I am not mad that Indiana played like complete ass. This was as much of a must win for Rutgers this early in the conference season as you are going to get. And truthfully Rutgers was pretty shaky in this game but got it done. Like throwing in a whole bunch of stuff in the crockpot, it may not look too appetizing while it is cooking but when it is done, you can sit down and have a nice hearty savor comforting feed. Not just a good meal for the fans, but the program desperately was in need of this chicken soup for its soul. Rutgers came into this game with a 4 game Big 10 RAC losing streak and none of them were all that competitive. If there was ever one school to provide the elixir for Rutgers psyche, its Indiana. Hoosier Daddy indeed! Rutgers defeated Indiana for the 7th time in the last 8 meeting.
Right from the get go, neither team played at a high level. Indiana turned it over a whopping 11 times in the first half even as they shot nearly 50%. RU struggled mightily shooting the rock yet again. The Knights barely shot over 34% missing a ton of bunnies. Another 5 minute drought of just 2 points was offset by an Indiana dry spell of 6 minutes. Some of that simple Indiana ineptitude, some of it RU showing some pulse on defense. What at least was good to see was that Rutgers was actually competing. When Indiana went up 7, RU hung in there. They looked like they belonged on the same court with their opponent. The switch of Austin Williams into the starting lineup over Fernandes showed signs of working and it would pay dividends in the 2nd half. An unlikely bank shot 3 by Derek at the buzzer gave RU a 3 point lead and a bit of momentum heading into the lockerroom
After trading some baskets for the first 7 minutes or so, there was a key juncture in the game. It did not pay dividends at first but to me just one those brief flashes where RU did something well and executed. A miss by Wolf for a layup but the ball rolled to J Mike all alone on the 3 point line and he drained it which gave RU its biggest lead at 39-33. Good job by J Mike hitting that shot as he hasnt been all that good from the outside. What would come next was a game changer. Luckily justice prevailed. Cheap shot artist Xavier Johnson with a nasty blow I believe to Wolfs midsection... WAIT IT WAS HIS JEWELS did not appear to be called, it appeared the refs were going to call the hard retaliatory shove by Wolf. As it turned out the refs called a Flagrant 2 on Johnson and he was tossed. Being their best ball handler and perhaps shooter, it was a major loss. More importantly RU showed some needed toughness there. Wolf missed the free throws but from there RU slowly but surely put an iron claw on the Hoosiers leading to a slow but eventual knockout. Rutgers was go on a 12-0 run over 6 minutes to build a 51-38 lead. So good to see good things happen and RU keep its heading down and sticking to its task. Indiana would commit all kinds of turnover, missed free throws and bricks. For all intents in purposes RU build enough cushion to coast from there. Yeah it wasnt a pretty close and some in the game thread got nervous as Indiana sliced the lead to 6 but much like the SHU game, Rutgers stepped it up at the line and closed it out.
Do not sleep on this game. Yes overall not pretty but this was a team desperately needing to win. They did not win by accident either. Rutgers was/is the better team than Indiana. Consider RU shot just a paltry 32% and another ugly night from 3 at 5-22 and still won comfortably. RU was just so so at the line at 19-28 for 68% but made them when it counted at the end making 10 of their last 12. Do not disregard that. Rutgers was superb on the boards vs a team that had some size. 51-40 in favor of RU including a rousing 19-8 offensively. Makes quite a difference when you limit your foes to one and out and able to get 7 more shots attempts. Game had some similarities to the SHU win in that was close early and then RU started to pull away. Solid defense combined with Indiana/SHU shooting poorly and then staving off a late rally but successfully closing it out. That game RU shot the 3 ball at a 50% so its a plus tonight to see them win while shooting ugly yet again
Peeps here have been calling for more Austin Williams. Personally I was not necessarily sure that his role off the bench would translate to him as a starter but I pleasantly surprised. Austin bringing that bit of spark and headiness into driving into the paint giving RU a little diversity from the outside shooting. Austin would have an impressive game with 10 points on 5-9fg, 6 boards and two turnovers in 24 minutes. RU would put 5 guys in double figures led by Mawot Mag's 13. Don't look Mag but Mag is playing 34 minutes so that just speaks volumes to his committment to this team and to Pike simply knowing how important he is. Again not sure I like him taking 12 shots (4-12 overall) but until we get more consistency from the guards, not sure we have a choice. Mag also brought down 8 boards, 3 steals and had a team leading 4 assists. To me an incredible sneaky good game and do not discount how he is leading by example for the others right now but contributing in every way. Not particular active this game shooting, Hyatt still comes in with 12 points and 6 boards and nailed his free throws in the stretch. This is the kind of Hyatt I like, unfortunately I do think in most games we unfairly need him to do more. Not his fault at all, its just how limited we are. J Mike continues to impress me. Just 21 minutes but 10 points on 4-9 fg shooting but a nifty 6 boards. Too many turnovers at 4 tonight but overall love his progress and how comfortable he looked and yes that knock down 3 was a beauty. Cliff played a great defensive game against a much thicker player. A key block late among 5 blocks tonight. 