If Rutgers does put themselves in a position to compete for a NCAA tournament bid, the final 6:30 minutes tonight will be remembered for seizing the moment during troubled times. This was an exasperating game. Perhaps one of the worst games played between two Big 10 schools this season. There is no doubt Rutgers played atrociously for much of the game and once again came out listless and then consistently wouldnt get out of their own way. Nebraska was pretty bad on their own. Shooting just 29% in the first half and letting RU scrap back to just a 3 point deficit at half. Nebby shot a dismal 29% and relied on basically one player to do everything abandoning any real team concept. Riding Bryce McGowins who had 29 on just 6-17 shooting but 14-18 at the line. Nebraska was begging and stealing for RU to take this game.
Make no apologies for RU stealing this late. The reason why Nebraska and Northwestern have been at the bottom for the past couple years is losing teams lose.....they will find all kinds of ways to lose. Nebraska melted down late, couldnt hit a shot to save its life and turned it over repeatedly in big moments. However as bad as RU was and thats not for this thread, you can read all the negativity from me and others in that thread...across the board no shows from the starting 5 and mind numbing rotation and coaching...despite all that RU played wonderfully in that last 6 and half minutes to win the game. Every single player who crapped the bed in the first half stepped up when it mattered backs against the wall. Pikiell stepped it up in two areas, having his charges try to draw fouls that put them in the one and one fairly early. Pikiell also deserves ENORMOUS credit for trusting in Mag and benching Caleb for basically the last 10 minutes or so. That a key move that paid off in the end. Doing the same thing hitting your head against the wall and expecting a different result or let Mag roll and rock and roll he didl Mag was a difference maker in the first half. 6 points, hit all 3 of his shots, seemed to be around every play but unfortunately his minutes were limited. Pike still loyal to the starters to deliver but that just wasnt happening especially with Ron and Paul. After Ron, Paul and Caleb were still struggling, Mag kept us afloat with energy and grabbing boards getting to the free throw line and perhaps the catalyst to saving the season was a rebound off a Baker miss for two free throws that go RU to 51-45. Mag got pulled after a mistake after a rebound fouling while Ron was still spinning his wheels and I thought it was a really bad move by Pike. Fortunately Pike made the right move reinserting Mag in the lineup. He didnt play the whole 6:30 but Mag had 5 points and 4 rebounds including a monstrous 3 to answer Nebby and bring RU to 58-57. Mag hauled down a critical rebound off a McGowin missed 3 and on the ensuing possession, RU would take the lead and never lose it. Then when Nebby had a chance to take the lead with 14 seconds, some outstanding defense by Cliff was followed by the rebound of the game by Mag who flipped it to Ron who was fouled and sank the free throws that clinched the game. Mag coming out party tonight. He is a guy that can be an X factor. I have been back and forth with him because his play coming back since getting popped in the mouth had not been good. Today 13 points, 4-4 shooting, 4-4 at the line, 7 boards, 1 assist, 1 block. The kid may have saved everything for the seniors.
If not for Mag, RU would not be in the game but if not for the play of Geo, Ron, Paul and Cliff in those last 5 minutes, RU would not have won the game. The classic Jekyll and Hyde seniors. A lot of talk about leadership and showing up yet they were following the same recipe to oblivion for the first 30 minutes of the game. Ron was awol with everything, his shot, his defense, fouling, his mental game. Nothing was going right. Geo was bricking everything. Paul inexplicably was taking 3 after 3 to no success. Throw in Caleb who was just having a dreadful overall game and yikes it really looked like we could right the post mortem for this era. Geo Baker for some reason loves the thrill of the crowd of the big moment. Geo turned it up on both ends. Getting a few steals and then hit a couple of jumpers to get RU to within 4. In a little over 3 minutes, Geo had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Geo was delivering and for all the hemming and hawing we did in the game thread, Geo proved us wrong. When he shows, he shows big. Playmaker indeed. His flip to Ron for the 3 that got RU to 55-54 was classic Geo and Ron. At the 4 minute mark, RU was within 1 and yeah Rutgers was saving their season. If Ron was only going to make one fg this game that was the one to hit in an otherwise dismal stat line of 1-9, 3 turnovers and 4 fouls. It was sort of fitting that it was Ron who hit the game winning clinchers at the line and I mean they were effortlessly if you rewatch that 2nd free throw. Ron knew the moment. Going to mention Paul here because it was his awareness off a Geo miss to violently fight for that board...pure will and fight. Paul would go right back up with it and give RU their first lead of the game at 61-60 lead with 90 seconds remaining, Paul despite a wobbly first half ended up with 10 points, 5 boards and 4 steals. Cliff never got going offensively but his defense today was outstanding. 9 boards and 4 blocks, Cliff was a monster in the paint swatting off Nebraska denying Mc Gowins time after time in crunch time. Led by Cliff at the rim and Paul and Geo poking into the passing lanes, the Rutgers defense that we all know and love, locked in and loaded that last 6 and half minutes giving Nebby allowing only one fg and contesting virtually everything they did. RU put the pressue on Nebby and they cracked. Losing teams to do that but RU had everything to do with it.
