Unbelievable win. I think Sweet Pea called this one with his Don't Stop Believing rallying cry. I am hoping the team was inspired by his video. Some of us in the game thread may have stopped believing after RU got down by 19 but we do not play the game. I am glad that the team shook off their bad play and never gave up. I will gladly eat crow from the game thread with some bad takes. The worst of which was this one in response to NJHawk....."Derek isnt going to save us" Good call Hawk and while your takes have been a bit off with respect to Mag the past couple of weeks you have been consistent with the idea that Derek needs to play more especially with Mag out and I have to tip your hat, you are the new KING around here for your call as RU was sputtering early.
Following the disappointing performance vs Michigan, I think many of us were down on this team going forward. I really thought Penn State needed to be a must win because by not winning there would be tons of noise swirling about a fading RU heading to the last 4 in list. Beating Minnesota would likely not quell those vultures and Northwestern to close the season would be seem daunting. RU could not have started out any worse. Down 19, It was as ugly as some of the comments in the game thread. Yet Penn State was leaving points on the table when they got up big and RU scored the last 7 of the first half led by Derek to cut it to a reasonable 10. PSU seemingly layed a hammer down going up 19 at 42-23 3 minutes into the 2nd half. It was all Rutgers after that. RU deliberately chipping away and outscoring the Nittany Lions 36-14 in the last 18:42 including allowing PSU no fg in the last 9:16 and outscoring them 16-3 in that stretch. RU unbelievably had come all the way back and lowered the boom achieving their biggest comeback I believe since Pitt in 1996.
The highs and lows of being a fan. A rollercoaster game. Where you are pulling your hair out screaming how could they look like they never played before and then in the middle making bargains saying wait if we just get this stop. Reeled back in and it leaves you wondering what you just watched. It is always good to be on the end of these not so rare comebacks. It sucks to be on the receiving end. We have all experienced both sides as fans. Look at Michigan State at Iowa yesterday with Sparty blowing a 13 point lead in 90 seconds. How about Wisconsin all but securing a win with just 2 seconds left up 3. Both lost in overtime. The crushing lows and soaring highs....
The lows......2-11 fg in the first 9 minutes and just 5 points, Penn State completing a 24-4 run going up 26-7 and making our team look absolutely silly, RU missing 9 straight fgs during that time, bricks, missed free throws, missed bunnies. Our lowest point of the season. 26-7 with 5 minutes left in the half.
They say "its always darkest before the dawn".....enter Derek Simpson. Started innocently enough with a Cliff steal up to Derek for the easy lay in. RU would outscore PSU 14-5 in the closing minutes of the first half to at least give them a puncher chance down 10. Derek would score the last 7 points of the half finishing 4-8 fg with 9 points. A glimmer of hope considering the rest of the team was shooting just 5-25.
Another low second half, PSU comes out raging with a 3. an and one, and another 3 after Lundy dunked at 17 minutes, RU was left gasping at 42-23 and Coach Pike was forced to call another timeout. So much for the comeback, hope was being sucked out. Somehow Pike was able to get his charges to keep battling. It did not matter that there was some questionable effort at times. It did not matter their mental psyche seemed fragile or that their offense looked dysfunctional. RU simply went to work and chipped away. Give credit to RU for fighting and clawing but almost always in these games you need the opponent to start making mistakes. Penn State was chucking alot tonight. Not playing smart with a lead. They didnt have to work for their early lead and RU was self destructing. That bit PSU as they were not working for their stuff especially the last 10 minutes but by that time, that is where you have to give credit to the RU defense. The bread and butter came back. RU was getting turnovers, they were getting points off turnovers, they started boarding, they defended and they didnt foul. Layups by Cam and Derek taking it to the hoop. How about Calebs hook shot at 54-49. Steals by Cam and Paul. RU smelled blood in the water. They bit and bit hard. And unbelievably the one guy who you cringe on this team when he takes a 3, Caleb McConnell delivered on a huge make that tied it up at 54. Before anyone knew it RU was right in that familiar threading the needle position.
Derek delivered the lead by racing up the court after free throws gave PSU the lead at 56-54.....and he was fouled and made the shots...RU up 57-56. A big risk there being aggressive but played huge rewards. PSU obviously did not scout Derek and couldnt contain his speed. But it was Big Cliff rebounding a missed 3 and then scooping up a missed Derek layup for a lay in that put RU up 59-56. Was this really happening? Yup it was. Just like vs Wisconsin, RU scrambled on D to survive a barrage of 3s culminating with a Cam strip and Oskar securing the ball. It was over. RU had done the unthinkable.
