I had my recap pretty much settled in my head with about a bit over 8 minutes to go after an Ace Bailey dunk put Rutgers up 72-61. Rutgers had played an incredible first half on both ends and then was seemingly repelling everytime Penn State started to chip away. RU seemed to really make some leaps and bounds in how to play with a lead and looked like they were headed to closing this one out. My praise was going to be effusive especially concentrating on that first half and LET THIS TEAM EAT..IT IS HUNGRY was going to be my recap title. Well that ended up flying out the window by games end as RU struggled in the end game and just was able to get the jalopy across the finish line. No matter how scary and hairy it got and how that all too familiar feeling in the stomach burgeoned in the last 90 seconds, Pike and company managed to stick the landing and that is all that matters. This was a MUST win for this program. I do not care if you say Bac how could the 2nd Big 10 game of the season be a must win. It was. In particular a loss tonight after such an incredible effort for 32 minutes especially that scintillaing and dominating first half would have been catastrophic. All that work down the drain for nothing. The psyche would be shattered by yet another St Johns type collapse.
Rutgers had struggled to go beyond the flashes of high level play they have showed at times. Groundhog day...was this how it was going to be every game. High scoring but not making the shots and stops in crunch time. RU had only beaten a likely below average Notre Dame team hold off a barrage of desperation 3s that forced OT. RU had a 9 point lead vs A&M that they blew in an instant and traded blows with Bama until they started to run out of firepower late. At Ohio State, RU seemingly was never in it or maybe not even aware what it took to compete in a Big 10 road game. A return to the RAC with a jacked up crowd very eager to support the team obviously proved to be an igniter that showed Rutgers what it REALLY takes to win night in and night out in the Big 10. I cannot say with complete confidence or any confidence actually that this is a turn the corner moment for the program. I do know with FULL CONFIDENCE that the win even in its ugly and ultimately gritty fashion was a NECESSARY step for this young team so close at time trying to find an identity and learn to win. Thankfully RU gets a 3 game drop in competition and those 3 games are likely going to tell the tale of what kind of springboard maybe more so how fast can RU develop its confidence and learning how to close out game before the Big 10 schedule really kicks in at the start of the New Year.
Rutgers survived and they advance one game at a time. Winning helps us all. Tonight was a Quad 1 win for now. I am not necessarily convinced that Penn State will be a legit tourney team this year but they took Purdue to the woodshed and were coming into the RAC with a high level of confidence and feeling they could come in and punch RU in the mouth. I always watch how the tones of games are set early to how things are going to play out. In Vegas you knew from the jump RU was going to be quite competitive. At Ohio State that pace and lack of defensive effort was going to doom us. RU has had trouble getting out to good starts at the RAC even against some of the weaker schools. The first couple of minutes were not all that pretty but once RU settled down they took control and defended the home court. It was RU throwing the first punches. I think the risky and ultimately magic trick of the night by Pike was putting J Mike in the lineup and having him defend Ace Baldwin. Baldwin struggled early and never got on track. Their Ace was just 2-10 fg in the first half. PSU was never comfortable and that is because of a tremendous Rutgers defense effort on the ball and on the boards. In one of the rarer moments this year it was Rutgers bothering their opponents. Penn State was rushing and bricking 3s and missing chippy layups. It wasnt dumb luck...well maybe a bit but that was Rutgers bringing a higher level of defense than we have seen all year long.
