Wow
Is this real? Taking time to process this because "potentially" this win is a game changer for the program with all kinds of endless possibilities for us to discuss. For Coach Pikiell and the players, its just another victory and goal accomplished, just one win in a 20 game season Big 10 season where each game evolves in its own way and seizing victory by making the necessary plays down the strech is always the goal. To them, they keep their heads on straight because that is how Coach Pikiell has always run his program. Celebrate tonight, start preparing for Maryland. Their work is not done. For us the fans though, this is why we follow our favorite teams whether its professional or college. Much like the win at Purdue in 2020 to clinch a spot in the ill fated NCAA tourney, the Harper shot to beat Purdue at the RAC in 2021 and the Cam 3 to knock off #1 for the 2nd straight year but this time at their building, these are the days to remember. Everything is coming up roses.
And nothing's gonna stop us 'til we're through!
Honey, everything's coming up roses and daffodils!
Everything's coming up sunshine and Santa Claus!
Everything's gonna be bright lights and lollipops!
Everything's coming up roses for me and for you!
This time its different. Beating Purdue at the RAC last year when they were #1 was a shock for sure given that RU had struggled losing to Lafayette and UMass. Purdue was ripe for a loss there. Things are different at the RAC. Not to downplay that win but it took one in a thousand shot to pull it out. RU won at the RAC yet in the rematch at Mackey, Rutgers was dispatched rather easily. Tonight's win at Mackey vs a #1 was on another level. Rutgers just beat #1 on their home court. In NCAA tourney resume speak that is a win that will keep giving and giving and giving, a win worth 4 or 5 feathers in their cap. Picking up a quality road win this earlier ends the road argument before we get to the end of the first week on January. Rutgers won tonight and had nothing to do with playing at the RAC nor did it have to do with Purdue having an off night. Rutgers won because they belong on the same court and took it right to Purdue on their home court. Rutgers was more physical. Rutgers made the winning plays. Rutgers in a close matchup is probably the slightly better team. Process that in your mind, Rutgers just beat the supposed best team in the Big 10 because they could actually be better than them. Add in a win over preseason fave Indiana and a virtual win at Ohio State stolen by a missed ref call. Rutgers has just come out 2-1 really 3-0 vs the top 3 schools in the league. How do you like them apples Mr Tagliabue????
The most impressive part of the triumph is how it unfolded, how it evolved and how it finished. Now backing up a bit, obviously its become clear that without Paul and Caleb its pretty much unfair to critique the losses to Temple and even Miami all that much. That was a team without key cogs and that does not work in Pikiell's system. Still its fair to say RU made some mistakes in those games and even at Ohio State that RU could clean up. Even though they had elevated themselves as a top half Big 10 program the previous 3 years, RU has not been taken as serious as a legit top 3-4 school in the league. To do that it takes more than winning at the RAC and coming close on the road. Sure RU won at Wisconsin last year and that was a start but past Pikiell teams have never been able to pack their defensive luggage on the road like they did tonight. This year's edition of Pike's Working Dogs came of age tonight. RU showed it was good enough to waltz into Mackey and go up 10 at half, simply shutting down the Purdue offense and holding them to just 6 points the last 9 minutes of the first half.. Much of that with Edey saddled with foul trouble. RU would extend it to 13 but were they going to be good enough MENTALLY to close the game out when you knew "Here Comes Edey" and you knew that the place would turn into a snake pit once the Boilermakers got it to one or two possessions. What separates the title contenders who go 15-5 in league and those who go 11-9 is not just who is more talented. What separates the elite from the good is having mental toughness, leadership, and being able to overcome all kinds of adversity to being thrown at you.
