For a season promised to be televised in vivid technocolor with top 25 rankings, Quad 1 wins, and a rocking RAC night in and out, the Rutgers program and fans have been battered black and blue. Blue period...black comedy indeed. From their own self inflicted wounds early in the season to the most damaging in not being able to put a healthy Dylan Harper on the court for more than a few games, it a season that quickly fell on black days. Fans losing their religion. Negativity and sniping on social media. And so the Rutgers faithful marched to the RAC in their black t shirts and sweatshirts quite uneasy and possibly queasy about whether they were headed to a basketball game or a funeral. Likely to be another game without Dylan Harper and seemed like a ritual to watch the final nail in the coffin on the lost season of 2024-2025.
It cannot be easy for a competitor like Dylan to sit out basketball games. Has had to be a trying last month and likely a personal one of reflection. For Coach Pikiell trying to coach thru having to deal with the ire and rancor of a fanbase who were told dream big dreams and the harsh reality of NIL's ugly transformation of the college basketball world. Not easy to get through the meat of your season without the heart of the team in Dylan Harper on the court. Yet Pike somehow someway can always be counted on to pull out some juju out of his black magic bag. His uncanny ability to breathe new life in the almost dead. We have seen traces of fairy dust the past few weeks. The greater teamwork at Northwestern or the tough fight vs Michigan. Yes the canvass can do miracles and Pike is in the process of navigating his players through some dark choppy waters.
Chatter began building that Dylan Harper was on the court duiring pregame. Then confirmation he was playing and then the announcment he was starting. Dylan looked good in pregame. This was not going to be the Michigan State misstep. One could feel the energy build back at the RAC. Here we go. Let's do this tonight. The season may not be where everyone wants it to be but we are here and when goin' get tough, the tough get goin'. Rutgers got out to a silly start at 23-6! Are you kidding me? Illinois held to just 3 fg in the first 10 and half minutes of the first half. Brad Underwood was forced to use 2 timeouts and likely lost a ton of hair in a brutally ice cold dispassionate beginning. An impeccable start for RU relying on heavy dose of Ace and Dylan. Dylan was back...perhaps not at 100% but 90%. The RAC was doing its thing and showing off. Invariably no one expected Illinois to just lay down without a fight and they chipped away little by little getting the lead down to 6. It would be 8 at halftime but it was clear there was a momentum shift and that continued in the 2nd half. In total, Illinois would go on a 47-27 run over the course of 20 minutes that spanned midway through the first half to midway through the second half. The Illini wrested the lead away from Rutgers and at 53-50 that all too familiar feel of that dark black pit in our stomachs was ominpresent among the Scarlet Knight faithful.
What I always enjoy and appreciate the most about wins are wins where Rutgers has to win them more than once. The phenomenal start had RU up 17 and in control giving them a large cushion. They were outplayed badly during those 20 minutes but more important was that Illinois was just getting more and more confident and in rhythm. A team that has been so hot and cold all year, one never knows which one they would get. After a rancid 10-33 fg performance in the first half, the Illini went 14-20 fg in the first 12 minutes of the 2nd half. The game quickly went to big boy basketball. If RU was going to counter the Illinois run they were going to have to land punches back. To me the knock on this team this year has been they were somewhat soft when challenged...even at times with Dylan healthy. This team had every reason to fold. They lost momentum and energy. In most spots this season they had failed to deliver. Yet there were hints of turning the corner wasnt there? I mentioned after the Michigan game, RU was not very good but they were tough. Perhaps the first level of epidermis was being ready but during crunch time vs Illinois, several layers of skin were grown. Almost to the point by games end it became as hard as a turtle shell enough to be a defensive shield in the closing minutes. In the end Rutgers armor proved to be tougher and more durable than Illinois was despite the Illini being the ones battle tested. To me a turning the corner moment for the team, one that we all hoped would have occured back in December.
How did this happen? Well anytime you have the two best players on the court and you are in a tie game with 7 minutes left Pike has done his job putting RU in position to win. Its a good spot to be in. I get it that Brad Underwood felt good too. After all his team fought back from 17 and took a brief lead. His team was still humming along offensively and probably teamwise Illinois is deeper and has more talent overall. Its a bloody war of attrition. Lets see which one is going to last the night.
Well I mean for starters everything about this win was about getting Dylan Harper back. What a testament and tribute to this kids heart and desire as a competitor. Dylan is worth about 5 layers of skin...tough kid and played with full confidence not afraid. The crazy thing is that it did not look like Dylan or the team missed a beat. In the first half we saw the team with Dylan back in the lineup evoking some Vegas tourney memories. Dylan and Ace took turns running the show in the first half. After an Ace block and quick pass to Harper for a transition 3 that put RU up 27-11. Later I thought that Harper getting to the line for 4 free throws on the last couple of possession to have RU maintain a 9 point lead was a big swing there. In the 2nd half, Harper had taken only one shot in the first 7 minutes so its no surprise the offense was suffering. Dylan hit a 3 that put RU back on top at 50-48 after Illinois took their first lead since the opening minute. Yet almost 5 minutes later, Harper had only scored 2 free throws, if RU was going to win this game they were going to need Dylan to take it to another level and that he did. Perhaps the sequence of the year and possibly turning point of the game was Harper going into the Illinois bench after deflecting the ball away from Ivisic, saving it to Ace who would find a racing Harper in the corner for a thunderous 3 that woke up the RAC crowd to put RU up 66-62 and it seemed like RU although not up by much seemed to control the rest of the game. That play just epitomizes the kid. Harper would get a layup and two important free throws that put RU up 6 with about 3 left. I do not think anyone expected Harper to be this good so quickly in his return. 28 points on 7-15 fg, 3-5 3 pointers, an incredible 11-12 at the line, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals. An all encompassing superlative game and it really is shame we were missing that the last few weeks. Cannot cry over spoiled milk, no one is feeling sorry for Rutgers. Just savor we got him back and we can now compete in any game going forward. Winning well thats another question but Rutgers will in fact compete with everyone
Ace Bailey...18 points on 7-13 fg I believe had 12 in the first half but only 6 in the 2nd but it wasnt about his scoring. I was impressed with Aces development and maturity and it showed tonight. Ace of February 2025 is about more than scoring. He has answered Pikes challenge to commit to defense and it was a wonderful performance tonight. 11 boards and 3 blocks. Ace just 2 for 4 fg in the 2nd and didnt hit a fg the last 16 minutes...he didnt need to. The focus and detail to defense was just what Rutgers needed and it payed dividends down the stretch with several key boards. Using his length to just be a problem for the Illini forwards who never seemed to get untracked.
