Illinois strung together five straight wins in late December and early January. Since then, No. 23 Illinois (15-8, 7-6 Big Ten) is just 3-5, with its latest misstep coming Wednesday in an 82-73 loss at Rutgers (12-11,

With the win, Rutgers is now 12-11 overall on the season and 5-7 in Big Ten play. They will look to start a winning streak on Sunday as they hit the road to take on Maryland, who is playing well right now. That one won't be easy, and they will once again need big games from Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

Rutgers plays host to Illinois in Big Ten men's basketball action, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Piscataway, N.J.