Tonight was a game you see all the time in college hoops. Ranked team struggles earlier, rallies and then escapes with a win in the end. How many times have you seen Rutgers lose this kind of game over the years. Call it run out steam, choke, or blow out. Rutgers was put to the mental test tonight. We all saw it. We all felt it. It was slip sliding it away. How many times do we see that dagger. I asked in the game thread about we need leadership. RU was gambling a bit on defense, fouling alot. Their offense was losing any sense of purpose and went through a hideous 2-12 fg stretch over 10 minutes where the lead went from 13 to just up 2 at the under 8 timeout. Mulcahy was having a solid yet unspectacular game and seemed to be disappearing from making plays in the 2nd half. Someone needed to DO SOMETHING It was as if Mulcahy was summoned. Not sure what was said in the timeout at 5:38 that Pike called with the game tied at 52. I am sure Paul was a big part of that conversation because after that we saw a kid unleashed taking the team on his back. Coming out of the timeout, Paul nailed a jumper on a nifty assist from Cliff. On the next possession Paul would bully his way in, even as he was warily covered by two Purdue players nearby. Paul missed shot, but scooped the board underneath everyone for a put back and got an and one. Paul again on the next possession..its good and suddenly Rutgers is up 5, simmering the crowd down, giving them just that little bit of breathing room. Paul responsible for 7 of RU's last 8 but he wasnt done...Paul again for a layup. Its now 62-57. Purdue cannot stop him until they did. Paul missed his next 2 and when Loyer made that 3 to put Purdue up 64-62, Rutgers was going to need something special. Mulcahy you would think would be the option yet some of us thought Pike perhaps had inadvertently set up the perfect decoy. Purdue was going to key on Paul and a kick out to Cam would be the proper call and that was exactly what happened. A little adjustment by Cam and he got a great look and it was onions for him. RU up 65-64. Rutgers was able to withstand some in and out passing from Purdue and ultimately gave up an open 3 to Newmann who was short. The ball went out of bounds to RU and despite the uncomfortable finish with Caleb turning it over before inbounding...that was it, RUTGERS HAD WON! UN****INGBELIEVABLE!
No one is going to hand you wins in the Big 10 especially on the road and especially against #1 and with the likely Big 10 player of the year. I know our fans like the get on the refs. The game thread is a tough read with alot of posts reference refs. The refs were not easy on Rutgers. 24 fouls called on RU to just 11 for Purdue. Purdue went to the line 28 times and RU just 11. Some of that is understandable given RU doesnt make many drives to draw the foul which Painter explicitly was going to do in the 2nd half. The gambles RU made on defense in the 2nd half turned out to hurt them. Just a tad overaggressive in defending Edey moreso from the back rather than denying him the ball. Ref bias? Maybe but if you do not think Edey and the home team will not get those calls you are mistaken. Certainly those calls allowed Purdue to keep chipping away at the lead but at the same time, RU was not helping themself on offense and letting themselves get frustrated. The refs were not going to bail Rutgers out. Fair disparity or not. Rutgers needed to do something to change what was happening. The D on Edey was oh so slightly different and RU was a little more willing to give Purdue the open shot on the perimeter which did burn them a couple times. Still Rutgers was going to have to do something special offensively and that they did with Paul Mulcahy and then the game winner by Cam. As a thread by Mildone alluded to, you cannot defend the free throw line. Despite all the foul issues, RU found themselves in an even game with just a few minutes left. That RU pulled it out despite having to overcome the refs makes it all sweeter and proves how RU deserved this victory. Remember vs Ohio State or Miami or Notre Dame RU just was not making that one stop, one rebound or one shot. You have to prove you deserve that win. Rutgers did. They proved it all knight. That hunger I talked about in early game recaps. Its traveled. Feed this bunch.
