RAPID REACTION - Northwestern

[Degaz-RU]

1. Two words — ACE BAILEY. Holy mackerel. 37 points on 13-20 overall, 5-8 on threes, and 6-6 on FTs. Just a superhuman effort.

2. Acuff was a revelation tonight. Pike stuck with him and he came through with 13 points (5-7) and 4 assists.

3. Pike gets a lot of heat for his rotations, but tonight he stuck with what was working — JMike and Acuff — for probably the last 10-12 minutes of the game. JMike ended up with 7 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals. JWill and Derkack (who started both halves) but were ineffective, so Pike stuck with JMike and Acuff.

4. The defensive rotations were very good tonight. NW had some back luck with missing shots they normally make, but our defense made everything difficult for the Wildcats.

5. The offense was very efficient tonight, and it wasn’t just Ace. Overall, we shot 28-49 for 57.1%, including 8-14 from 3-pt range (also 57.1%). The team other than Ace was 15-29.

6. We almost lost the game at the FT line, going a putrid 15-25 (60%).

7. NW’s bigs don’t present a big threat, but Sommerville and Dortch did a pretty good job inside. Lathan with 9 points and 6 rebounds and Dortch with 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal. Dortch is giving Cliff-lite vibes with his length and shot blocking ability.

8. This doesn’t mean we’re back in the NCAA hunt, but it does help our chances of making the Big Ten Tournament.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Acuff is a far more effective scorer coming from the top than the wing

defense and rebounding looks a lot better with the extra length grant and DORTCH provide …

 

[cm_13]

 

[G- RUnit]

Ace is on another planet.
So young and so good.
There’s nothing else to say but wow!

By far JMike’s best game. The two on two fast break with Ace might have been best fast break of the year. Well done!

I think we saw the Acuff we signed up for.

Martini three in retrospect was huge.

Great D.

Sommerville up and down but ultimately clutch with free throws.

Dortch and Grant have potential.

All the years we have struggled on the road and now in a year we are struggling we have two outstanding road wins. 🤷‍♂️

Negative:

From game 1 or 2, I said it and got ripped from many. Our foul shooting is awful. We hit free throws this is a 12 point laughter. Ace and Sommerville so good.

 

[Simce91]

Raphael Davis made a point to praise Grant's D underneath on the post game show.

 

[Degaz-RU]

Yeah, further to the defense point, we held Martinelli and Barnhizer — who average about 38 ppg collectively — to an inefficient 26 points on 9-30 shooting. Another key to the game right there.

 

[S_Janowski]

Ace was unconscious again.

You hit the nail with Pikiell sticking with Davis and Acuff. I was fearful he was going to pull them, but he rode them for a majority of the second half.

The fast break between JMike and Ace was a thing of beauty.

Give Williams credit for battling through his illness, but he dribbles parallel / away from the basket way too much and it kills any chance of flow or ball movement.

Dercack once again way too out of control. Multiple times he should have passed the ball but forced it right into a defender.

Williams/Dercack also responsible for most of the FT misses.

 

[MCKnight2004]

Handling adversity well this year, and def growing up as a team. Just a big big hole we’re in. Win the next 2 at home and we are alive….but before people get crazy, realistically 8-2 in final 10, only gets us in the bubble conversation for a last 4 In spot

 

[G- RUnit]

One game at a time.

Nc State last year

You never know.

 

[bac2therac]

1. Two words — ACE BAILEY. Holy mackerel. 37 points on 13-20 overall, 5-8 on threes, and 6-6 on FTs. Just a superhuman effort.

2. Acuff was a revelation tonight. Pike stuck with him and he came through with 13 points (5-7) and 4 assists.

3. Pike gets a lot of heat for his rotations, but tonight he stuck with what was working — JMike and Acuff — for probably the last 10-12 minutes of the game. JMike ended up with 7 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals. JWill and Derkack (who started both halves) but were ineffective, so Pike stuck with JMike and Acuff.

4. The defensive rotations were very good tonight. NW had some back luck with missing shots they normally make, but our defense made everything difficult for the Wildcats.

5. The offense was very efficient tonight, and it wasn’t just Ace. Overall, we shot 28-49 for 57.1%, including 8-14 from 3-pt range (also 57.1%). The team other than Ace was 15-29.

6. We almost lost the game at the FT line, going a putrid 15-25 (60%).

7. NW’s bigs don’t present a big threat, but Sommerville and Dortch did a pretty good job inside. Lathan with 9 points and 6 rebounds and Dortch with 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal. Dortch is giving Cliff-lite vibes with his length and shot blocking ability.

8. This doesn’t mean we’re back in the NCAA hunt, but it does help our chances of making the Big Ten Tournament.

agree with everything

Acuff is much more comfortable IMO without Harper in the game. I thought the D was solid enough to cause NW to rush a bit and get them frustrated. They missed and mishandled alot of shots

Pike rode the right lineup tonight and deserves a ton of credit

 

[Simce91]

Dercack once again way too out of control. Multiple times he should have passed the ball but forced it right into a defender.

