ADVERTISEMENT

The Last Time We Played Michigan At The Garden...

DirtyRU

All American
Gold Member
Nov 16, 2002
6,344
5,770
113
... was just under 16 years ago. I was there, as I'm sure many from the board were. Michigan had a solid showing that day fan-wise... but Rutgers even better. And we were loud! Just listen to the crowd noise every time we score. Anyway, they beat us that day in the NIT Championship. Let's get our payback:

 
... was just under 16 years ago. I was there, as I'm sure many from the board were. Michigan had a solid showing that day fan-wise... but Rutgers even better. And we were loud! Just listen to the crowd noise every time we score. Anyway, they beat us that day in the NIT Championship. Let's get our payback:


I was there too. UM's size really caused us a lot of trouble in that game. I recall that RU fans were louder, but there was a pretty even split. Time to exact some revenge indeed! (And thanks for leaving out the second half. I don't need to see that ending again).
 
  • Like
Reactions: DirtyRU
I was there too. UM's size really caused us a lot of trouble in that game. I recall that RU fans were louder, but there was a pretty even split. Time to exact some revenge indeed! (And thanks for leaving out the second half. I don't need to see that ending again).

There was not even close to an “even split” of fans that night.
 
No way. Bill Raftery spoke about the game on the Fan and said RU had a lot of fans at that game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DirtyRU
hard to believe that the game was that long ago....we definitely had the most fans there....

I remember we were in the game till late, and just could not go basket for basket with them in the end...

it was a good game...
 
Schiano was on our train with his family on the way back to New Brunswick. That was a great day & night in the city. Was hoping we’d get to the post season after that year too. Hopefully this is our year. I just watched First Dance about northwestern’s NCAA tournament team. I think our fans can relate and have as much passion as their fan base
 
IIRC nearly 7,000 students alone??

I think you recall correctly. And prior to begin televising the game, ESPN had a reporter downstairs in Penn Station as trains from NJ arrived and was filming all the RU fans getting off the trains, interviewing a few of them. He said that "Rutgers fans were arriving by trains by the thousands - and I do mean thousands..." for the game. I had been at the Iowa State game a few nights before and the environment for that game was fantastic. I'm sure it was far better for the final but the result was not as good.
 
Man the memories, I miss those guys. I just actually talked to Herve the other day. I was trying to get him to come to the RAC for a game this season
What’s Herve up to? Still playing? Would love to have him back at the RAC!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DirtyRU
I remembered the opening play. Mich player came down the middle looking for highlight dunk and Herve said not here.

edit: must have too much fun in the pregame. Just watch the some of the replay and it wasn’t how I remembered it. LOL
 
Last edited:
I remembered the opening play. Mich player came down the middle looking for highlight dunk and Herve said not here.

edit: must have too much fun in the pregame. Just watch the some of the replay and it wasn’t how I remembered it. LOL

[roll]
 
Damn and I thought banging my cousin’s roommate - Before they got back on the train to New Brunswick - in the bathroom at Mustang Sally’s (or was it Harry’s??) after the game was a good story...keep’em coming fellas!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: fluoxetine
There was not even close to an “even split” of fans that night.
Yep, not even close - was easily 75-80% RU fans, easily. Below is how the Times described it and knowing what we did for 2 NIT games is why I have so much confidence in us taking over MSG with a team with the best shot at making the NCAAs for in 29 years.

"The atmosphere inside the Garden had the feel of a big game. With many of the 16,064 in attendance clad in Rutgers red, the game was a virtual home game for the Scarlet Knights from New Jersey. But that did not seem to help Rutgers in the first half, when it appeared as if the Scarlet Knights were continually digging themselves out of a hole."

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/02/...lifts-michigan-past-rutgers-in-nit-final.html

The trains were a blast the pre-game was awesome and then QD, who had scored 35 in the semis against Iowa State, went 1-13 in the finals against UM (he had a thigh issue that was never disclosed), with Herve keeping us close, but they scored the last 9 points to win 62-55. Nice look-back from OTB.

https://www.onthebanks.com/2016/6/9/11857018/rutgers-basketball-nit-quincy-douby-gary-waters
 
I was there too. UM's size really caused us a lot of trouble in that game. I recall that RU fans were louder, but there was a pretty even split. Time to exact some revenge indeed! (And thanks for leaving out the second half. I don't need to see that ending again).

I remember being really worried before tip off when I saw the size discrepancy between the two teams..it really was striking
 
  • Like
Reactions: RU-ROCS
Yep, not even close - was easily 75-80% RU fans, easily. Below is how the Times described it and knowing what we did for 2 NIT games is why I have so much confidence in us taking over MSG with a team with the best shot at making the NCAAs for in 29 years.

"The atmosphere inside the Garden had the feel of a big game. With many of the 16,064 in attendance clad in Rutgers red, the game was a virtual home game for the Scarlet Knights from New Jersey. But that did not seem to help Rutgers in the first half, when it appeared as if the Scarlet Knights were continually digging themselves out of a hole."

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/02/...lifts-michigan-past-rutgers-in-nit-final.html

The trains were a blast the pre-game was awesome and then QD, who had scored 35 in the semis against Iowa State, went 1-13 in the finals against UM (he had a thigh issue that was never disclosed), with Herve keeping us close, but they scored the last 9 points to win 62-55. Nice look-back from OTB.

https://www.onthebanks.com/2016/6/9/11857018/rutgers-basketball-nit-quincy-douby-gary-waters

Yeah I remember thinking that, of the 16,000 in the house that night, Michigan MAYBE had 3-4k on hand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarlet Shack
I forget the specific details, but the run that RU makes in the 2nd half to tie the game was a special hoops moment for me. We owned that building and it was LOUD. Of course we tanked it after that but it really was a lot of fun.
 
ADVERTISEMENT