Just when we thought, their chance had passed, they go and save the best for last. Now I believe there comes a time when everything just falls in line. Are you gonna wait for your sign, your miracle, stand up and fight. This is It! Your back's to the corner. The waiting is over. It's here, the moment is now, about to decide. Let'em believe. Leave'em behind. This is it!. Who can name those 3 songs.
Wow what a game. Perhaps the best cliff notes version of Rutgers basketball all rolled into one game with a big phat happy ending. We saw two scoring droughts in the first 12 minutes. The first one a more than 3 minute drought which saw Indiana go on a 10-0 run to go up 10-2 and the second a just brutal 6 minute stretch that saw RU go down 23-8 miss 5 fgs and turn the ball over a few times. The first 8 pages of the game thread was filled with alot of vitriol and resignation that the season was slip sliding away. The 12 minutes were the Maryland game and 5 game RU losing streak on steriods given the enormity of this game. How could this team just be so bad so quickly. Indiana was literally toying with us offensively and we just were so discombobulated on offense.
Wait for it.......
From then on Rutgers embarked on what would be a 57-22 run over the course of about 20 minutes. It would be one of the most dominant stretches that anyone has ever seen at the RAC against a quality opponent. Indiana was humiliated and left broken. By the time we got to the under 8 timeout, Rutgers was up 65-45 and the game was over. Rutgers poured it on and poured it on. It started innocently enough with a Geo 3 and then a Paul 3 and basically everyone is saying okay lets get it to 5 or 6 and ride some momentum into halftime. But Rutgers was relentless and kept coming. Whether it was Geo from 3, I think he hit 3 of them or Harper getting untracked for 3, hitting two or Paul was a half ending play that just epitimozed the RU effort in the last part of that 2nd half. Suddenly RU was not just back in the game, RU was winning by 4 and had all the momentum going into half. They did not stop there. So pleasing to watch the team just pick up right from there in the 2nd half. It was Ron shooting arrows nailing back to back 3s and we all started to feel something special was going down at the RAC tonight, The lead bulged to 10 and when Indiana tried to make a little run to cut it to 6, RU did not wilt like they did in some others games, instead they kicked it up several notches. What was good to see, is that it was too guys who didnt play much today but played an incredibly large part in sealing the victory. Caleb McConnell didnt have any points today but boy did he contribute. 5 boards, a steal and an assist in a key stretch seemingly in on a bunch of defensive stops. Also then the Cliff show in back to back sequences, had a dunk and lay in and RU regained all its mojo. Add in Montez Mathis who had a couple of great offensive plays including a monster jam and some great defense. Make no mistake about it, it was Geo and Harper from 3 and Myles rebounding that won the game but give credit to Paul, Montez, Cliff and Caleb for sealing the game with kisses. Rutgers working in synch. Its starts shooting the ball, its subs playing their role, the team running in transition, rebounding and limiting Indiana in the 2nd half. We saw glimpses vs Northwestern 2x and Michigan State but Rutgers had no shown us this complete version of themselves since the win over Illinois.
I don't know how it happened but I am glad it happened. The rotation played longer without subbing so that was a factor. A different mix of players at different times. Leaders stepping up. Making shots, you look good when you make shots. Have not heard any post game so I am very curious to get the players take on what was happening and how they were able to stick together.
Geo Baker had himself a game. Very fitting. A good kid and under appreciated given what he has brought to the program. Fans perhaps heaping too great of expectations on him. Plagued by injuries and yes his play has been inconsistent especially this year, he did save the best for last. Geo hit 6 3s including a decisive one to push the lead to 57-45 with no time left on the shot clock and RU struggling for a couple of possessions. 20 points, 6-11 on 3s, 7-13 overall...an unbelievable 10 assists, 2 steals, and 5 boards. Geo was the shot maker. Geo was the leader. Geo delivered the donuts.
Ron Harper what can we say. Was he like 4-43 from 3. Well after he made his first, his confidence level grew like giant bean. Ron would hit on 4-7 from 3, 8-12 overall, we got to see those sweet strokes once again. 20 points and huge here...8 boards. His best game in forever and maybe he did put his phone down. When Geo and Ron are on. It makes RU churn where the supporting cast can do their thing to
Myles did what Myles does....10 boards, 10 rebounds and basically flummoxed anything that Indiana tried to do inside especially with undersized players. 7 freaking blocks are you kidding me.
I thought Paul was very active early and a big part of why RU had the lead at halftime. And he got less minutes in the 2nd half, which was the right thing. It was going to be a different game in the 2nd half. RU was going to run and get in transition and make Indiana pay. Thats when you rely more on JY and Tez. The use of JY in the lineup was perfect. Some games RU is better suited at running and exploiting the other teams D. His energy on defense and running the ball was exactly what RU needed. 10 points, 7 assists in a whopping 33 minutes. Pike trusted JY tonight and JY delivered on what looks to be his last game at the RAC.
So backs against the wall not only coming into the game but damn down 15 with 28 minutes left in the game and their everlasting season they could see it fading fast. This was it. A rousing win over a fellow bubble team. While I will not go as far as to say that RU has punched their dance ticket just yet, still need to take care of business at Nebraska, I think this game is going to go along way to alleviate the fears of a fanbase that saw the season teetering on the brink of oblivion. I hope that this game also helps us all...me including into stepping back and appreciate what this group has done for the past 4 years including Coach Pikiell. To rise up from the bottom to what they have accomplished the past two seasons at a school where they said it couldnt be done and in such a tough conference is an enormous accomplishment. Win or lose a game in the NCAA tournament. This is the bunch that changed the course of RU history forever. We need to celebrate this and savor these moments we as a program and fanbase are about to embark upon.