Granted Derkack didn't have the game he had Saturday, however I go back to early in the game when he "challenged" who I think was Martinelli during his FT and how RU started playing a lot tougher after that.

Perhaps it's only a coincidence..............

 

[Simce91]

agree with everything

Acuff is much more comfortable IMO without Harper in the game. I thought the D was solid enough to cause NW to rush a bit and get them frustrated. They missed and mishandled alot of shots

totally agree on this

 

[S_Janowski]

Granted Derkack didn't have the game he had Saturday, however I go back to early in the game when he "challenged" who I think was Martinelli during his FT and how RU started playing a lot tougher after that.

Perhaps it's only a coincidence..............

Ehh I think that had little to do with anything and actually thought it was dumb on his part.

Rather him focus on making his free throws than missing them both badly and talking smack.

Ace’s 9/10 in the first half had much more to do with lifting the team.

 

[Simce91]

Perhaps you're right, but RU went on a 14-5 run after that to grab the lead at 20-18

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

OP and others correct on the lineup.. but Dercack and Williams also contributed to harassing Martinelli... who should have fouled out. What a dirty cheap player!

Besides Ace's 37.. the real story of this game is the defense. D showed up big time. Congrats to the entire team and coaches.

 

[Degaz-RU]

KenPom huge jump from 81 up to 69.

 

[socaldave]

ACE and DYLAN are generational players!
Future Hall of famers, add Somerville Grant and now Dorch wow

 

[fatsam98]

KenPom huge jump up to 69

Nice

 

[Degaz-RU]

Another great stat — 16 assists on 28 FGs.

 

[NiTeKnight]

And a Quad 1 win too!

 

[TheBoyNas]

Handling adversity well this year, and def growing up as a team. Just a big big hole we’re in. Win the next 2 at home and we are alive….but before people get crazy, realistically 8-2 in final 10, only gets us in the bubble conversation for a last 4 In spot

Obviously not happening but 8-2 would be comfortably in by a long shot. Not bubble/last 4 in spot

 

[colbert17]

Our foul shooting is awful

Players come and players go but hasn't this been a constant throughout the Pike years?
I think it would be interesting to look through the years on how many games we lost and missed 10 or more FTs in the game.

 

[RUBlackout]

ACE and DYLAN are generational players!
Future Hall of famers, add Somerville Grant and now Dorch wow

Imagine we started all 5 from the get go

 

[Rufaninga]

Thay

Imagine we started all 5 from the get go

They are freshman - there is a learning curve
We could be in same position

 

[ScarletNut]

Good thread. I would add that JMike should never be allowed to drive to the basket, doesn't have awareness that he can't score vs bigger players AND rarely draws a foul. Secondly, and its just a reiteration of many posters, its criminal that Pike didn't play Grant and Dortch from the getgo. Even a few minutes vs the OOC schedule would have aided their development further. Finally, Acuff can be an effective scorer, just needs more minutes to get going (maybe because of his foot) instead of being pulled too quickly.

 

[G- RUnit]

It’s great that RU didn’t mail it in and actually had one of their better efforts.

I am not sure that Ace isn’t getting enough recognition. This game and the away game against Indiana are two of the best away RU performances that I have ever seen. Maybe Douby at St. John’s?

I think underrated factor in the game was that we only had four or five fouls in the first half. Curiously two were on Ace. We weren’t getting killed at the line for a change.

Then of course 2nd half starts and seemed like we got 5 fouls in two minutes. Officiating, ugh.

Poor foul shooting again ridiculous. We make even half of our misses this is a double digit win and perhaps a 15 point blowout. As it were we kept them in the game. Understand JWill missing with flu but no excuse from Derkack. This was supposed to be a strength but has turned into a huge weakness. Think God for Latham and Ace!

Thought JMike after a rough start had by far his best game and the fast break with Ace was a thing of beauty.

Martini three might have been basket of the game. Just when you thought NW might make a run, the dagger.

Acuff showed what he was capable of. Very nice showing.

No Hayes? Flu as well?

Some encouraging signs as last two games, Derkack, JWill and Acuff have had arguably their best games. Dylan in a boot kinda scares me though. Gotta make the B1G tourney and grow up/peak at right time.
Why not us? Nc State last year.

A nice win and nice coaching job by Pike. Already two nice road wins.

Beat Michigan!

 

[Degaz-RU]

It’s great that RU didn’t mail it in and actually had one of their better efforts.

I am not sure that Ace isn’t getting enough recognition. This game and the away game against Indiana are two of the best away RU performances that I have ever seen. Maybe Douby at St. John’s?

I think underrated factor in the game was that we only had four or five fouls in the first half. Curiously two were on Ace. We weren’t getting killed at the line for a change.

Then of course 2nd half starts and seemed like we got 5 fouls in two minutes. Officiating, ugh.

Poor foul shooting again ridiculous. We make even half of our misses this is a double digit win and perhaps a 15 point blowout. As it were we kept them in the game. Understand JWill missing with flu but no excuse from Derkack. This was supposed to be a strength but has turned into a huge weakness. Think God for Latham and Ace!