Pike trying desperately to get his players some rest had a lineup of Zak, PJ, J Mike..not sure if Dylan was still in there but Ace was out. Rutgers received the unlikeliest of back to back 3s, first from PJ on an assist from Zak tying the game at 55. Then a Martini 3 to give RU the lead back at 58-57 as the teams traded blows. I believe in an earlier sequence a couple minutes before Zak also took a key charge on defense. Just 18 minutes on 1-2 shooting and looking like he is playing through an injury. PJ would be instrumental in a key sequence with RU up 75-69 missing a shot late but following it up with his own rebound, extending the possession. Just 4 minutes by PJ but some of the most important 4 minutes you will see. Along with Zak filling a very important situation role and both players came through and have fought back and growing layers of skin. Imagine being counted on as a starter and then some simply atrocious play had sent Martini to the pine and even some DNPs. PJ who was a role player to begin with, collected even more DNPs. Its those little play that can alter the course of a game in a positive way seperate from anything the Ace and Dylan Show are providing.
Jeremiah Williams has been maddening to watch this season. Whether its the silly fouls, the flopping on the court or the poor shot selection, its just been a disappointing season and even in games themselves his play will range from erratic to outstanding. J Will struggled alot this game but delivered when it counted. 13 points overall, but hit 4 just pivotal pivotal free throws to keep the game even at 60-60 and 62-62. He put RU up 71-65 with a jumper and had some boards and a big steal late with RU up 6 that ultimately led to an RU bucket, His production both defensively and offensively was worth any earlier mistakes. J Will kept coming and keeps coming even when things are not always going right.
Lathan Summerville was not good in the first half and fouled too much. Yet Lathan was part of a key moment grabbing an offensive rebound off the J Will miss and did Pike run a play for him in the timeout to put RU up 8 and gave them an all important cushion with about 2 minutes left and they would never look back. Lathan composure stepping up when called upon and was also 3 of 4 at the line for the night.
After his steal leading to a bucket in transition like a jackrabbit down the floor for an and one, it looked like J Mike might have a game...he did, just not offensively, finishing with just 1-4 fg, 4 points, 4 boards but its his defense which continues to become better and better each game. Not doing too much and not shooting, playing that role Pike is defining for him on a healthy Harper team
Dylan Grant shouldnt be shooting at his volume and thats why his minutes have been cut 18 tonight....just 2-10 fg, got a big time dunk that put RU up 11 early in the 2nd half. Grant had 7 boards and is definitely getting better on D and an asset with his length. Just needs to stop jacking so many threes...1-6 tonight and his percentage hasnt been good last few games. Dortsch learning on the fly....11 tough minutes giving 4 fouls. Growing up like it or not. Acuff and Derkack just 9 minutes tonight and thats okay. This wasnt the game for them. Do not worry Pike will call on them at some point. We already know that JD has developed a bounce back resiliency from his performance vs Michigan State. Acuff wouldnt fit in the rotation with Harper and Ace as the main scorers and J Will able to do things on both sides of the ball.
As a team the Rutgers defense really had a turning the corner moment. Im not easily fooled. I say this because there have been signs everywhere....the last few minutes at Nebraska, the closeout at Northwestern, the battle shutting down Michigan in a loss. They shut down a hot Illinois team who had made 14-20 fg and limited them to just 3 fgs in their last 12 attempts and only 1 fg in the last 4:53 of play. What kind of skullduggery was this? Was this the same team that could not get a stop in game after game after game. The Princeton game giving me nightmares on how atrocious the defense was. Man this team has come a long way...have to appreciate how hard they and Pike have worked. if only..if only we saw this earlier, they might not be in the hole they find themselves in now. This is not your 2024 Rutgers team but is it too late.
The Penn State win was fun because it was the first and they had to have it and they barely held on after blowing a big lead. The UCLA win was nice but RU caught the Bruins at the perfect time. The win at Nebraska was joyful and in the moment. The win at Northwestern was mainly about Ace. This one though, this one was the most satisfying this year. This was against a team playing high level (at least in the 2nd half). Rutgers had to rewin the game and that is something that I have not seen from this program this year and they did it largely by making defensive plays and showing poise offensively crashing the boards and making the right shot selections valuing the possessions. Levels of skin I am telling you. Take this hard turtle shell on the road to beat the Terrapins at their own game. Not impossible and Rutgers is slowly coming out of the dark and finally seeing the light shine down.
