opportunity into a Q2 game, a slight variation that could make a difference in seeding come March.
Essentially, Rutgers is playing a home game without the benefits of hosting on its home court.
The only other time Rutgers played at Madison Square Garden in the NET rankings era — against Michigan during the 2019-20 season — the Scarlet Knights were listed as the road team, but the game was designated as a neutral-site game.
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Nonetheless, the Scarlet Knights fanbase will do its best to turn MSG into Jersey Mike’s Arena North. Between season ticket holders, students and relatives of those in the program, approximately 4,000 tickets have been sold through the Rutgers ticket office, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Considering that number does not include tickets sold through Madison Square Garden or third-party ticket vendors, it bodes well for a crowd clad in scarlet.
“Rutgers nation will be there and that’s the most important thing,” head coach Steve Pikiell said Wednesday. “We have a lot of alums in that area. It’s a great city. So excited and you’re playing as good a team, as good as a program as the rest of the country. So excited for that opportunity.”
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com.
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