Rutgers University
Sacred Heart
MBB Defeats Sacred Heart 79-54
Dec 23 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Thanks to a stellar team defensive effort and a career-high 22 points from freshman guard Mike Williams, Rutgers (7-5) downed Sacred Heart (6-5), 79-54, Tuesday night at the RAC.
The Scarlet Knights held the Pioneers to just 27% shooting (15-of-55) in the victory, the lowest shooting percentage for an RU opponent all season. Rutgers also forced 18 turnovers, scored 23 points off of Pioneer miscues and produced 10 steals.
Williams made nine-of-15 from the floor, scoring 12 of his points in the second half. He also produced a game-high four steals. Senior guard Myles Mack joined Williams in double figures with 19 points, while dishing out a game-high six assists.
RU shot 48% (31-of-64) and outscored the Pioneers 38-20 in the paint.
While Rutgers had two players - Mack and Williams - in double figures in the first half, it was the Scarlet Knights' defense that stood out before the midpoint. Rutgers held Sacred Heart to just 16% (5-of-31) shooting, while forcing 11 Pioneer turnovers.
Despite the strong defensive presence of Rutgers, Sacred Heart was able to cut the lead to just four points in the half. But the Scarlet Knights utilized a 14-2 run, fueled by driving layups by Williams and Mack, into the locker room to gain control of the contest.
The highlight of the game came courtesy of Bishop Daniels. The junior guard drove to the lane, throwing down a one-handed dunk on a Pioneer defender to give the Scarlet Knights a 34-18 lead. Rutgers would take that score into the locker room.
Both Mack and Williams had 10 points for Rutgers in the first half, with Mack drilling two three-pointers before the break.
The lead was never in doubt in the second half, as the Scarlet Knights' lead never fell below 14 before the end of the contest. Rutgers led by as much as 27 in the win.
Three Sacred Heart players scored in double figures, with guard Cane Broome leading with 12 points.
Rutgers returns to action on Sunday (Dec. 28) when the Scarlet Knights travel to play Monmouth at 3 p.m. The game will be televised live online via ESPN3.
POST-GAME NOTES
- The 79-54 win over the Pioneers was the largest margin of victory (25 points) for the Scarlet Knights this season. It marks the highest margin since Rutgers defeated Stillman 116-89 by 27 in Nov. 25, 2013.
- Mike Williams led the team in scoring for the second time this season with a career-high 22 points going 9-for-15 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
- Williams hit the 20+ plateau for the first time in his career.
- Williams also tied his career-best with four steals, recording three or more takeaways for the second time this season.
- Myles Mack poured in 19 points, finishing the game in double-digits for the ninth time this season and 72nd in his career.
- Mack moves into 15th on the all-time career scoring list with 1,392 points.
- Mack led the team with six assists, marking his sixth contest of the season and 25th overall with five or more assists. With his six assists, Mack is one assist away for sharing the number sixth spot on the all-time career list.
- Kadeem Jack paced RU with nine rebounds for the seventh time this season and 34th time in his career.
- Shaquille Doorson reset his career-high in assists (3) and in minutes (18).
- Jake Dadika registered his first career assist in the win.
- Stephen Zurich entered off the bench for the first time this season, notching a rebound.
- Rutgers entered halftime with a 34-18 lead, marking the second-largest margin for the Scarlet Knights at the half this season. RU held a 61-44 advantage over Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 11, 2014.
- The starting lineup consisted of Myles Mack, Mike Williams, Junior Etou, Kadeem Jack and Greg Lewis.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Eddie Jordan
Opening Statement: "I really though we shared the ball. We allowed the game to come to us when we haven't in the past. We didn't force a lot. There are areas of improvement, including to stop fouling and to work on our rebounding, but our defense was sticky enough to where we got them in a low percentage. They came in here winners of five of their last six, so they had a winning spirit, and we took care of business like we should have."
On the Play of Mike Williams: "He's been solid defensively for us. We put him on the best player and tonight he proved that he is more of a driving scorer than a shooting scorer. He really got to the basket. We integrated another offensive set that created more space, less movement, but more space and it allowed our guards to get into the paint and draw and kick. He made some cuts. That's what we need to have. We don't have to settle for three's and jump shots, we can get to the paint."
On the Focus Level: "I just thought that we needed to have an overall performance at home. I didn't think we had one of those overall performances at home all year, whether we've been leading at half or giving the lead up in the second half, and today was finally overall a good performance at home for us, so our focus was good."
Sacred Heart Head Coach Anthony Latina
Opening statement: "I give Rutgers a lot of credit. Their length really bothered us. We've been doing a good job of shooting. We've shot over 50 percent in our last five or six games and a lot of that was because we were getting points at the rim, points in transition and in the half-court. Their length really made it difficult to finish at the rim and because of that - because we struggled to score - I think when we did get open looks. We were a little tight because we were used to getting baskets.
"Give Rutgers a lot of credit. They're a very solid defensive team. They have good defensive numbers. Their issue in the games that they've lost hasn't been defense, it's been offense. They've been pretty consistent defensively and their offense was a little more patient tonight than I think it's been in a couple games. I think that they have a chance as long as they improve their offensive situation. Defensively they're a very solid team because they have great size, they play with good principles, and they play with good peskiness and quickness.
"We didn't play our best, but when we don't play our best there's two teams on the court. I really believe you have to give the other team credit when you don't play your best. I'm disappointed with our effort but I think they had a lot to do with it."
On Moving forward from the loss: "I think when you are struggling offensively, which we haven't done for a while, you have to be a little more patient, a little more disciplined, get some more ball movement and more ball reversals. We didn't have the patience tonight to do that against a team that has superior length and size.
"We probably won't play a team with that size again, but we are going to have games where we struggle to score. We have to figure out how do we score? We have to find a way to manufacture points when we're in a situation like that. I think that's the biggest takeaway."