RU was getting stops and then making the Nittany Lions pay with shots. It helps when Ace Bailey is cleaning up on the boards. He must had 5 or 6 rebounds in just the first 5-6 minutes alone. Likely challenged by Pike and then answering the call. The back to back to back 3s by Dylan Harper had the RAC roaring in approval. Key stretch actually was with RUs bench players in. They actually built on the league with Babyface Hayes draining two wing 3s and Lathan with a couple of nifty looking buckets. All of a sudden RU was showing spurtability and took a 29-17 lead and Penn State would be forced to try and chip away the rest of the way. Its the kind of lead I have been waiting for Rutgers to get it where its not about trading baskets. Its about turning your opponent over, getting those stops, getting those offensive rebounds and having that success show up as a big lead on the scoreboard. What I also liked is RU's ability to draw fouls on Penn State and get to the line towards the end of that first half. Derkack in particular connected on both one and one opportunities. Then continuing with the trend of bench players stepping up, Tyson Acuff out of nowhere with 2 smooth 3s. Role players playing their role. You can either be a black hole like Hayes and Acuff were headed to or pick up your game and answer when you are called upon. That they did and the much maligned supporting cast of J Mike, JD, PJ, and Tyson were every bit as responsible for that shimmering first half dominance as Rutgers 2 NBA lottery picks. Do not forget the assist to Coach Pikiell for shaking things up just enough and winning the game prep with his charges nentally. Also an assist to the RAC for chiming in at the right moments and things were looking great going into halftime. Some incredible stats with respect to rebounding at 27-17 and 3 point fg shooting at 8-18. Yet you could tell RU was a bit tired in those later stages. They put forth collective a yeomens effort on both ends. They challenged themselves in ways that they didnt vs the bottom feeders or even in the Vegas. Perhaps they did not know they had it in them. Pike got it out of them.
That kind of confident playmaking would continue in the 2nd. RU would get their biggest lead of 17 on an opening dunk by EO right out of the gate but no one expected Penn State to just curl up. They came out taking it right to RU. I do not know what they fed Villione in the lockerroom but the kid was unstoppable scoring PSU first 9 points of the half. What was encouraging that RU kept being resilient. They kept answering and built the lead back up to 15 again. It would see saw back to 7 but RU would push it back to 11. Penn State was not going away but at that point, I felt RU looked really confident in not panicking and remaining in control. RU got PSU in some foul trouble and Baldwin got sent to the bench with 4. I thought much of the rest of the game would be RU drawing fouls getting to the line and closing it out getting fed. I was wrong. Things were not that easy. Just takes a few mistakes and turnovers back to back compounded by an uncanny knack to start bricking free throws and all of sudden you are sitting in your seat trying to will that clock to move quicker. With about 5 to go and RU up 74-66 I was thinking to myself, its going to be alright as long as RU gets to 85 or hold PSU under 80 right....you mean it shouldnt be that hard to do that...right..right? All in all RU scored just 8 points in the last 8:18 mirroring a similar drought at OSU. Just 6 points in the last 6 and 4 points in the last 4. RU would miss 5 of their last 7 free throws and I think 7 of their last 10. A team under duress cracking under pressure perhaps taking their foot off the gas a bit running the shot clock down. I am talking to you Pike. A move I guess made to limit Penn State possessions because maybe he wasnt confident that RU could get any stops late of the Nittany Lions. Pike was really going to go for threading that needle and it did just work
But Rutgers finally did what they do not do and that is getting stops. It certainly was a team win but Ace Bailey basically closed this one out. Clinging to a 77-75 lead, RU defended a Ace Baldwin shot and Ace got the board only to see it poked away by Puffy. Ace would make up for it with a steal of his own poking the ball away and racing up court for a layup, the first of which he missed but he putback his own miss to give RU a 79-75 lead with just 50 seconds left. RU got a break when PSU missed 1 of 2 free throws to play it out under 44 seconds where J Will took an open but perhaps not the best shot with the shot clock winding down. That would set PSU for one last shot to tie with about 11 seconds left and the RAC on its feet shouting in unison. PSU Ace took a 3 that was off the mark as Ace Bailey hauled down his 15th and most important rebound of the game. He was fouled, missed the first but calmly hit the 2nd securing the win. Ace Bailey grew up big time tonight. Dylan had been receiving all the accolades in most other games but this game ball goes to Ace for how he delivered down the stretch and on the boards and just being in the right spots for putbacks all game long. Big kudos to him and Coach Pike for getting things figured out. Ace was only 6-14 fg shooting and 0-4 3pt fg but 15 boards and 15 rebounds and serving a real purpose out there that helped the team rather than just padding the stats.