11 boards in 32 minutes and yeah just 2-7 fg shooting so more of the same struggles offensively but I am just happy that Cliff got back to being a presence on defense and outplaying his man with tough defense. Derek...sigh...he got to 10 points and hit that big 3 before half but 2-13 fg shooting is not going to get it done. Makes two games in a row after that one breakout game where he has struggled to hit much. Seemingly a lid on the basket. Not sure if the answer there is to keep shooting. Wolf just two points in 9 minutes with 4 fouls but he was in on the two big key plays in the half and love the shove to Xaviers throat. Oskar certainly played his role today, 9 minutes, 2 points, 3 boards. Do not need him to do more than that. Unfortunately he got more time than Gavin who was simply a horror show. Just 5 minutes, 2 shot attempts, one a brick, the other and airball and back to the bench he went. I am more than concerned right now because he is becoming so bad right now that he cannot even give minutes. Noah went from starting and playing over 30 minutes to just 10 tonight. He was a non factor on the stat sheet and have no idea how he took his demotion or what is going to happen going forward.
Initially after the game, I seemed less impressed but as I got into this review and looked through the stats, I am not negative at all. Eat up that soup. Feed the soul. RU shed their soft persona at least for one night showing toughness and giving the RAC crowd something to cheer about. Tonight does not move my needle on where I think the season falls but its great to see the team bounce back, build and see that if they work hard and stick to it, they can do good things. Did not make the game and while I could have easily got there, from the torrential rains and winds that came through in the last 90 minutes, looks like I made the right decision. RAC sounded great and looked like a pretty good crowd and hope everyone who braved the conditions got home safely and will continue to be safe tomorrow as the waters rise around us.
Onto Michigan State, a tough one for sure after they got beat up in their last game but I expect RU to compete and then we shall see if RU is up for a potentially NCAA bound Nebraska next week back at the RAC
Right from the get go, neither team played at a high level. Indiana turned it over a whopping 11 times in the first half even as they shot nearly 50%. RU struggled mightily shooting the rock yet again. The Knights barely shot over 34% missing a ton of bunnies. Another 5 minute drought of just 2 points was offset by an Indiana dry spell of 6 minutes. Some of that simple Indiana ineptitude, some of it RU showing some pulse on defense. What at least was good to see was that Rutgers was actually competing. When Indiana went up 7, RU hung in there. They looked like they belonged on the same court with their opponent. The switch of Austin Williams into the starting lineup over Fernandes showed signs of working and it would pay dividends in the 2nd half. An unlikely bank shot 3 by Derek at the buzzer gave RU a 3 point lead and a bit of momentum heading into the lockerroom
After trading some baskets for the first 7 minutes or so, there was a key juncture in the game. It did not pay dividends at first but to me just one those brief flashes where RU did something well and executed. A miss by Wolf for a layup but the ball rolled to J Mike all alone on the 3 point line and he drained it which gave RU its biggest lead at 39-33. Good job by J Mike hitting that shot as he hasnt been all that good from the outside. What would come next was a game changer. Luckily justice prevailed. Cheap shot artist Xavier Johnson with a nasty blow I believe to Wolfs midsection... WAIT IT WAS HIS JEWELS did not appear to be called, it appeared the refs were going to call the hard retaliatory shove by Wolf. As it turned out the refs called a Flagrant 2 on Johnson and he was tossed. Being their best ball handler and perhaps shooter, it was a major loss. More importantly RU showed some needed toughness there. Wolf missed the free throws but from there RU slowly but surely put an iron claw on the Hoosiers leading to a slow but eventual knockout. Rutgers was go on a 12-0 run over 6 minutes to build a 51-38 lead. So good to see good things happen and RU keep its heading down and sticking to its task. Indiana would commit all kinds of turnover, missed free throws and bricks. For all intents in purposes RU build enough cushion to coast from there. Yeah it wasnt a pretty close and some in the game thread got nervous as Indiana sliced the lead to 6 but much like the SHU game, Rutgers stepped it up at the line and closed it out.
