PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Freshmen guards Eli Carter (Paterson, N.J.) and Jerome Seagears (Silver Spring, Md.) had 13 and 10 points, respectively, and junior forward Austin Johnson (Elkins Park, Pa.) added 10 points to help Rutgers (11-8, 3-3) to a 65-58 win over Notre Dame (11-8, 3-3) Monday evening at the RAC. With the victory, the Scarlet Knights improve to 3-3 in the rugged BIG EAST Conference, their best league start after six games since beginning 4-2 in 2003-04.
Junior wing Dane Miller (Rochester, N.Y.) turned in another complete performance for the home squad, shooting 2-of-3 to score five points, while grabbing a team-best eight rebounds with four blocks and three steals.
The Scarlet Knights led for the final 32 minutes of the game to secure the victory. With 11:48 remaining before halftime, Gilvydas Biruta (Jonava, Lithuania) deposited a pair of free throws to give RU a 19-18 edge they would not relinquish. The Scarlet Knights led by as many as nine points before entering the locker room at the midpoint with a 39-31 lead.
After the break, Notre Dame quickly reduced its deficit to just two points (41-39), but RU responded with a 6-0 run and the visitors would get no closer than four points for the remainder.
Seagears was a perfect four-of-four in the final minute from the charity stripe to secure the victory.
Johnson was five-of-nine from the field and sophomore wing Mike Poole (Rosedale, N.Y.) was four-of-six to post nine points, as the Scarlet Knights shot 43.6 percent (24-55). Notre Dame made 44.2 percent (23-52) of its field goals.
Rutgers returns to the hardwood on Saturday (Jan. 21) to meet No. 10/12-ranked Georgetown in a noon tip-off at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The game will be televised live on SNY, WPVI-TV 6 in Philadelphia and via the web at ESPN3.com.
POSTGAME NOTES
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Rutgers is now 3-3 in the BIG EAST, its best Conference start after six games since beginning 4-2 in 2003-04.
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With the win the Scarlet Knights are now 11-8 overall, 3-3 in the BIG EAST, 9-3 at the RAC and 7-1 when leading at the half.
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RU is now 13-17 all-time versus Notre Dame, with Rutgers taking nine of the 12 meetings inside the RAC.
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Head coach Mike Rice used the starting lineup of Jerome Seagears, Eli Carter, Dane Miller, Derrick Randall and Gilvydas Biruta for the fifth time this season. RU is now 3-2 with that combination. Biruta is the only Scarlet Knight to have started all 19 games this season.
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The Scarlet Knights connected on five three-point field goals in the first half, tying the most in any first half this season.
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Rutgers scored 39 points in the first half, the second most in a game this season and the most in a BIG EAST game. RU notched 46 first-half points against UMBC.
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RU shot its highest percentage in a first half in a BIG EAST game this season at 53.6% (15-28).
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Eli Carter scored 13 points to reach double figures for the 12th time in the last 13 contests. He has led the team in scoring 10 times this season.
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RU had its most assists (14) in a BIG EAST game this season.
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The Scarlet Knights set a season low with only 10 turnovers.
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Rutgers took the lead (19-18) with 11:48 to go in the first half and never surrendered it the rest of the game, going up by as many as nine points.
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Austin Johnson scored 10 points off the bench to lead RU to a 24-11 advantage in bench scoring.
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Dane Miller led the team in rebounds for the seventh time this year (8).
POSTGAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Mike Rice
General comments:
“We had several players step up today, including Austin Johnson on offense. Mike Poole played great in the first half, we just had a very good team performance. We were lucky to have such a quick turnaround after playing West Virginia. I am proud of our team because they responded the right way. We had a very spirited walk through today in practice. We were excited to get back on the court and prove that Saturday’s game wasn’t the real Rutgers team.”
On BIG EAST standings:
“In our locker room, we want to be on the left side. That is where the top eight teams are. The bottom eight teams in the conference are on the right side. We were yelling left side tonight. This is a chance for this program to finally matter and become relevant. It is just one game, we are three and three in the BIG EAST but there is still a lot of basketball left in the season. It is important to play with toughness and do what is important to win.”
On player performance:
“I don’t think that Eli [Carter] was at his best but Jerome [Seagears] picked it up for us. [Austin] Johnson and [Gilvydas] Biruta made a couple of big shots as well. We had different guys step up for us tonight. The ball was not sticking in our hands at all. We are an attack team and we showed how unselfish we were tonight. There wasn’t a panic or nervousness to this team at the end of the game.”
On offensive attack:
“I was shocked that they came zone so early and our guys prepared for zone. Our guards made an effort to throw the ball into the paint. We didn’t do that at all against Pitt and WVU. They made an effort to put the ball into the paint and that was key to our success. We responded with maturity on both sides of the ball.”
Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey
Game thoughts:
"A grinding Big East game tonight and I give Rutgers a lot of credit because they made big plays during the last five minutes. I'm proud of my group, we fought and tried to keep getting back in it. I thought that we tried good enough defensively, but 58 points just isn't going to beat anybody in the Big East. I've been coming to the RAC a long time and theme is pretty much the same and their groups play really comfortably in the RAC.”
On being down four late in the second half:
"I told our staff at halftime that we're going to need someone to go off offensively. Our defense is good enough and there were just key offensive possessions that we just labor at times. I thought that we got some pretty good looks. I guess we could have been a little bit more poised when we got it within a two possession game. We really don't have to play so fast. Easier said than done on the road."
On the Rutgers’ depth:
"Defensively they just keep coming after you. They have great length and they have great speed. They had a couple deflections. We had eight turnovers in the first half and that didn't help us. They do wear on you with the length and the speed that they have."