Wow what a game. Perhaps the best cliff notes version of Rutgers basketball all rolled into one game with a big phat happy ending. We saw two scoring droughts in the first 12 minutes. The first one a more than 3 minute drought which saw Indiana go on a 10-0 run to go up 10-2 and the second a just brutal 6 minute stretch that saw RU go down 23-8 miss 5 fgs and turn the ball over a few times. The first 8 pages of the game thread was filled with alot of vitriol and resignation that the season was slip sliding away. The 12 minutes were the Maryland game and 5 game RU losing streak on steriods given the enormity of this game. How could this team just be so bad so quickly. Indiana was literally toying with us offensively and we just were so discombobulated on offense.
Wait for it.......
From then on Rutgers embarked on what would be a 57-22 run over the course of about 20 minutes. It would be one of the most dominant stretches that anyone has ever seen at the RAC against a quality opponent. Indiana was humiliated and left broken. By the time we got to the under 8 timeout, Rutgers was up 65-45 and the game was over. Rutgers poured it on and poured it on. It started innocently enough with a Geo 3 and then a Paul 3 and basically everyone is saying okay lets get it to 5 or 6 and ride some momentum into halftime. But Rutgers was relentless and kept coming. Whether it was Geo from 3, I think he hit 3 of them or Harper getting untracked for 3, hitting two or Paul was a half ending play that just epitimozed the RU effort in the last part of that 2nd half. Suddenly RU was not just back in the game, RU was winning by 4 and had all the momentum going into half. They did not stop there. So pleasing to watch the team just pick up right from there in the 2nd half. It was Ron shooting arrows nailing back to back 3s and we all started to feel something special was going down at the RAC tonight, The lead bulged to 10 and when Indiana tried to make a little run to cut it to 6, RU did not wilt like they did in some others games, instead they kicked it up several notches. What was good to see, is that it was too guys who didnt play much today but played an incredibly large part in sealing the victory. Caleb McConnell didnt have any points today but boy did he contribute. 5 boards, a steal and an assist in a key stretch seemingly in on a bunch of defensive stops. Also then the Cliff show in back to back sequences, had a dunk and lay in and RU regained all its mojo. Add in Montez Mathis who had a couple of great offensive plays including a monster jam and some great defense. Make no mistake about it, it was Geo and Harper from 3 and Myles rebounding that won the game but give credit to Paul, Montez, Cliff and Caleb for sealing the game with kisses. Rutgers working in synch. Its starts shooting the ball, its subs playing their role, the team running in transition, rebounding and limiting Indiana in the 2nd half. We saw glimpses vs Northwestern 2x and Michigan State but Rutgers had no shown us this complete version of themselves since the win over Illinois.
I don't know how it happened but I am glad it happened. The rotation played longer without subbing so that was a factor. A different mix of players at different times. Leaders stepping up. Making shots, you look good when you make shots. Have not heard any post game so I am very curious to get the players take on what was happening and how they were able to stick together.
Geo Baker had himself a game. Very fitting. A good kid and under appreciated given what he has brought to the program. Fans perhaps heaping too great of expectations on him. Plagued by injuries and yes his play has been inconsistent especially this year, he did save the best for last. Geo hit 6 3s including a decisive one to push the lead to 57-45 with no time left on the shot clock and RU struggling for a couple of possessions. 20 points, 6-11 on 3s, 7-13 overall...an unbelievable 10 assists, 2 steals, and 5 boards. Geo was the shot maker. Geo was the leader. Geo delivered the donuts.
Ron Harper what can we say. Was he like 4-43 from 3. Well after he made his first, his confidence level grew like giant bean. Ron would hit on 4-7 from 3, 8-12 overall, we got to see those sweet strokes once again. 20 points and huge here...8 boards. His best game in forever and maybe he did put his phone down. When Geo and Ron are on. It makes RU churn where the supporting cast can do their thing to
Myles did what Myles does....10 boards, 10 rebounds and basically flummoxed anything that Indiana tried to do inside especially with undersized players. 7 freaking blocks are you kidding me.
I thought Paul was very active early and a big part of why RU had the lead at halftime. And he got less minutes in the 2nd half, which was the right thing. It was going to be a different game in the 2nd half. RU was going to run and get in transition and make Indiana pay. Thats when you rely more on JY and Tez. The use of JY in the lineup was perfect. Some games RU is better suited at running and exploiting the other teams D. His energy on defense and running the ball was exactly what RU needed. 10 points, 7 assists in a whopping 33 minutes. Pike trusted JY tonight and JY delivered on what looks to be his last game at the RAC.
So backs against the wall not only coming into the game but damn down 15 with 28 minutes left in the game and their everlasting season they could see it fading fast. This was it. A rousing win over a fellow bubble team. While I will not go as far as to say that RU has punched their dance ticket just yet, still need to take care of business at Nebraska, I think this game is going to go along way to alleviate the fears of a fanbase that saw the season teetering on the brink of oblivion. I hope that this game also helps us all...me including into stepping back and appreciate what this group has done for the past 4 years including Coach Pikiell. To rise up from the bottom to what they have accomplished the past two seasons at a school where they said it couldnt be done and in such a tough conference is an enormous accomplishment. Win or lose a game in the NCAA tournament. This is the bunch that changed the course of RU history forever. We need to celebrate this and savor these moments we as a program and fanbase are about to embark upon.
