GAME NOTES: After losing their first conference game this season, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights look to get back on track Saturday night when they host the Penn State Nittany Lions in conference play at the Rutgers Athletic Center.

The Nittany Lions stormed out of the gate with an 12-1 start this season before losing 89-72 at the Wisconsin Badgers on New Year's Eve in Penn State's first conference game for the 2014-15 campaign.

The Scarlet Knights had gone 4-2 in December until Tuesday night, when they fell at home to the Northwestern Wildcats, 51-47. The defeat put Rutgers' record this season at 8-6.

This will be the 67th meeting between the two programs, with Penn State leading the all-time series, 37-29. These teams last met in the NIT Tournament in March 2006 where Rutgers won on the road, 76-71.

D.J. Newbill netted 29 points for Penn State in the team's loss to Wisconsin. Shep Garner and reserve Geno Thorpe each tallied 11 points for the Nittany Lions. Penn State played well offensively, as it connected on 53.7 percent of its field goal attempts, including 41.7 percent of its 3-point attempts. But the Nittany Lions were gashed on defense, as the Badgers made 63.8 percent of their shots from the field, including 46.2 percent of their shot attempts from beyond the arc. Penn State also put Wisconsin at the foul line 28 times, where it connected on 23 free throw attempts.

Newbill has been the leading scorer for Penn State this season with 21.9 ppg, the highest average in the Big Ten Conference. Brandon Taylor (10.6 ppg) has also averaged double figures for the Nittany Lions, while Ross Travis leads the team in rebounding (7.2 rpg, fifth in the Big Ten). Penn State has been connecting on 44.3 percent of its field goal attempts and scoring an average 72.0 ppg this season. Defensively, the Nittany Lions are only allowing teams to shoot 39.3 percent and score 67.0 ppg. Penn State finds itself ahead in the rebounding margin (+2.7) but below in the turnover margin (-1.0).

Myles Mack (15 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and Junior Etou (10 rebounds) were the top contributors for the Scarlet Knights in their recent loss to Northwestern. Rutgers shot a very unmemorable 30.2 percent from the field which included a 27.8 shooting percentage from 3-point distance. The loss can be considered a missed opportunity given that Rutgers held the Wildcats to a shooting percentage of 39.0 and won the rebounding battle (35-33), points in the paint battle (18-12), and turned the ball over less than Northwestern (15-10).

Mack (13.9 ppg) and Kadeem Jack (12.2 ppg) are the top scorers for the Scarlet Knights this season. Mack is also seventh in the Big Ten for assists per game with 4.7 apg. Etou is the leading rebounder (6.9 rpg) for Rutgers and is currently tied for eighth in the Big Ten for rebounding. Rutgers is currently last in the Big Ten for scoring offense (59.5 ppg), field-goal percentage (38.8), 3-point shooting percentage (29.8), scoring margin (-1.7), and rebounding margin (-1.6). The Scarlet Knights are holding teams to 61.2 ppg, and a field goal percentage of 39.6.

Although the Scarlet Knights have been playing solid defense this season, they likely won't be able to muster enough offense to keep pace with the Nittany Lions. Look for Penn State to emerge victorious in this one.