The Rutgers-Seton Hall rivalry is one of the more underrated events in college basketball. They’ve met every season since 1995 and 69 times overall. Seton Hall holds a 39-30 advantage over the Scarlet Knights. In 2014, the two New Jersey schools made their rivalry official with a name — the Garden State Hardwood Classic — and trophy. Fittingly, the trophy is fittingly crafted out of “recycled Asbury Park boardwalk planks, which were retrieved during a re-decking after Superstorm Sandy”.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the rivalry would be renewed until 2026.

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Last year, Rutgers beat No. 15 Seton Hall in front of their biggest crowd since 2002. It was a significant win for a re-building Rutgers program and also for the event itself.

Per the Asbury Park Press:

The biggest winner was the Garden State Hardwood Classic. This game has national potential, like Xavier-Cincinnati, and it showed. The atmosphere was off the hook, the intensity on the court was through the roof and the play was high-quality on both ends. This is college basketball at its best. – Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press in regards to last year’s 71-65 Rutgers win.

This year’s game will be played at the “Rock” in Newark, NJ (the former home of the New Jersey Nets and current home of the New Jersey Devils). The “Rock” is just 27 miles away from Rutgers’ home arena — “The RAC”.