This year has been a bit of a roller coaster for Rutgers. This is a team that’s scored several upset wins but has also experienced some devastating losses, putting the Scarlet Knights on the bubble entering the B1G Tournament.

A late-season surge that resulted in 4-straight victories over ranked opponents — Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Illinois — helped the Scarlet Knights earn the No. 4 seed and a double-bye in Indianapolis. They also head in to the postseason with some confidence, winning their final 2 regular season bouts against Indiana and Penn State.

Heading into the B1G Tournament, it’s hard to know what to expect from a team that has played well enough to beat the top-ranked team in the country (No. 1 Purdue in December) but has suffered losses to lowly Lafayette and UMass in back-to-back affairs.

Let’s dive into a B1G Tournament guide for Rutgers and how it can find success at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this week:

Crash the boards

One of the biggest weaknesses Rutgers has had this season is the ability to clean up missed shots. That’s a pretty significant shortcoming, especially in the B1G which is loaded with talented big men.

Rutgers ranks 13th in the B1G in defensive rebounding this year, averaging 25.4 per game. It’s an indicator that the Scarlet Knights are giving up too many second-chance opportunities, especially since they’re one of the best teams in the league in opponent field goal percentage.

This isn’t going to be a team that magically outrebounds every opponent it faces. It doesn’t have to. What Rutgers needs to do in the B1G Tournament is just limit those second-chance points and close the rebounding margin. The Scarlet Knights were 8-2 in B1G games when they won the battle on the glass.

Winning the rebound battle doesn’t ensure victories for Rutgers, but an .800 winning percentage isn’t too shabby.

Don’t force the 3-ball

For as many big-time shots as Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker have hit this season, you’d think Rutgers’ 3-point percentage might rival some of the best in the B1G. That’s not the case. In fact, Harper and Paul Mulcahy are shooting the best from behind the arc, hitting 39.9% and 35.5% from deep, respectively. Baker is at 31.7% and everyone else (that plays significant minutes) is below the 30% threshold.

As a team, Rutgers is near the bottom of the B1G, connecting on just 33.8% of its shots from long range.

So what’s the lesson? Work the ball inside and don’t settle for contested 3-point shots. If Harper, Mulcahy and Baker can find ways to get open, let the shots fly. If not, work on getting to the basket.

With Cliff Omoruyi coming on strong at the end of the season — scoring in double figures in 9 of Rutgers’ final 12 games — the Scarlet Knights should be able to establish an inside presence that sets up easier opportunities from deep.

Stay disciplined defensively

Caleb McConnell is the B1G’s Defensive Player of the Year. Omoruyi doesn’t get enough credit as a shot blocker. Those are two pretty good starting points for one of the conference’s best defenses.

But this is far from a two-man job. Rutgers ranks second in the B1G in opponent field goal percentage, holding teams to just 41.2% from the floor. It’s also holding opponents to 65.2 points per game — the best scoring defense in the league.

The B1G has no shortage of scorers and every team presents a new challenge. The Scarlet Knights can hang tough with anyone they face if they’re able to keep the pressure up defensively and take advantage of missed shot opportunities.

That circles back to crashing the boards, like we discussed earlier.

Get to the free throw line … and make them count

Getting teams into foul trouble hasn’t exactly been a strength for Rutgers this season. This team ranks 267th nationally in free throw attempts this season. The compound the problem, when it is getting the charity stripe, it’s not converting.

Rutgers is shooting just 70% from the free throw line this season, ranking 226th in the country. In March, you don’t want to let teams hang around by missing on those easy opportunities.

The good news is that Rutgers’ top scorers — Harper, Mulcahy and Baker — are all knocking down the freebies at a 75% clip or better. So, if the game is coming down to free throws, the Scarlet Knights have to have one of those three guys shooting.

Otherwise, things could get awfully interesting in Indianapolis.

Depend on stars in clutch moments

Going hand-in-hand with the free throw situation late in games, Rutgers needs to ensure it’s getting the ball into the hands of its best players down the stretch. Harper has hit game-winning shots against Purdue and Indiana. When Baker gets hot, he’s almost impossible to stop.

Harper can pull up off the dribble. Baker can hit a step-back jumper with no trouble. Those two players have been clutch throughout their careers in Piscataway.

When the game is on the line and Rutgers needs some big buckets, those are the go-to guys. The ball has to be in their hands in late-game situations.