Do not sleep on this game. Yes overall not pretty but this was a team desperately needing to win. They did not win by accident either. Rutgers was/is the better team than Indiana. Consider RU shot just a paltry 32% and another ugly night from 3 at 5-22 and still won comfortably. RU was just so so at the line at 19-28 for 68% but made them when it counted at the end making 10 of their last 12. Do not disregard that. Rutgers was superb on the boards vs a team that had some size. 51-40 in favor of RU including a rousing 19-8 offensively. Makes quite a difference when you limit your foes to one and out and able to get 7 more shots attempts. Game had some similarities to the SHU win in that was close early and then RU started to pull away. Solid defense combined with Indiana/SHU shooting poorly and then staving off a late rally but successfully closing it out. That game RU shot the 3 ball at a 50% so its a plus tonight to see them win while shooting ugly yet again
Peeps here have been calling for more Austin Williams. Personally I was not necessarily sure that his role off the bench would translate to him as a starter but I pleasantly surprised. Austin bringing that bit of spark and headiness into driving into the paint giving RU a little diversity from the outside shooting. Austin would have an impressive game with 10 points on 5-9fg, 6 boards and two turnovers in 24 minutes. RU would put 5 guys in double figures led by Mawot Mag's 13. Don't look Mag but Mag is playing 34 minutes so that just speaks volumes to his committment to this team and to Pike simply knowing how important he is. Again not sure I like him taking 12 shots (4-12 overall) but until we get more consistency from the guards, not sure we have a choice. Mag also brought down 8 boards, 3 steals and had a team leading 4 assists. To me an incredible sneaky good game and do not discount how he is leading by example for the others right now but contributing in every way. Not particular active this game shooting, Hyatt still comes in with 12 points and 6 boards and nailed his free throws in the stretch. This is the kind of Hyatt I like, unfortunately I do think in most games we unfairly need him to do more. Not his fault at all, its just how limited we are. J Mike continues to impress me. Just 21 minutes but 10 points on 4-9 fg shooting but a nifty 6 boards. Too many turnovers at 4 tonight but overall love his progress and how comfortable he looked and yes that knock down 3 was a beauty. Cliff played a great defensive game against a much thicker player. A key block late among 5 blocks tonight. 11 boards in 32 minutes and yeah just 2-7 fg shooting so more of the same struggles offensively but I am just happy that Cliff got back to being a presence on defense and outplaying his man with tough defense. Derek...sigh...he got to 10 points and hit that big 3 before half but 2-13 fg shooting is not going to get it done. Makes two games in a row after that one breakout game where he has struggled to hit much. Seemingly a lid on the basket. Not sure if the answer there is to keep shooting. Wolf just two points in 9 minutes with 4 fouls but he was in on the two big key plays in the half and love the shove to Xaviers throat. Oskar certainly played his role today, 9 minutes, 2 points, 3 boards. Do not need him to do more than that. Unfortunately he got more time than Gavin who was simply a horror show. Just 5 minutes, 2 shot attempts, one a brick, the other and airball and back to the bench he went. I am more than concerned right now because he is becoming so bad right now that he cannot even give minutes. Noah went from starting and playing over 30 minutes to just 10 tonight. He was a non factor on the stat sheet and have no idea how he took his demotion or what is going to happen going forward.
Initially after the game, I seemed less impressed but as I got into this review and looked through the stats, I am not negative at all. Eat up that soup. Feed the soul. RU shed their soft persona at least for one night showing toughness and giving the RAC crowd something to cheer about. Tonight does not move my needle on where I think the season falls but its great to see the team bounce back, build and see that if they work hard and stick to it, they can do good things. Did not make the game and while I could have easily got there, from the torrential rains and winds that came through in the last 90 minutes, looks like I made the right decision. RAC sounded great and looked like a pretty good crowd and hope everyone who braved the conditions got home safely and will continue to be safe tomorrow as the waters rise around us.
Onto Michigan State, a tough one for sure after they got beat up in their last game but I expect RU to compete and then we shall see if RU is up for a potentially NCAA bound Nebraska next week back at the RAC
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