Rutgers has a pulse.
The Scarlet Knights snapped their five-game losing streak on Sunday, defeating Indiana, 74-70, in what amounted to a must-win contest. The victory — their first ever at Assembly Hall — was a result of their best performance of 2021 and breathes life back into Rutgers’ NCAA Tournament aspirations.
After a back-and-forth start, the Scarlet Knights took control of the contest. They led for most of the first half, taking a 5-point lead into the break. They extended that to a game-high 14-point lead with 11:54 remaining in the contest. The Hoosiers chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to 3 points with 4:11 to play and making for a close finish in Bloomington. Rutgers held on thanks to 6 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 play.
Rutgers played with energy from the opening tip, moved the ball on the offensive end (15 assists on 27 made field goals), were locked in defensively and shot a shockingly good 70.6% (12-of-17) from the free throw line.
A shakeup in the starting lineup contributed to the shift. Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell started Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell in place of Jacob Young and Montez Mathis. It was the first time the guard pair did not start this season — it snapped a 66-game starting streak for Mathis — but it paid off instantly. The Scarlet Knights moved the ball well, leading to nine assists on 16 first-half field goals, and played with energy that was missing for most of the last three weeks.
Senior guard Geo Baker benefitted the most from the switch, playing his best game of the season. He scored 19 points and dished five assists, playing on the ball for most of his season-high 37 minutes on the floor.
Center Myles Johnson played a crucial role in the victory, particularly on the defensive end, where he faced off with All-American candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis. Johnson played the biggest role in the Scarlet Knights holding the sophomore forward to 13 points on perfect 4-of-10 shooting. He also blocked five shots, scored an efficient 8 points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting and corralled eight rebounds, none more important than his offensive rebound with 11 seconds to play.
The victory does not make up for the Scarlet Knights’ recent skid, but it stops the bleeding and prevents things from getting any 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 play should be enough to clinch a bid to the NCAA Tournament, a task made more realistic thanks to Sunday’s victory over Indiana.
One thing is certain: the Scarlet Knights are more likely to achieve that playing the way they did at Assembly Hall.
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at [email protected].