I was pulling out my hair about Pikiell in the game thread. Nebraska was/is terrible. Let us come out and say it. The mindset of this game was the same as always and as much as you blame the players you have to blame the coach as well as its happening alot. RU looked like dysfunctional on offense and unprepared again to be up to the challlenge of even competing. I hated Pike's lineup at times in the first half because there was too much wholesale subbing...Miller/Paul/Jones/Reiber/Palm....was that really the lineup at one point??? I am pretty sure it was unless someone wants to correct me. I thought Mag needed to play more and after hitting 3 shots, he was inexplicably yanked for more Ron/Caleb/Paul and that combo was just not working. It was clear Mag needed to play in the 2nd half but would Pike do it. As said before, I thought Pike made all the right moves and adjustments in the 2nd half, whether it was to implore his team to get in the paint to draw fouls, the trust in Mag, the yanking of Caleb in crunch time, the way he was able to get his team back to playing their trademark defense. It was a truly a thread the needle win given we were dead in the water where a 6 point deficit seemed like a 14 point margin. I know Pike loves these grind out type wins and that is why is hair is gray now. RU had no business being life and death with the Cornhuskers. It does not have to be so hard but here they were with one last shot to salvage the season. As much as they frustrate us, you have to tip the cap to them, at least for one more day, this team is not ready to pack it in. It is truly a mystery novel that only the players can answer their wild swings not only from game to game but from 5 minute stretches in games. When they are good, they are very good bad and when they are bad, they are stinky.
Take the win and run. RU is 6-4 and gets their 2nd road win. No style points at this point in the season. RU is what it is. This is no time for cookies and milk to celebrate. I think this team will have to look inward at how fortunate they were tonight. The win does not solve the issues but is another chance for this bunch to learn from their mistakes. How many lives do they have left? I told you about that rollercoaster before didn't I
Make no apologies for RU stealing this late. The reason why Nebraska and Northwestern have been at the bottom for the past couple years is losing teams lose.....they will find all kinds of ways to lose. Nebraska melted down late, couldnt hit a shot to save its life and turned it over repeatedly in big moments. However as bad as RU was and thats not for this thread, you can read all the negativity from me and others in that thread...across the board no shows from the starting 5 and mind numbing rotation and coaching...despite all that RU played wonderfully in that last 6 and half minutes to win the game. Every single player who crapped the bed in the first half stepped up when it mattered backs against the wall. Pikiell stepped it up in two areas, having his charges try to draw fouls that put them in the one and one fairly early. Pikiell also deserves ENORMOUS credit for trusting in Mag and benching Caleb for basically the last 10 minutes or so. That a key move that paid off in the end. Doing the same thing hitting your head against the wall and expecting a different result or let Mag roll and rock and roll he didl Mag was a difference maker in the first half. 6 points, hit all 3 of his shots, seemed to be around every play but unfortunately his minutes were limited. Pike still loyal to the starters to deliver but that just wasnt happening especially with Ron and Paul. After Ron, Paul and Caleb were still struggling, Mag kept us afloat with energy and grabbing boards getting to the free throw line and perhaps the catalyst to saving the season was a rebound off a Baker miss for two free throws that go RU to 51-45. Mag got pulled after a mistake after a rebound fouling while Ron was still spinning his wheels and I thought it was a really bad move by Pike. Fortunately Pike made the right move reinserting Mag in the lineup. He didnt play the whole 6:30 but Mag had 5 points and 4 rebounds including a monstrous 3 to answer Nebby and bring RU to 58-57. Mag hauled down a critical rebound off a McGowin missed 3 and on the ensuing possession, RU would take the lead and never lose it. Then when Nebby had a chance to take the lead with 14 seconds, some outstanding defense by Cliff was followed by the rebound of the game by Mag who flipped it to Ron who was fouled and sank the free throws that clinched the game. Mag coming out party tonight. He is a guy that can be an X factor. I have been back and forth with him because his play coming back since getting popped in the mouth had not been good. Today 13 points, 4-4 shooting, 4-4 at the line, 7 boards, 1 assist, 1 block. The kid may have saved everything for the seniors.