Of course Dylan Harper was fanstastic again. Yeah perhaps a bit tired toward the end, he would finish with a game high 24 on 8-14 fg, a whopping 12 boards and 5 assists. I felt it was important coming into the game that Dylan get established early rather than wait until the 2nd half and that he did. For both Ace and Dylan to contribute beyond shooting with their defensive effort on the glass was an enormous progression for the teams growth. J Will with 8 points on just 3-9 fg shooting but those shots he did hit were timely and he also had 4 assists. . RU desperately needs him to contribute on both ends like he did tonight. Have to cleanup some of the mistakes with that bad turnover late and a couple of bricks at the free throw line. Lathan how about 4 assists tonight and had a couple of big moves to the hoop. 22 minutes 6 points on 3-4 fg shooting. A step forward for him tonight in learning to play in control and was the better of our centers tonight. I thought EO was just ok, made a pretty bad turnover in the 2nd half you could see coming a mile away but gave those 15 minutes proving he can fill a role in Big 10 games and that is alot more than we thought coming into the season. J Mike only 19 minutes and 4 points on 2-4 fg but I dont want him shooting. He set the tone on Baldwin early and PSU played catch up after that. Good call Pike! As said early both PJ and Acuff played enormous roles in building that big first half lead. I still think PJ is getting some wide open looks, I know you cannot make them all but if he can just get one more of them a game that Pike may feel confident enough to use him in big spots late i the game when we are struggling on offense. With the way the game went toward the end, even though they got some minutes, I thought it was a tough spot for Pike to have them contribute rather than lean on the top 3. JD was all out tough today bringing the intangibles. He was 5-6 on free throws before bricking two late. 3 assists but 3 tos, still got 24 minutes even without the start and I will say I think I may like the switch to bring JD off the bench. Martini now deep on the bench at least for this game and ditto for Dylan Grant who some have pining for more time
Bottom line is Rutgers got it done. That is a step in the right direction. More positives to take even as some negatives and questions about the team linger. Is this just one of the ones we get by playing it so close to the vest every game or are we ready to take that next step up. Too soon to tell yet tonight had to happen and the jalopy made it across the finish line. Have to hold serve in the Big 10 this year at home. This league may not have a dominant team but there are probably 15 schools competing for NCAA bids this season. There is no requirement for Quad 1 wins to be pretty, they just need to happen. Take this win and run with it.
Rutgers had struggled to go beyond the flashes of high level play they have showed at times. Groundhog day...was this how it was going to be every game. High scoring but not making the shots and stops in crunch time. RU had only beaten a likely below average Notre Dame team hold off a barrage of desperation 3s that forced OT. RU had a 9 point lead vs A&M that they blew in an instant and traded blows with Bama until they started to run out of firepower late. At Ohio State, RU seemingly was never in it or maybe not even aware what it took to compete in a Big 10 road game. A return to the RAC with a jacked up crowd very eager to support the team obviously proved to be an igniter that showed Rutgers what it REALLY takes to win night in and night out in the Big 10. I cannot say with complete confidence or any confidence actually that this is a turn the corner moment for the program. I do know with FULL CONFIDENCE that the win even in its ugly and ultimately gritty fashion was a NECESSARY step for this young team so close at time trying to find an identity and learn to win. Thankfully RU gets a 3 game drop in competition and those 3 games are likely going to tell the tale of what kind of springboard maybe more so how fast can RU develop its confidence and learning how to close out game before the Big 10 schedule really kicks in at the start of the New Year.
