PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Junior JR Inman (Pomona, N.Y.) scored a career-high 26 points to lead five Scarlet Knights in double figures, as Rutgers (6-2) downed Lafayette (5-3) 90-79 at the RAC Wednesday evening. Freshman Corey Chandler (Newark, N.J.) contributed a career-best 19 points off the bench to help Rutgers improve to a perfect 6-0 at home this season.
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JR Inman set a new career-high with 26 points. (Photo by Jim O'Connor/NJ Sport Pics) |
"We got great looks in the first half," said Hill. "Our guys passed the ball extremely well and understood the plays in the match-up zone. We worked hard on it and had an understanding of what we were doing."
RU had its best shooting performance of the 2007-08 campaign thus far. The Scarlet Knights made 19 of 21 free throws (90.5 percent) and shot 46.2 percent (30-65) from the field. The team also connected from long range, where it made a season-high 11 three-pointers, including eight in the first half.
"When the right shots come you become a better shooting team in this game," Hill added. "It becomes contagious. The first couple went in, and all of a sudden it's contagious and in the second half we drove the ball more. We didn't settle. You have to mix it up. You still have to knock them down, but you have to get to the rim and finish. I thought we did a good job of mixing it up."
The opening half featured five lead changes. Lafayette jumped-out to a six point advantage (13-7) prior to the first media timeout. The Scarlet Knight responded by scoring nine of the game's next 11 points to take a 16-15 advantage on an Inman three-pointer. The home squad established a 10-point lead before taking a 42-39 advantage into the locker room at the midpoint. The Leopards scored the opening stanza's final seven points.
After the break, Lafayette maintained it scoring touch, scoring the half's first two baskets to a take a 43-42 lead. Rutgers regained its lead on an Inman three-pointer and never looked back. The home squad ran its advantage to 12 points (65-53), before establishing its largest lead, 13 points (83-70), with just 1:28 on the clock.
In addition to Inman and Chandler having career scoring nights, so did freshman Mike Coburn (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.), who posted 15 points in his first Scarlet start. Juniors Anthony Farmer (Millville, N.J.) and Jaron Griffin (Manchester, N.J.) also scored in double figures, posting 14 and 11, respectively.
Hamady Ndiaye (Dakar, Senegal), who leads the BIG EAST and ranks 12th nationally in blocks, continued to issue rejections in mass quantities. The sophomore registered six blocks in 19 minutes against the Leopards.
Andrew Brown scored 17 points to lead Lafayette in the scoring column.
Rutgers returns to the hardwood on Sunday, when they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, to meet the Cornhuskers in a 3:00 p.m. (ET) tip-off. The Scarlet Knights and Nebraska have met twice before, with RU winning both contests, including a 75-73 victory at the RAC last season.
POSTGAME NOTES
First Time:
The game marked the first career start for Mike Coburn (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.).
Home Sweet Home:
Rutgers is now 6-0 in the friendly confines of the Louis Brown Athletic Center, their best start at home since the 2005-06 season, when RU won its first seven games at the RAC.
Making Good Points:
Rutgers finished with 90 points, their highest scoring total this season, and the most points scored in a regulation game since Feb. 12, 2006, when RU defeated Marquette 91-84 at the RAC.
Rutgers scored 42 points in the first half, the most points they have scored in a first half this season. Their previous first half high was 36 against North Carolina Central on Nov. 12, 2007.
Down Town:
Rutgers made 11 three-point field goals, a season-high, and the most three pointers in a game since they connected on 12 at Penn State on March 14, 2006.
Rutgers' 44.0 three-point shooting percentage is also a season-high. Their previous high was 42.1 percent against North Dakota State on Nov. 11, 2007.
Shooting Touch:
Rutgers connected on 30 field goals, a season-high, and the most field goals made since Jan. 31, 2007, when RU hit 34 against West Virginia at the RAC.
Rutgers shot 46.2 percent from the floor, a season-high. Their previous high was 44.9 against North Carolina Central on Nov. 12, 2007.
Scoring Knights:
Five players scored in double-figures for the Scarlet Knights. JR Inman (Pomona, N.Y.) scored 26, Corey Chandler (Newark, N.J.) finished with 19, Coburn had 15, Anthony Farmer (Millville, N.J.) 14, and Jaron Griffin (Manchester, N.J.) tallied 11. The game marks the first time five players have scored in double figures since a 74-70 double-overtime victory over Seton Hall on Jan. 27, 2007, at the RAC.
Career-highs:
The 26 points for Inman is a career-high. His previous high was 24, set in Rutgers' 73-48 win over North Carolina Central on Nov. 12, 2007.
The 19 points for Chandler is a career-high. His previous high was 16, set twice, most recently at St. Peter's on Nov. 25, 2007. Chandler also hit a career-high five free throws, finishing five of six from the charity stripe.
The 15 points for Coburn is a career-high. His previous high was 10 against Florida on Nov. 17, 2007. Coburn matched his season-high by playing 29 minutes against Lafayette. He previously accomplished the feat at St. Peter's on Nov. 25, 2007.
Man in the Middle:
Sophomore Hamady Ndiaye (Dakar, Senegal) finished with six blocks, tying his season-high. He also had six blocked shots against North Carolina Central on Nov. 12, 2007. Ndiaye is now in 13th place on the Rutgers all-time blocked shot list, passing Mike Jones (14th place) and teammate JR Inman (15th place).
COACH HILL POSTGAME QUOTES
On starting Mike Coburn instead of Corey Chandler: "It was just my decision to switch up the lineup. I think [Chandler] responded great, with 14 points in the first half, I guess I should do that more often. I think Mike responded well. Lafayette has a small team and they're a shooting team so it was just to switch it up. Corey came off the bench and made his first two threes and made a couple big plays down the stretch. He played very well."
On Lafayette's style of play: "They are very good, they run a sort of motion offense. They reminded me of North Dakota State. They run that offense extremely well. They have some Princeton concepts and tendencies, they like to dribble out and look to make the back cut but they do it quicker and the ball off. And they run. That team gets out and runs as good as anybody. They average 75 points a game, and tonight somehow we got 90."
"In the second half I think my point guards did a good job. You have to put more pressure up front on their point guards to slow them down. In the second half they got some threes late in the game. That team wants to shoot 30 a game and make 11. Fortunately for us tonight we shot the ball well so we discounted their 3's with our own. That's as good as we've shot the ball all year from three point range."
On play of Anthony Farmer: "He gives us the leadership and experience that we need. At the end of the game, you want experience, toughness, and leadership. Anthony's been knocking down his free throws so we're confident in him. Obviously, in the second half, a big key was that we drove the ball and got them in foul trouble a little bit. We went to the line and made 19 of 21."
On Rutgers' shooting and offense: "We got great looks in the first half. Our guys passed the ball extremely well and understood the plays in the match-up zone. We worked hard on it and had an understanding of what we were doing. When the right shots come you become a better shooting team in this game. It becomes contagious. The first couple went in, and all of a sudden it's contagious and in the second half we drove the ball more. We didn't settle. You have to mix it up. You still have to knock them down, but you have to get to the rim and finish. I thought we did a good job of mixing it up."
"I'm very pleased with the decision-making today and I thought that was a big key to the game."