Stats wise, Paul and Cam really standout by games end obviously yet this was a team effort. Even the minutes by Woolfolk and Reiber were huge. Cliff getting two fouls on Edey was enormous. It allowed RU to flex its muscle and force a talented but youthful Boilermaker team to be put in go to roles. Those youngins did not fare too well. Rutgers exploited them with their physicality and no one could stop Cliff in the paint in the first half who had some sweet dunks. Cliff was 4-6 in the first half with 1 points, including a 3. I believe Cliff only finished with 12 points and just 6 rebounds. RU just couldnt get Cliff the ball and when they did, Cliff missed all 5 of them in the 2nd half. Yet while Edey was able to be more successful in the 2nd half, Cliff and Mag and Hyatt still extended alot of energy into doubling him and even one stop is considered a big success. Paul had that slower start but finished 7-13 fg, 16 points with a team leading 8 boards, 6 assists, 4 steals. A game for the ages for Paul that he will nor Rutgers fans will forget. Cam ice in his veins with the game winner but it looked so easy. Cam was 6-8 fg and 14 points including a couple of real tough jumpers. I think its safe to say any of us who were worried that Cam could not play at this level were wrong. Caleb gave his typical yeomans work on defense with a couple of steals and 4 boards. Hit a couple shots early but not much offense as the game wore on just 6 points Just his harrassment of Purdue guards really gets them just out of sync enough especially in the first half. Hyatt in 25 minutes played his role, hit some shots early, not so much late but this is exactly the kind of game we need him to play. Grabbed 6 boards, had 8 points played very good D. Mag not as sharp tonight early out of the game playing just 15 minutes. Good call for Pike to be aware that tonight might not have been the night for him as those early fouls hurt him. Derek got a huge 3 and made a few free throws in the 2nd half. Those points were needed. Like he was under control except for one rushed shot, yes only 1-5 but he didnt hurt the team. Instant energy that makes us even faster. Notable stats are RU just turned it over 10 times and I believe only 3 in the 2nd half. RU was outboarded 34-31 and 12-11 offensively but it was pretty even in the 2nd half. 6-14 from 3 and 9-11 ft are very good for this team. Limiting Purdue to 10 less shots and
39.6% including forcing them into a woeful 7-23 from 3 were difference makers.
How you win sometimes is more important that you won. This was not just a win. I think its a statement. The whys and hows of this win HAD to happen if the program has aspirations to take it further than a "last 8 team in". Legitimacy and respect are learned. The biggest win for Pikiell in his tenure at Rutgers IMO. We can debate what comes next and eventual worries about guarding against the proverbial letdown. There is so MUCH to talk about it but that is best left to other threads. Rutgers proved themselves. They proved themselves to Purdue. They proved themselves to the Big 10, They proved themselves to the college basketball world. But most importantly Rutgers proved themselves to themselves. When you know you know. We'll prove it all knight for you......
Is this real? Taking time to process this because "potentially" this win is a game changer for the program with all kinds of endless possibilities for us to discuss. For Coach Pikiell and the players, its just another victory and goal accomplished, just one win in a 20 game season Big 10 season where each game evolves in its own way and seizing victory by making the necessary plays down the strech is always the goal. To them, they keep their heads on straight because that is how Coach Pikiell has always run his program. Celebrate tonight, start preparing for Maryland. Their work is not done. For us the fans though, this is why we follow our favorite teams whether its professional or college. Much like the win at Purdue in 2020 to clinch a spot in the ill fated NCAA tourney, the Harper shot to beat Purdue at the RAC in 2021 and the Cam 3 to knock off #1 for the 2nd straight year but this time at their building, these are the days to remember. Everything is coming up roses.
And nothing's gonna stop us 'til we're through!
Honey, everything's coming up roses and daffodils!
Everything's coming up sunshine and Santa Claus!
Everything's gonna be bright lights and lollipops!
Everything's coming up roses for me and for you!
This time its different. Beating Purdue at the RAC last year when they were #1 was a shock for sure given that RU had struggled losing to Lafayette and UMass. Purdue was ripe for a loss there. Things are different at the RAC. Not to downplay that win but it took one in a thousand shot to pull it out. RU won at the RAC yet in the rematch at Mackey, Rutgers was dispatched rather easily. Tonight's win at Mackey vs a #1 was on another level. Rutgers just beat #1 on their home court. In NCAA tourney resume speak that is a win that will keep giving and giving and giving, a win worth 4 or 5 feathers in their cap. Picking up a quality road win this earlier ends the road argument before we get to the end of the first week on January. Rutgers won tonight and had nothing to do with playing at the RAC nor did it have to do with Purdue having an off night. Rutgers won because they belong on the same court and took it right to Purdue on their home court. Rutgers was more physical. Rutgers made the winning plays. Rutgers in a close matchup is probably the slightly better team. Process that in your mind, Rutgers just beat the supposed best team in the Big 10 because they could actually be better than them. Add in a win over preseason fave Indiana and a virtual win at Ohio State stolen by a missed ref call. Rutgers has just come out 2-1 really 3-0 vs the top 3 schools in the league. How do you like them apples Mr Tagliabue????
