Will this be the shortest recap this year..yup. Not much to say. Bac has just been beaten down with the losing and failure of the season as a whole. Team overmatched right on down the line without a healthy Dylan. Despite RU playing it close in the first half and being down only 47-43 in the 2nd half before the bottom dropped out and despite a fantastic individual shooting effort by Jordan Dercack was never really a threat to win this game. Michigan State played a D level game and did just enough at times to build a cushion as Izzo pulled from this deep bench to wear Rutgers down. I felt like this was a game from the 90s under Wenzel or Bannon when RU would hang around and play a spirited effort by a top 25 Big East program but never getting over the hump. This time I knew not to get sucked in early and had no confidence Rutgers was even capable of making a legitimate push to do what they would need to do to winthis game. In the first half, Rutgers somehow played a C level game yet only down 3 at half. I am sure Izzo wasnt pleased. I will give RU alot of credit. They played pretty good D in the 1st clogging up the paint and forcing MSU into take a lot of outside shots and they are not a good outside shooting team. I thought MSU fell into the trap too easy and it wasnt until a few minutes into the 2nd half where they became a bit more patient with their offense.

Jordan Dercack went from DNP to team leader and sharpshooter tonight. He solely brought RU back into the game in the first half with a couple of finishing with 11 in the 1st half and the only player to step up for an ineffective and hobbled Harper. Jordan would go quiet for a bit but was instrumental in at least making Sparty work for it late, putting up 12 points in the final 3 minutes. Big props to him for being next man up with Dylan out. 7-11 fg, 26 points, 8-9ft, 4 boards and 2 steals, game of his life, Jordan was arguably the best player on the court tonight on either teams. Amazing case of resilience by a player that took a lot of heat on these boards and even fell out of favor with Coach Pikiell. With Harper likely to still be dogged by his ankle injury, JD will get more minutes going forward and while no one can expect anything close to what he gave tonight. He was the one true positive in a day full of misfortune.

For starters, I hate giving up a home conference game. Rutgers should not do it. To me its distracting at this point in the season. The showing of 17K is fantastic. Alot of people at the game who do not normally get to the RAC ever got a chance for a day out. Just do it in December in a non conference game. For die hards and those who live by wins and losses as a barometer, it was not all that fun. Alot of gloss for a program that still hasnt been able to walk the walk yet. And I said this after the win over Michigan State 2 years ago, so I am consistent here. I know some vehemently disagree with me but I am not changing my opinion here...and no RU probably does not win this game at the RAC but "for me" the experience and atmosphere would have been better. I get for many who attended today they would disagree.

Dylan Harper should not be playing if not 100% or even 75%. 6 points, 2-4 fg, 2-4 ft in 13 minutes. Knew trouble was ahead when he did not start but quickly got removed after starting the 2nd half never to return. He was below 50% and this was the 2nd time this year this happened (Wisconsin game). He shouldnt be travelling to Northwestern like he did vs Indiana if he is in fragile game time decision shape. He tried gutting it out but I am not questioning his desire. Its whether he helps or hurts team. It was obvious he was struggling mightily. It alters the whole RU strategy to be playing 5 on 4 and makes defending RU much easier. Harper may want to be out there but Pike is the coach and he needs to make the call here and not Dylan. Its some really bad luck that such a talented kid is going through two ridiculous stretches of the season where he cannot get on the court. Need to do this right and get him 100% if RU wants to salvage the season later in the year.

As for the game, as a I said I never got the feeling RU could win here and eventually Izzo would lay the knockout blow. If you want to name a big turning point of the game, it likely would be the missed J Will ridiculously attempted dipsy do which resulted in a transition wide open corner 3 by Akens. MSU would add another basket to go up 54-44 and Pike was forced to call timeout. Rutgers lost touch and eventually got down by 13 and while they did chip away late, Michigan State still had enough safe cushion throughout despite some late Rutgers shooting herorics from JD and Dylan Grant who tossed in 2 late. Credit Rutgers because they could have tossed in the towel and lost by 20. The peformance was not great overall by most but no one could question the effort. They played hard and they wanted to win, the reality is they just are not very good collectively. Ace had an off night shooting 4-17 fg 8-8 at the line, 9 boards on a night Rutgers would need him to repeat his Penn State performance. Dylan Grant did show some late pulse with 9 points but for much of the game was not a factor. Lathan struggled to get anything going and inexplicably taking two 3 point shots. J Will biggest disappointment of the season with a measly 4 points on 2-5 fg shooting and 4 boards. Acuff hit a 3 early and then went into witness protection. Martini was abysmal missing all 5 of his 3s. JMike and PJ gave nothing. Dortsch redshirt burned 20 games into the season for 3 minutes makes my head spin.

Was today as bad as it could have been given the circumstances of no EO and basically no Dylan? Nope. RU was lucky a bit that Michigan State really was not on their game. 15 turnovers many of them unforced had to drive Izzo up the wall. Akens shooting a hideous 3-15 including just 1-10 in the first half. Shocked that 50 of MSU's 81 points came from off the bench. Izzo had to work to make some adjustments in the 2nd half to fend off a feisty RU effort. What I am impressed by Michigan State is their depth. Izzo has a lot of tools in the toolbox and that is what they may be a tough out in the NCAA tourney. For Rutgers to lose by 7 on national tv CBS to the #8 team is not the worst thing in the world. The effort was certainly far better than losses to Purdue, Ohio State and Kennessaw State. 10-10 I hope some finally give up their hopes of this team going on a run. Its not happening with a hurt Dylan and its beyond too late to happen with a healty Dylan. Where that leaves how Rutgers fans should approach the next 11 games I cannot say it. For me apathy is setting in a bit but I have accepted the programs fate a few weeks ago but for other they still may be in a denial, bargainning or anger stage. Today was nothing to be ashamed of but it really is no longer about one particular game. This is about the season. How can it not be? Its a sad sad situation and its gettin more and more absurd.