Rutgers University
DePaul
Rutgers Dominates DePaul to Earn First BIG EAST Win
Jan 31 | Men's Basketball
Piscataway, N.J. - Jaron Griffin (Manchester, N.J.), making his first start of the 2008-09 season, shot six-of-nine from the field and four-of-seven from behind the arc to score 16 points, helping Rutgers (10-12, 1-8) to its first BIG EAST win with a 75-56 defeat of DePaul (8-14, 0-9) Saturday evening at the RAC. Fellow senior Anthony Farmer (Millville, N.J.) scored his 1,000 career point, while Mike Rosario (Jersey City, N.J.) and Earl Pettis (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored 16 and 12 points, respectively, to help the Scarlet Knights snap a nine game skid.
| Anthony Farmer finished with six points, giving him 1,003 for his career. (Tom Ciszek/NJSportsPhoto |
Pettis, making his first start since a 78-52 win over NJIT on December 23, made six-of-eight from the field and grabbed six rebounds in 27 minutes.
Rutgers shot 50.8 percent (31-61) for the contest, while holding DePaul to a 34.5 percent (20-58) mark. The 31 field goals by RU signaled a season high. The Scarlet Knights also established a commanding advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the visitors by a 42-29 margin. RU also dished-out 17 assist, two helpers shy of its season-best.
With a new starting lineup on the hardwood, the Scarlet Knights jumped out to a 9-3 advantage before increasing their lead to 10 points, 17-7, on the first of four Hamady Ndiaye (Dakar, Senegal) slam dunks. The home squad increased its advantage to 12 points on two occasions before the Blue Demons scored the final five points of the opening stanza. Rutgers entered the locker room at the midpoint with a 33-28 lead.
After the break, Rosario hit one of his two three pointers before DPU's Dar Tucker sank a pair of free throws to register a 36-28 score. The six point deficit would be the closest DePaul would get. Rutgers increased its advantage to 20 points, 53-33, with 11:33 remaining on an Ndiaye dunk. The Scarlet Knights controlled the contest for its remainder to earn the victory in definitive fashion.
Will Walker scored 23 points to lead two Blue Demons in double figures.
Rutgers returns to the hardwood Tuesday evening, Feb. 3, at Georgetown. The game tips-off at 7:00 p.m. and will be televised live on SNY.
POSTGAME NOTES
Rutgers picked up its first BIG EAST win of the season and its first conference victory since defeating Seton Hall 64-61 on March 9, 2008.
RU defeated DePaul 75-56, marking its largest margin of victory in a BIG EAST game since defeating West Virginia 74-53 at the RAC on Feb. 25, 2004.
Rutgers matched its season high with 31 field goals, previously set against Marquette on Jan. 7. RU shot 50.8 percent from the floor (31-of-61), its third game shooting better than 50 percent this season. The Scarlet Knights became the fifth team to shoot better than 50 percent against the Blue Demons, and the third BIG EAST squad (Notre Dame, South Florida).
Rutgers recorded 40 points in the paint, its third game this season with at least 40 points in the paint. RU also accomplished the feat at Delaware on Nov. 16 and against Marquette on Jan. 7. RU is 2-1 when scoring 40 or more points in the paint.
Rutgers featured a starting lineup of seniors Jaron Griffin (Manchester, N.J.) and Anthony Farmer (Millville, N.J.), freshmen Mike Rosario (Jersey City, N.J.) and Gregory Echenique (Guatire, Venezuela) and sophomore Earl Pettis (Philadelphia, Pa.). It is the sixth startling lineup for RU this season.
Farmer finished with six points, giving him 1,003 for his career. He becomes the 37th Scarlet Knight to reach 1,000 points, joining teammate JR Inman (Pomona, N.Y.).
Farmer matched his season-high six assists, previously set against No. 1 North Carolina on Dec. 28. His career-high in assists is eight, set twice, most recently against Louisville on Jan. 28, 2006.
Rosario finished with 16 points on seven-of-15 shooting. It marks his 20th double-digit scoring game of the season and his 13th consecutive contest with at least 10 points.