You can question their offensive skills, the sometimes maddening decision making, but this team has absolutely no quit in them. Time and time again they keep being counted out and simply keep delivering. Now 4 straight years picking up a crucial road victory to all but secure NCAA berths. That was a full manball lift today, They laid them on the table. From trainwreck to fixing the tire of the NCAA bus.
Got to wrap this up because I have to gear up for Bacatology. I dont know what to make of the individual players today. Almost everyone had a positive thread somewhere but a couple of guys had poor games and one was benched in the 2nd half after not hustling after a miss. We know who they are and we won so lets move on to the positives. Derek the game of his life, 16 points 6 boards, 6-14 fg, 4-4 ft in 28 minutes. Can Rutgers tap more of that in tourney time. If they can they may have shown they are not done yet. Credit Pike, I know he had little option but to roll the dice here but he has never given Derek the green light as much as he got tonight and it came by limiting minutes of upperclassmen and that is an interesting sign. Oskar is having a wonderful year of late. He delivered 2 big 3s and played at least solid D in 19 minutes. Its all you can ask....and in on that final play too to secure the ball and the win. He is earning his minutes with Pike. How about Caleb...11 points, 2 really pivotal shots late but a warrior as usual. Defense on Pickett, are you kidding me, totally shutting him down in the 2nd half and getting help to from Cliff. Key to that 2nd half so big time coaching move by Pike too. Caleb can make you crazy at times, shot way too much first half but showed more of the Caleb offensively we had been used to in prior years. Cam...even in the first half I thought he was playing well just not getting the looks. I thought he showed his toughness today, got that strip on the illfated final psu shot, took some contact in a some drives to the hoop...13 points in the 36 minutes and a critical steal in their too. Last but not least, Big Cliff, quieter at times but in crunch time he delivered big time with his aforementioned plays. 13 boards, 9 points. Cliff worked it late and as much as it was Derek being the star today, this win happened because a bunch of guys were tough as nails late.
Welcome to March Madness. Trying to figure this team out is not easy. A rough 6 game stretch since Mag went down, 2 competitive losses on the road vs NCAA schools, two eggs at the RAC and two beautiful ugly wins vs 2 schools desperate to secure wins for their NCAA resume. At the end of the day RU is every bit their 18-11/10-8 Big 10 record. They are well positioned to lock down their 3rd (4th) straight NCAA tourney with a win at Minnesota. Where does RU go from here? Does RU get its swagger and a little momentum back from a win like tonight. Maybe...and I think we will know right away vs Minnesota. A lot was at stake tonight. Seasons can turn on a dime, a missed rebound, a missed shot....its a fine line, a very fine line. Say a little thank you to the basketball gods before your heads hit the pillow tonight.
Following the disappointing performance vs Michigan, I think many of us were down on this team going forward. I really thought Penn State needed to be a must win because by not winning there would be tons of noise swirling about a fading RU heading to the last 4 in list. Beating Minnesota would likely not quell those vultures and Northwestern to close the season would be seem daunting. RU could not have started out any worse. Down 19, It was as ugly as some of the comments in the game thread. Yet Penn State was leaving points on the table when they got up big and RU scored the last 7 of the first half led by Derek to cut it to a reasonable 10. PSU seemingly layed a hammer down going up 19 at 42-23 3 minutes into the 2nd half. It was all Rutgers after that. RU deliberately chipping away and outscoring the Nittany Lions 36-14 in the last 18:42 including allowing PSU no fg in the last 9:16 and outscoring them 16-3 in that stretch. RU unbelievably had come all the way back and lowered the boom achieving their biggest comeback I believe since Pitt in 1996.
The highs and lows of being a fan. A rollercoaster game. Where you are pulling your hair out screaming how could they look like they never played before and then in the middle making bargains saying wait if we just get this stop. Reeled back in and it leaves you wondering what you just watched. It is always good to be on the end of these not so rare comebacks. It sucks to be on the receiving end. We have all experienced both sides as fans. Look at Michigan State at Iowa yesterday with Sparty blowing a 13 point lead in 90 seconds. How about Wisconsin all but securing a win with just 2 seconds left up 3. Both lost in overtime. The crushing lows and soaring highs....
The lows......2-11 fg in the first 9 minutes and just 5 points, Penn State completing a 24-4 run going up 26-7 and making our team look absolutely silly, RU missing 9 straight fgs during that time, bricks, missed free throws, missed bunnies. Our lowest point of the season. 26-7 with 5 minutes left in the half.
They say "its always darkest before the dawn".....enter Derek Simpson. Started innocently enough with a Cliff steal up to Derek for the easy lay in. RU would outscore PSU 14-5 in the closing minutes of the first half to at least give them a puncher chance down 10. Derek would score the last 7 points of the half finishing 4-8 fg with 9 points. A glimmer of hope considering the rest of the team was shooting just 5-25.