Rutgers survived and they advance one game at a time. Winning helps us all. Tonight was a Quad 1 win for now. I am not necessarily convinced that Penn State will be a legit tourney team this year but they took Purdue to the woodshed and were coming into the RAC with a high level of confidence and feeling they could come in and punch RU in the mouth. I always watch how the tones of games are set early to how things are going to play out. In Vegas you knew from the jump RU was going to be quite competitive. At Ohio State that pace and lack of defensive effort was going to doom us. RU has had trouble getting out to good starts at the RAC even against some of the weaker schools. The first couple of minutes were not all that pretty but once RU settled down they took control and defended the home court. It was RU throwing the first punches. I think the risky and ultimately magic trick of the night by Pike was putting J Mike in the lineup and having him defend Ace Baldwin. Baldwin struggled early and never got on track. Their Ace was just 2-10 fg in the first half. PSU was never comfortable and that is because of a tremendous Rutgers defense effort on the ball and on the boards. In one of the rarer moments this year it was Rutgers bothering their opponents. Penn State was rushing and bricking 3s and missing chippy layups. It wasnt dumb luck...well maybe a bit but that was Rutgers bringing a higher level of defense than we have seen all year long.
RU was getting stops and then making the Nittany Lions pay with shots. It helps when Ace Bailey is cleaning up on the boards. He must had 5 or 6 rebounds in just the first 5-6 minutes alone. Likely challenged by Pike and then answering the call. The back to back to back 3s by Dylan Harper had the RAC roaring in approval. Key stretch actually was with RUs bench players in. They actually built on the league with Babyface Hayes draining two wing 3s and Lathan with a couple of nifty looking buckets. All of a sudden RU was showing spurtability and took a 29-17 lead and Penn State would be forced to try and chip away the rest of the way. Its the kind of lead I have been waiting for Rutgers to get it where its not about trading baskets. Its about turning your opponent over, getting those stops, getting those offensive rebounds and having that success show up as a big lead on the scoreboard. What I also liked is RU's ability to draw fouls on Penn State and get to the line towards the end of that first half. Derkack in particular connected on both one and one opportunities. Then continuing with the trend of bench players stepping up, Tyson Acuff out of nowhere with 2 smooth 3s. Role players playing their role. You can either be a black hole like Hayes and Acuff were headed to or pick up your game and answer when you are called upon. That they did and the much maligned supporting cast of J Mike, JD, PJ, and Tyson were every bit as responsible for that shimmering first half dominance as Rutgers 2 NBA lottery picks. Do not forget the assist to Coach Pikiell for shaking things up just enough and winning the game prep with his charges nentally. Also an assist to the RAC for chiming in at the right moments and things were looking great going into halftime. Some incredible stats with respect to rebounding at 27-17 and 3 point fg shooting at 8-18. Yet you could tell RU was a bit tired in those later stages. They put forth collective a yeomens effort on both ends. They challenged themselves in ways that they didnt vs the bottom feeders or even in the Vegas. Perhaps they did not know they had it in them. Pike got it out of them.
That kind of confident playmaking would continue in the 2nd. RU would get their biggest lead of 17 on an opening dunk by EO right out of the gate but no one expected Penn State to just curl up. They came out taking it right to RU. I do not know what they fed Villione in the lockerroom but the kid was unstoppable scoring PSU first 9 points of the half. What was encouraging that RU kept being resilient. They kept answering and built the lead back up to 15 again. It would see saw back to 7 but RU would push it back to 11. Penn State was not going away but at that point, I felt RU looked really confident in not panicking and remaining in control. RU got PSU in some foul trouble and Baldwin got sent to the bench with 4. I thought much of the rest of the game would be RU drawing fouls getting to the line and closing it out getting fed. I was wrong. Things were not that easy. Just takes a few mistakes and turnovers back to back compounded by an uncanny knack to start bricking free throws and all of sudden you are sitting in your seat trying to will that clock to move quicker. With about 5 to go and RU up 74-66 I was thinking to myself, its going to be alright as long as RU gets to 85 or hold PSU under 80 right....you mean it shouldnt be that hard to do that...right..right? All in all RU scored just 8 points in the last 8:18 mirroring a similar drought at OSU. Just 6 points in the last 6 and 4 points in the last 4. RU would miss 5 of their last 7 free throws and I think 7 of their last 10. A team under duress cracking under pressure perhaps taking their foot off the gas a bit running the shot clock down. I am talking to you Pike. A move I guess made to limit Penn State possessions because maybe he wasnt confident that RU could get any stops late of the Nittany Lions. Pike was really going to go for threading that needle and it did just work