Pettis recorded a season-high six rebounds, one shy of his career-high of seven, set against Notre Dame on Feb. 17, 2008. He matched his career-high with four offensive rebounds, previously set against Notre Dame on Feb. 17, 2008.
Pettis finished with a season-high 12 points, his first double-digit scoring game of the season. His previous season-high was eight, set twice, most recently at Rider on Dec. 3. His career-high is 18, set against Connecticut on Feb. 26, 2008.
Griffin recorded his first start of the season. He finished with a season-high 16 points on six-of-nine from the floor, including four-of-seven from downtown. It marks his first double-digit scoring game of the season and the 26th of his career.
Griffin's four three pointers ties his career-high, previously set twice, most recently against Louisville on Jan. 13, 2008.
Junior Hamady Ndiaye (Dakar, Senegal) recorded four dunks against the Blue Demons, giving him a team-leading 23 on the season.
Echenique finished one point and one rebound shy of his fifth double-double of the season. He also recorded five blocks, one shy of his career-high of six, set on Nov. 14 against Marist.
Freshman Mike Kuhn (Oceanport, N.J.) and Tomasz Kokosinski (Bergenfield, N.J.) played in their fifth and second games of the season, respectively.
Post-game quotes
Coach Fred Hill:
On the change in the starting lineup:
"We made the change in the starting lineup because we had one guy show up late for shootaround and another guy show up a little late for being dressed and ready to go pre-game. That's our policy: If you're late, you do not start. I thought it opened up the door for Earl (Pettis) and Griff (Jaron Griffin). I think we've all seen what Griff can do if he gets the right matchup, which he did tonight playing the "4". He got some great looks and knocked them down. Earl came out and played terrific defense to start us off and I thought that was the key to the game defensively, the way we started off defensively in the first five, six minutes. He guarded their best player in Dar Tucker, and he really did a terrific job. That is tough to do when you do not play a second in the previous game, and he was able to do it."
On overcoming an offensive lull at the end of the first half:
"That was our typical 3,4,5,6 minute lull. That's really what our problem has been. It was 4:43 that we went without scoring. We had some good looks that didn't go down, took one or two bad shots, and turned the ball over five times. Those are the moments that have hurt us this season. Fortunately tonight, our defense played well throughout the game and kept us up five. We were able to come out in the second half and take it to them on the defensive end. We took it to them and made shots, and we were able to do what we've been talking about all year: When you get somebody down, keep them there and stretch the lead."
On guard Anthony Farmer scoring his 1,000th point in the first half:
"It's a great honor, to have two guys, he and JR (Inman) coming in as classmates, and now as seniors to both score 1,000 points. It speaks to being consistent and efficient. Anthony has displayed that; he has gotten better and better since the day he has arrived. He gives us points, as you can see by him scoring 1,000 points. I have really seen him grow into a leader; he can control the game, and he makes his teammates better. That's what you want in a point guard."
On closing the game out:
"You can never think you have a win in your pocket in this league, against anybody. We talk about going out and taking the W (win). I thought we did a great job tonight of closing it out and taking that W."
Rutgers senior guard Anthony Farmer
On his team's first BIG EAST win and the honor of scoring 1,000 career points:
"It makes a big difference psychologically (getting this first win). I am just happy for myself and my teammates because of all the hard work we put in every day. We finally got a chance to get the smell of victory, which we have been looking for. We see what we are capable of and we can move forward.
"Scoring 1,000 is a great personal accomplishment but I'm really very excited to just get that win in front of our home crown. That's what is most important."
Rutgers senior wing Jaron Griffin:
On earning the start and scoring a season-high 16 points:
"Coach could have started anybody (in that spot) but he had the confidence to start me, and that felt pretty good. I just went out, took what the defense gave me and made shots. By me doing what I did tonight, maybe I can earn more playing time, whether I'm starting or coming off the bench."
Rutgers sophomore guard Earl Pettis:
On earning the start after having not played vs. Seton Hall:
"As a basketball player, you always have to be ready to go. Me not playing (on Thursday), that's just motivation to come out and perform tonight, and put pressure on the coach to get me more playing time."
