Rutgers has a pulse.
The Scarlet Knights unleashed their five-game losing streak on Sunday, defeating Indiana 74-70 in a crucial game. The victory – for the first time ever in the Assembly Hall – was the result of their best performance of 2021 and breathes new life into Rutgers’ NCAA tournament aspirations.
After a back-and-forth start, the Scarlet Knights took control of the game. They led for most of the first half and led by 5 points until the break. They extended it to a 14-point lead with 11:54 left in the game. The Hoosiers overtook the deficit, and managed it with 3:11 to play with 3:11. Rutgers persevered thanks to six consecutive points from junior forward Ron Harper Jr., who finished with his second double double of the year (15 points, 10 rebounds) and an offensive rebound from junior center Myles Johnson with 11 seconds to go.
Rutgers played with energy from the opening spot, moved the ball to the offensive side (15 assists on 27 field goals), was locked up defensively and shot a shockingly good 70.6% (12-of-17) from the free-throw line .
A stir in the starting lineup contributed to the shift. Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell has started Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell in place of Jacob Young and Montez Mathis. It was the first time the pair have not started this season – it broke a starting line-up for Mathis in 66 games, but it immediately paid off. The Scarlet Knights moved the ball well, leading to nine assists on 16 field goals from the first half, and playing with energy that had been lacking for the past three weeks.
Senior winger Geo Baker took the most advantage of the switch and played his best game of the season. He scored 19 points and dished out five assistants and played most of his season highlight 37 minutes on the floor.
Center Myles Johnson played a crucial role in the victory, especially on the defensive side, where he faced All-American candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis. Johnson played the biggest role in the Scarlet Knights leading up to 13 points in the second year on perfect 4-of-10 shooting. He also blocked five shots, scored an effective 8 points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting and scored eight rebounds, nothing more important than his offensive rebound with 11 seconds to play.
The victory does not make up for the recent slippage of the Scarlet Knights, but it does stop the bleeding and prevent things from getting worse.
Halfway through the Big Ten schedule, Rutgers stands at 4-6 in conference play. Given the strength of the Big Ten, a 10-10 finish in conference would be enough to clinch an attempt at the NCAA Tournament, a task that is more realistic thanks to Sunday’s victory over Indiana.
One thing is for sure: the Scarlet Knights are more likely to achieve this as they did in the Assembly Hall.
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Brian Fonseca can be reached at [email protected].