But Rutgers finally did what they do not do and that is getting stops. It certainly was a team win but Ace Bailey basically closed this one out. Clinging to a 77-75 lead, RU defended a Ace Baldwin shot and Ace got the board only to see it poked away by Puffy. Ace would make up for it with a steal of his own poking the ball away and racing up court for a layup, the first of which he missed but he putback his own miss to give RU a 79-75 lead with just 50 seconds left. RU got a break when PSU missed 1 of 2 free throws to play it out under 44 seconds where J Will took an open but perhaps not the best shot with the shot clock winding down. That would set PSU for one last shot to tie with about 11 seconds left and the RAC on its feet shouting in unison. PSU Ace took a 3 that was off the mark as Ace Bailey hauled down his 15th and most important rebound of the game. He was fouled, missed the first but calmly hit the 2nd securing the win. Ace Bailey grew up big time tonight. Dylan had been receiving all the accolades in most other games but this game ball goes to Ace for how he delivered down the stretch and on the boards and just being in the right spots for putbacks all game long. Big kudos to him and Coach Pike for getting things figured out. Ace was only 6-14 fg shooting and 0-4 3pt fg but 15 boards and 15 rebounds and serving a real purpose out there that helped the team rather than just padding the stats.
Of course Dylan Harper was fanstastic again. Yeah perhaps a bit tired toward the end, he would finish with a game high 24 on 8-14 fg, a whopping 12 boards and 5 assists. I felt it was important coming into the game that Dylan get established early rather than wait until the 2nd half and that he did. For both Ace and Dylan to contribute beyond shooting with their defensive effort on the glass was an enormous progression for the teams growth. J Will with 8 points on just 3-9 fg shooting but those shots he did hit were timely and he also had 4 assists. . RU desperately needs him to contribute on both ends like he did tonight. Have to cleanup some of the mistakes with that bad turnover late and a couple of bricks at the free throw line. Lathan how about 4 assists tonight and had a couple of big moves to the hoop. 22 minutes 6 points on 3-4 fg shooting. A step forward for him tonight in learning to play in control and was the better of our centers tonight. I thought EO was just ok, made a pretty bad turnover in the 2nd half you could see coming a mile away but gave those 15 minutes proving he can fill a role in Big 10 games and that is alot more than we thought coming into the season. J Mike only 19 minutes and 4 points on 2-4 fg but I dont want him shooting. He set the tone on Baldwin early and PSU played catch up after that. Good call Pike! As said early both PJ and Acuff played enormous roles in building that big first half lead. I still think PJ is getting some wide open looks, I know you cannot make them all but if he can just get one more of them a game that Pike may feel confident enough to use him in big spots late i the game when we are struggling on offense. With the way the game went toward the end, even though they got some minutes, I thought it was a tough spot for Pike to have them contribute rather than lean on the top 3. JD was all out tough today bringing the intangibles. He was 5-6 on free throws before bricking two late. 3 assists but 3 tos, still got 24 minutes even without the start and I will say I think I may like the switch to bring JD off the bench. Martini now deep on the bench at least for this game and ditto for Dylan Grant who some have pining for more time
Bottom line is Rutgers got it done. That is a step in the right direction. More positives to take even as some negatives and questions about the team linger. Is this just one of the ones we get by playing it so close to the vest every game or are we ready to take that next step up. Too soon to tell yet tonight had to happen and the jalopy made it across the finish line. Have to hold serve in the Big 10 this year at home. This league may not have a dominant team but there are probably 15 schools competing for NCAA bids this season. There is no requirement for Quad 1 wins to be pretty, they just need to happen. Take this win and run with it.