Thought JMike after a rough start had by far his best game and the fast break with Ace was a thing of beauty.

Martini three might have been basket of the game. Just when you thought NW might make a run, the dagger.

Acuff showed what he was capable of. Very nice showing.

No Hayes? Flu as well?

Some encouraging signs as last two games, Derkack, JWill and Acuff have had arguably their best games. Dylan in a boot kinda scares me though. Gotta make the B1G tourney and grow up/peak at right time.
Why not us? Nc State last year.

A nice win and nice coaching job by Pike. Already two nice road wins.

Beat Michigan!

I thought the basket of the game was Acuff's fall-away 2 from the foul line. NW had cut the lead to 6 and had the momentum, and we REALLY needed a bucket there, and that shot pushed the lead back up to 72-64 I think.

 

[richthedentist]

It’s great that RU didn’t mail it in and actually had one of their better efforts.

I am not sure that Ace isn’t getting enough recognition. This game and the away game against Indiana are two of the best away RU performances that I have ever seen. Maybe Douby at St. John’s?

I think underrated factor in the game was that we only had four or five fouls in the first half. Curiously two were on Ace. We weren’t getting killed at the line for a change.

Then of course 2nd half starts and seemed like we got 5 fouls in two minutes. Officiating, ugh.

Poor foul shooting again ridiculous. We make even half of our misses this is a double digit win and perhaps a 15 point blowout. As it were we kept them in the game. Understand JWill missing with flu but no excuse from Derkack. This was supposed to be a strength but has turned into a huge weakness. Think God for Latham and Ace!

Thought JMike after a rough start had by far his best game and the fast break with Ace was a thing of beauty.

Martini three might have been basket of the game. Just when you thought NW might make a run, the dagger.

Acuff showed what he was capable of. Very nice showing.

No Hayes? Flu as well?

Some encouraging signs as last two games, Derkack, JWill and Acuff have had arguably their best games. Dylan in a boot kinda scares me though. Gotta make the B1G tourney and grow up/peak at right time.
Why not us? Nc State last year.

A nice win and nice coaching job by Pike. Already two nice road wins.

Beat Michigan!

We did get 5 fouls in the first 4 minutes including 2 with no time expired off the clock on the back to back inbounds play and of course they never even showed the fouls

 

[RU-ROCS]

Imagine we started all 5 from the get go

I defer to the coach, who saw them practice, and assume they were probably not ready at start of the season. The coaches get credit for getting them there. They are freshman. There is no basis to assume how they are playing now after 3 months of college coaching is how they would have played from day 1.

 

[RUJMM78]

It’s great that RU didn’t mail it in and actually had one of their better efforts.

I am not sure that Ace isn’t getting enough recognition. This game and the away game against Indiana are two of the best away RU performances that I have ever seen. Maybe Douby at St. John’s?

I think underrated factor in the game was that we only had four or five fouls in the first half. Curiously two were on Ace. We weren’t getting killed at the line for a change.

Then of course 2nd half starts and seemed like we got 5 fouls in two minutes. Officiating, ugh.

Poor foul shooting again ridiculous. We make even half of our misses this is a double digit win and perhaps a 15 point blowout. As it were we kept them in the game. Understand JWill missing with flu but no excuse from Derkack. This was supposed to be a strength but has turned into a huge weakness. Think God for Latham and Ace!

Thought JMike after a rough start had by far his best game and the fast break with Ace was a thing of beauty.

Martini three might have been basket of the game. Just when you thought NW might make a run, the dagger.

Acuff showed what he was capable of. Very nice showing.

No Hayes? Flu as well?

Some encouraging signs as last two games, Derkack, JWill and Acuff have had arguably their best games. Dylan in a boot kinda scares me though. Gotta make the B1G tourney and grow up/peak at right time.
Why not us? Nc State last year.

A nice win and nice coaching job by Pike. Already two nice road wins.

Beat Michigan!

Douby at Syracuse was one of the greatest performance by a Rutgers player on the road.Boeheim was very complimentary probably because Syracuse won the game.

 

[robjknight]

Most of us were worried about the JDavis and Ace breakaway- but it was a thing of beauty. They must have thought they were back in High School. Hopefully we see a lot more of these the rest of the season.
Agree with others, that the supporting cast seemed more confident without Dylan in the lineup. Not saying we don't miss him and we would have won easily with him. But it gave the chance to give more minutes to others. And many of them took advantage to show what they can do.
Not seeing Acuff playing at E. Michigan last year, I would believe how he played last night was more like what we expected we were getting. He played well and made very timely shots to respond to NW scores. But most of all he looked very confident with the ball in his hands.
I also agree with others that Pike did a better job without doing mass substitutions; with seating those who were not producing; giving extended time to those who were producing; and did great with his use of Ace- staying with him for many minutes when he was on a roll, pulling him with the 2 fouls and counselling him near the end of the 1st half and putting him back in for 90 seconds during which he hit another spectacular 3.
Congratulations to the team and staff on following the script to a road win.