Another low second half, PSU comes out raging with a 3. an and one, and another 3 after Lundy dunked at 17 minutes, RU was left gasping at 42-23 and Coach Pike was forced to call another timeout. So much for the comeback, hope was being sucked out. Somehow Pike was able to get his charges to keep battling. It did not matter that there was some questionable effort at times. It did not matter their mental psyche seemed fragile or that their offense looked dysfunctional. RU simply went to work and chipped away. Give credit to RU for fighting and clawing but almost always in these games you need the opponent to start making mistakes. Penn State was chucking alot tonight. Not playing smart with a lead. They didnt have to work for their early lead and RU was self destructing. That bit PSU as they were not working for their stuff especially the last 10 minutes but by that time, that is where you have to give credit to the RU defense. The bread and butter came back. RU was getting turnovers, they were getting points off turnovers, they started boarding, they defended and they didnt foul. Layups by Cam and Derek taking it to the hoop. How about Calebs hook shot at 54-49. Steals by Cam and Paul. RU smelled blood in the water. They bit and bit hard. And unbelievably the one guy who you cringe on this team when he takes a 3, Caleb McConnell delivered on a huge make that tied it up at 54. Before anyone knew it RU was right in that familiar threading the needle position.
Derek delivered the lead by racing up the court after free throws gave PSU the lead at 56-54.....and he was fouled and made the shots...RU up 57-56. A big risk there being aggressive but played huge rewards. PSU obviously did not scout Derek and couldnt contain his speed. But it was Big Cliff rebounding a missed 3 and then scooping up a missed Derek layup for a lay in that put RU up 59-56. Was this really happening? Yup it was. Just like vs Wisconsin, RU scrambled on D to survive a barrage of 3s culminating with a Cam strip and Oskar securing the ball. It was over. RU had done the unthinkable.
You can question their offensive skills, the sometimes maddening decision making, but this team has absolutely no quit in them. Time and time again they keep being counted out and simply keep delivering. Now 4 straight years picking up a crucial road victory to all but secure NCAA berths. That was a full manball lift today, They laid them on the table. From trainwreck to fixing the tire of the NCAA bus.
Got to wrap this up because I have to gear up for Bacatology. I dont know what to make of the individual players today. Almost everyone had a positive thread somewhere but a couple of guys had poor games and one was benched in the 2nd half after not hustling after a miss. We know who they are and we won so lets move on to the positives. Derek the game of his life, 16 points 6 boards, 6-14 fg, 4-4 ft in 28 minutes. Can Rutgers tap more of that in tourney time. If they can they may have shown they are not done yet. Credit Pike, I know he had little option but to roll the dice here but he has never given Derek the green light as much as he got tonight and it came by limiting minutes of upperclassmen and that is an interesting sign. Oskar is having a wonderful year of late. He delivered 2 big 3s and played at least solid D in 19 minutes. Its all you can ask....and in on that final play too to secure the ball and the win. He is earning his minutes with Pike. How about Caleb...11 points, 2 really pivotal shots late but a warrior as usual. Defense on Pickett, are you kidding me, totally shutting him down in the 2nd half and getting help to from Cliff. Key to that 2nd half so big time coaching move by Pike too. Caleb can make you crazy at times, shot way too much first half but showed more of the Caleb offensively we had been used to in prior years. Cam...even in the first half I thought he was playing well just not getting the looks. I thought he showed his toughness today, got that strip on the illfated final psu shot, took some contact in a some drives to the hoop...13 points in the 36 minutes and a critical steal in their too. Last but not least, Big Cliff, quieter at times but in crunch time he delivered big time with his aforementioned plays. 13 boards, 9 points. Cliff worked it late and as much as it was Derek being the star today, this win happened because a bunch of guys were tough as nails late.
Welcome to March Madness. Trying to figure this team out is not easy. A rough 6 game stretch since Mag went down, 2 competitive losses on the road vs NCAA schools, two eggs at the RAC and two beautiful ugly wins vs 2 schools desperate to secure wins for their NCAA resume. At the end of the day RU is every bit their 18-11/10-8 Big 10 record. They are well positioned to lock down their 3rd (4th) straight NCAA tourney with a win at Minnesota. Where does RU go from here? Does RU get its swagger and a little momentum back from a win like tonight. Maybe...and I think we will know right away vs Minnesota. A lot was at stake tonight. Seasons can turn on a dime, a missed rebound, a missed shot....its a fine line, a very fine line. Say a little thank you to the basketball gods before your heads hit the pillow tonight.
