Rutgers University
Providence
Rutgers Drops Heartbreaker to Providence 75-74
Mar 05 | Men's Basketball
Providence, R.I. (March 5, 2011) – Despite a career high 21 points from freshman Gilvydas Biruta (Jonava, Lithuania), Rutgers (14-16, 5-13) dropped a 75-74 decision to Providence (15-16, 4-14) Saturday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Rutgers shot a season-best 31-of-52 (.596) from the floor, but it was not enough as PC out-scored RU 9-1 to close out the contest.
Biruta shot nine-of-13 and added six rebounds for the Scarlet Knights. Sophomore Dane Miller (Rochester, N.Y.) and senior Jonathan Mitchell (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) each added 12 points. Senior James Beatty (Wilmington, N.C.) rounded out the foursome with 11 points. It marked the second-straight game the Scarlet Knights had four players in double-figures.
For the Friars, Marshon Brooks broke the BIG EAST single season scoring record with a contest-best 28 points, including the game-winning running bank shot with 13 seconds remaining.
After 12 lead changes and five ties over the first 20 minutes, Rutgers took a 38-33 lead into halftime. The trio of Beatty, Biruta and Miller paced the Scarlet Knights with eight points apiece. As a team, Rutgers shot 55.2 percent from the field and held Providence to under 40 percent shooting.
The Scarlet Knights pushed their lead to 13 – their largest of the game – after an Austin Carroll (Bedford, Mass.) fast break lay-in from Beatty at the 11:50 mark in the second half. During the run, Biruta notched nine points for RU.
Providence would not quit on its Senior Night, as two free throws and a three from the left corner by Bryce Cotton tied the game at 73 with 1:14 remaining. With 47 seconds on the clock, Biruta went strong to the basket, but after contact, the ball became lodged in the rim. The Friars owned the possession arrow, setting up Brooks’ shot in the lane. Senior Mike Coburn (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) drove hard to the basket and was fouled with 1.8 seconds remaining, but could only convert one-of-two from the charity stripe.
The Scarlet Knights have secured the No. 13 seed in the BIG EAST Championship and will face instate rival Seton Hall on Tuesday, March 8 at approximately 2 p.m. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN2.
Postgame Notes
· The Scarlet Knights posted a season-best .596 (31-of-52) shooting percentage from the floor. It marked the best field goal percentage since RU went 29-for-48 (.604) at Delaware on Nov. 16, 2008. It was the best in BIG EAST play since a program-record 29-of-47 (.617) at DePaul on Jan. 19, 2008.
· With three assists, Mike Coburn moves to No. 18 all-time on the RU single season assists list with 120 helpers in 2010-11.
· RU moves to 8-14 all-time against PC.
· The game feature 13 lead changes and six ties, including 12 changes and five ties in the first half.
· Rutgers shot .552 percent (16-of-29) in the first half, the second-straight game RU has shot better than 50 percent in the first half. It marked the best back-to-back shooting percentages for the first half since the first two games of the season – Princeton (.556) and Fairfield (.500).
· Gilvydas Biruta posted a career high 21 points, adding a team-high six rebounds, including 13 in the second half. It marked the 17th time this season, including the fifth times in the last six games, that the forward has scored 10-plus.
· The freshman made his first three of BIG EAST play in the second half – fourth on the season.
· Biruta has paced the team in boards 10 times this year.
· Jonathan Mitchell scored in double-digits for the 22nd time this season with 12 points.
· Dane Miller scored double-figures with 12 points, adding a team-best six rebounds. The Scarlet Knights are 11-6 when the sophomore scores 10-plus.
· Miller has paced the team in boards a team-best 14 times this season. He has scored in double-digits 17 times this year.
· For the 10th time this season, 13th time in his RU career, James Beatty tallied double-figures with 11 points, including eight in the first half.
· Jonathan Mitchell has not missed a free throw since the St. John’s game. Since missing the front end of two shots against the Red Storm, the senior is 18-for-18 coming in
· Rutgers moves to 10-5 when scoring the game’s first points.
· Of the nine players that saw action, eight had at least four points with five scoring eight-plus.
· RU moves to 11-7 when at least three players score in double-figures. The Scarlet Knights move to 6-3 when four players notch 10-plus.