The most impressive part of the triumph is how it unfolded, how it evolved and how it finished. Now backing up a bit, obviously its become clear that without Paul and Caleb its pretty much unfair to critique the losses to Temple and even Miami all that much. That was a team without key cogs and that does not work in Pikiell's system. Still its fair to say RU made some mistakes in those games and even at Ohio State that RU could clean up. Even though they had elevated themselves as a top half Big 10 program the previous 3 years, RU has not been taken as serious as a legit top 3-4 school in the league. To do that it takes more than winning at the RAC and coming close on the road. Sure RU won at Wisconsin last year and that was a start but past Pikiell teams have never been able to pack their defensive luggage on the road like they did tonight. This year's edition of Pike's Working Dogs came of age tonight. RU showed it was good enough to waltz into Mackey and go up 10 at half, simply shutting down the Purdue offense and holding them to just 6 points the last 9 minutes of the first half.. Much of that with Edey saddled with foul trouble. RU would extend it to 13 but were they going to be good enough MENTALLY to close the game out when you knew "Here Comes Edey" and you knew that the place would turn into a snake pit once the Boilermakers got it to one or two possessions. What separates the title contenders who go 15-5 in league and those who go 11-9 is not just who is more talented. What separates the elite from the good is having mental toughness, leadership, and being able to overcome all kinds of adversity to being thrown at you.
Tonight was a game you see all the time in college hoops. Ranked team struggles earlier, rallies and then escapes with a win in the end. How many times have you seen Rutgers lose this kind of game over the years. Call it run out steam, choke, or blow out. Rutgers was put to the mental test tonight. We all saw it. We all felt it. It was slip sliding it away. How many times do we see that dagger. I asked in the game thread about we need leadership. RU was gambling a bit on defense, fouling alot. Their offense was losing any sense of purpose and went through a hideous 2-12 fg stretch over 10 minutes where the lead went from 13 to just up 2 at the under 8 timeout. Mulcahy was having a solid yet unspectacular game and seemed to be disappearing from making plays in the 2nd half. Someone needed to DO SOMETHING It was as if Mulcahy was summoned. Not sure what was said in the timeout at 5:38 that Pike called with the game tied at 52. I am sure Paul was a big part of that conversation because after that we saw a kid unleashed taking the team on his back. Coming out of the timeout, Paul nailed a jumper on a nifty assist from Cliff. On the next possession Paul would bully his way in, even as he was warily covered by two Purdue players nearby. Paul missed shot, but scooped the board underneath everyone for a put back and got an and one. Paul again on the next possession..its good and suddenly Rutgers is up 5, simmering the crowd down, giving them just that little bit of breathing room. Paul responsible for 7 of RU's last 8 but he wasnt done...Paul again for a layup. Its now 62-57. Purdue cannot stop him until they did. Paul missed his next 2 and when Loyer made that 3 to put Purdue up 64-62, Rutgers was going to need something special. Mulcahy you would think would be the option yet some of us thought Pike perhaps had inadvertently set up the perfect decoy. Purdue was going to key on Paul and a kick out to Cam would be the proper call and that was exactly what happened. A little adjustment by Cam and he got a great look and it was onions for him. RU up 65-64. Rutgers was able to withstand some in and out passing from Purdue and ultimately gave up an open 3 to Newmann who was short. The ball went out of bounds to RU and despite the uncomfortable finish with Caleb turning it over before inbounding...that was it, RUTGERS HAD WON! UN****INGBELIEVABLE!