If not for Mag, RU would not be in the game but if not for the play of Geo, Ron, Paul and Cliff in those last 5 minutes, RU would not have won the game. The classic Jekyll and Hyde seniors. A lot of talk about leadership and showing up yet they were following the same recipe to oblivion for the first 30 minutes of the game. Ron was awol with everything, his shot, his defense, fouling, his mental game. Nothing was going right. Geo was bricking everything. Paul inexplicably was taking 3 after 3 to no success. Throw in Caleb who was just having a dreadful overall game and yikes it really looked like we could right the post mortem for this era. Geo Baker for some reason loves the thrill of the crowd of the big moment. Geo turned it up on both ends. Getting a few steals and then hit a couple of jumpers to get RU to within 4. In a little over 3 minutes, Geo had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Geo was delivering and for all the hemming and hawing we did in the game thread, Geo proved us wrong. When he shows, he shows big. Playmaker indeed. His flip to Ron for the 3 that got RU to 55-54 was classic Geo and Ron. At the 4 minute mark, RU was within 1 and yeah Rutgers was saving their season. If Ron was only going to make one fg this game that was the one to hit in an otherwise dismal stat line of 1-9, 3 turnovers and 4 fouls. It was sort of fitting that it was Ron who hit the game winning clinchers at the line and I mean they were effortlessly if you rewatch that 2nd free throw. Ron knew the moment. Going to mention Paul here because it was his awareness off a Geo miss to violently fight for that board...pure will and fight. Paul would go right back up with it and give RU their first lead of the game at 61-60 lead with 90 seconds remaining, Paul despite a wobbly first half ended up with 10 points, 5 boards and 4 steals. Cliff never got going offensively but his defense today was outstanding. 9 boards and 4 blocks, Cliff was a monster in the paint swatting off Nebraska denying Mc Gowins time after time in crunch time. Led by Cliff at the rim and Paul and Geo poking into the passing lanes, the Rutgers defense that we all know and love, locked in and loaded that last 6 and half minutes giving Nebby allowing only one fg and contesting virtually everything they did. RU put the pressue on Nebby and they cracked. Losing teams to do that but RU had everything to do with it.
I was pulling out my hair about Pikiell in the game thread. Nebraska was/is terrible. Let us come out and say it. The mindset of this game was the same as always and as much as you blame the players you have to blame the coach as well as its happening alot. RU looked like dysfunctional on offense and unprepared again to be up to the challlenge of even competing. I hated Pike's lineup at times in the first half because there was too much wholesale subbing...Miller/Paul/Jones/Reiber/Palm....was that really the lineup at one point??? I am pretty sure it was unless someone wants to correct me. I thought Mag needed to play more and after hitting 3 shots, he was inexplicably yanked for more Ron/Caleb/Paul and that combo was just not working. It was clear Mag needed to play in the 2nd half but would Pike do it. As said before, I thought Pike made all the right moves and adjustments in the 2nd half, whether it was to implore his team to get in the paint to draw fouls, the trust in Mag, the yanking of Caleb in crunch time, the way he was able to get his team back to playing their trademark defense. It was a truly a thread the needle win given we were dead in the water where a 6 point deficit seemed like a 14 point margin. I know Pike loves these grind out type wins and that is why is hair is gray now. RU had no business being life and death with the Cornhuskers. It does not have to be so hard but here they were with one last shot to salvage the season. As much as they frustrate us, you have to tip the cap to them, at least for one more day, this team is not ready to pack it in. It is truly a mystery novel that only the players can answer their wild swings not only from game to game but from 5 minute stretches in games. When they are good, they are very good bad and when they are bad, they are stinky.
Take the win and run. RU is 6-4 and gets their 2nd road win. No style points at this point in the season. RU is what it is. This is no time for cookies and milk to celebrate. I think this team will have to look inward at how fortunate they were tonight. The win does not solve the issues but is another chance for this bunch to learn from their mistakes. How many lives do they have left? I told you about that rollercoaster before didn't I