No one is going to hand you wins in the Big 10 especially on the road and especially against #1 and with the likely Big 10 player of the year. I know our fans like the get on the refs. The game thread is a tough read with alot of posts reference refs. The refs were not easy on Rutgers. 24 fouls called on RU to just 11 for Purdue. Purdue went to the line 28 times and RU just 11. Some of that is understandable given RU doesnt make many drives to draw the foul which Painter explicitly was going to do in the 2nd half. The gambles RU made on defense in the 2nd half turned out to hurt them. Just a tad overaggressive in defending Edey moreso from the back rather than denying him the ball. Ref bias? Maybe but if you do not think Edey and the home team will not get those calls you are mistaken. Certainly those calls allowed Purdue to keep chipping away at the lead but at the same time, RU was not helping themself on offense and letting themselves get frustrated. The refs were not going to bail Rutgers out. Fair disparity or not. Rutgers needed to do something to change what was happening. The D on Edey was oh so slightly different and RU was a little more willing to give Purdue the open shot on the perimeter which did burn them a couple times. Still Rutgers was going to have to do something special offensively and that they did with Paul Mulcahy and then the game winner by Cam. As a thread by Mildone alluded to, you cannot defend the free throw line. Despite all the foul issues, RU found themselves in an even game with just a few minutes left. That RU pulled it out despite having to overcome the refs makes it all sweeter and proves how RU deserved this victory. Remember vs Ohio State or Miami or Notre Dame RU just was not making that one stop, one rebound or one shot. You have to prove you deserve that win. Rutgers did. They proved it all knight. That hunger I talked about in early game recaps. Its traveled. Feed this bunch.
Stats wise, Paul and Cam really standout by games end obviously yet this was a team effort. Even the minutes by Woolfolk and Reiber were huge. Cliff getting two fouls on Edey was enormous. It allowed RU to flex its muscle and force a talented but youthful Boilermaker team to be put in go to roles. Those youngins did not fare too well. Rutgers exploited them with their physicality and no one could stop Cliff in the paint in the first half who had some sweet dunks. Cliff was 4-6 in the first half with 1 points, including a 3. I believe Cliff only finished with 12 points and just 6 rebounds. RU just couldnt get Cliff the ball and when they did, Cliff missed all 5 of them in the 2nd half. Yet while Edey was able to be more successful in the 2nd half, Cliff and Mag and Hyatt still extended alot of energy into doubling him and even one stop is considered a big success. Paul had that slower start but finished 7-13 fg, 16 points with a team leading 8 boards, 6 assists, 4 steals. A game for the ages for Paul that he will nor Rutgers fans will forget. Cam ice in his veins with the game winner but it looked so easy. Cam was 6-8 fg and 14 points including a couple of real tough jumpers. I think its safe to say any of us who were worried that Cam could not play at this level were wrong. Caleb gave his typical yeomans work on defense with a couple of steals and 4 boards. Hit a couple shots early but not much offense as the game wore on just 6 points Just his harrassment of Purdue guards really gets them just out of sync enough especially in the first half. Hyatt in 25 minutes played his role, hit some shots early, not so much late but this is exactly the kind of game we need him to play. Grabbed 6 boards, had 8 points played very good D. Mag not as sharp tonight early out of the game playing just 15 minutes. Good call for Pike to be aware that tonight might not have been the night for him as those early fouls hurt him. Derek got a huge 3 and made a few free throws in the 2nd half. Those points were needed. Like he was under control except for one rushed shot, yes only 1-5 but he didnt hurt the team. Instant energy that makes us even faster. Notable stats are RU just turned it over 10 times and I believe only 3 in the 2nd half. RU was outboarded 34-31 and 12-11 offensively but it was pretty even in the 2nd half. 6-14 from 3 and 9-11 ft are very good for this team. Limiting Purdue to 10 less shots and
39.6% including forcing them into a woeful 7-23 from 3 were difference makers.
How you win sometimes is more important that you won. This was not just a win. I think its a statement. The whys and hows of this win HAD to happen if the program has aspirations to take it further than a "last 8 team in". Legitimacy and respect are learned. The biggest win for Pikiell in his tenure at Rutgers IMO. We can debate what comes next and eventual worries about guarding against the proverbial letdown. There is so MUCH to talk about it but that is best left to other threads. Rutgers proved themselves. They proved themselves to Purdue. They proved themselves to the Big 10, They proved themselves to the college basketball world. But most importantly Rutgers proved themselves to themselves. When you know you know. We'll prove it all knight for you......