Rutgers University
New Hampshire
MBB outlasts New Hampshire, 60-56
Dec 09 | Men's Basketball
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| Box Score VIDEO: Coach Jordan Postgame Press Conference
VIDEO: Highlights and Player Interviews
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Senior guard Myles Mack scored a game-high 20 points, including an and-one layup with under a minute to play, to help Rutgers (5-4) to a 60-56 win over New Hampshire (5-3) Tuesday evening at the RAC. The victory snapped the Wildcats' four-game winning streak.
Tied 52-52 with fewer than three minutes to play, Mack scored five points down the stretch, part of a 10-6 scoring run in the closing minutes, to secure the win. He added seven rebounds, three assists and was 4-of-4 from the charity stripe playing 37 minutes.
RU held New Hampshire to just 36 percent (22-of-61) shooting in a game that featured three ties and 10 lead changes. Rutgers registered six blocks, including four from senior forward Kadeem Jack.
Scoring was balanced early for the Scarlet Knights, with three starters - Mack, junior forward Greg Lewis and sophomore forward Junior Etou - scoring six or more points in the opening 10 minutes. Mack's three-pointer with 11:58 remaining gave the Scarlet Knights a 22-14 lead, their largest of the opening half.
Rutgers' offense continued to click, as the Scarlet Knights finished shooting 57% (16-of-28) from the floor and 50% (4-of-8) from behind the arc in the initial stanza.
Mack led RU with 10 first-half points, including two three pointers. Rutgers entered the locker room with a 38-32 lead, holding New Hampshire to 37% (11-30) shooting and out-rebounding the Wildcats, 18-16.
New Hampshire started the second half on a 10-3 run; as an alley-oop dunk in transition by forward Jacoby Armstrong gave the Wildcats a 42-41 edge with 11:40 to go.
But Rutgers responded, as sophomore guard Khalil Batie drilled one of his two three-pointers on the next possession to regain the advantage for RU, 44-42.
From there, both teams would trade baskets. Mack scored five-straight points down the stretch, trimming the deficit to 50-49 with 4:57 remaining. Freshman guard Mike Williams then gave RU the lead, 52-50, at the 4:01 mark with three-straight points.
New Hampshire tied the score on its next possession, but Rutgers would regain the advantage and hold on for the win.
Forward Tanner Leissner led New Hampshire with 15 points, while guard Daniel Dion joined Leissner in double figures with 13.
Rutgers returns to action on Sunday (Dec. 14) when the Scarlet Knights play Manhattan at Madison Square Garden in the ECAC Holiday Festival. Tipoff is set for 12 noon.
POSTGAME NOTES
· Myles Mack scored 20-plus points for the third time this season and the 17th time in his career. He also collected a season-best seven rebounds and added three assists. He led the team in scoring for the fifth time this season and the 38th time in his career.
· Khalil Batie recorded his first career points, finishing with six points on 2-of-2 from behind the 3-point arc.
· Kadeem Jack had a season-high 10 rebounds and four blocks. Jack collected 10-plus rebounds for the first time this season and the ninth time in his career.
· Jack blocked four shots, moving him past Anthony Duckett and Hollis Copeland for 15th on Rutgers' all-time list.
· Greg Lewis played career high 33 minutes while Mike Williams logged a career-most 36 minutes.
· Mike Williams had a career high four rebounds.
· Lewis had a career-best two steals.
· Rutgers is now 4-0 this season in games decided by five or less points.
· Rutgers made its first six shots to open the game.
· Rutgers' 38 points in the first half was the second highest scoring half of the year.
· Rutgers improves to 4-0 all-time against New Hampshire.
· Rutgers' starting lineup was guard Myles Mack, guard Mike Williams, forward Junior Etou, forward Kadeem Jack, and center Greg Lewis for the fourth consecutive game.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Eddie Jordan
Opening Statement: "It was certainly a struggle, and we just had to make our way. [New Hampshire] is a good team and Bill Herrion does a nice job. We watched them on tape and they do a good job. They only lost to Boston College on the road by eight and were 5-2 coming in. Look, you see it all over the country and I've said it before, you see mid-majors and low-majors, or certainly teams who are not in big conferences winning these types of games and we had to make our way and we did. It was efforts plays and it wasn't pretty, but the W is the prettiest girl in the house."
On Controlling the Game in the First Half: "You thought we had control of the game in the first half? I didn't. There was too much time. I said on the bench that we were separating ourselves little by little, but it wasn't like a big streak. We just kept saying to do things right by not gambling and not taking bad shots, the separation would increase."
On the Difference in the Final Minutes: Myles [Mack] made big plays, we made our free throws and we had some stops. We rebounded the ball. There was one rebound that we didn't get, didn't really go after it, but we just stuck our nose in there and they didn't get the drives they were getting just a few minutes before that. We got out on their three's."
On the Play of Myles Mack (20 points, seven rebounds, three assists): "He does so many things for us. He keeps us organized, he scores when we need him, he makes free throws; he played his butt off. His defense is underrated. We see it."
On Bouncing Back after Loss to Seton Hall: "We wanted to bounce back. It was about just more effort and being athletic. One of the things is that we have to be athletic at the max tonight. We had to jump higher, run faster and be quick on our feet. We had to go in the post, but you look at them and they were fast and athletic too. But Myles Mack, the team defensively and Mike [Williams] and his assignment was instrumental.
New Hampshire Head Coach Bill Herrion
Thoughts on the game: "I was disappointed. I thought defensively we were pretty good. We came into the game with good defensive numbers. But I think didn't think we played well defensively in the first half and were fortunate to be only down six. You don't get many chances at our level to play teams at this level and be in games with a chance to beat them. I thought we were better defensively in the second half. Give Rutgers credit. Myles Mack played like a senior, an all-conference guy and someone who has been here before."
On defensive effort: "I was concerned with our lack of intensity in the first half. We take a lot of pride in our defense, but it just wasn't there in the first half. We challenged our guys to be tougher in the second half and we got stops early on, but couldn't score. There were about four to five possessions there we got stops, but couldn't come back and score. To win a game like this you have to make plays and we couldn't make them tonight."
On Rutgers and Eddie Jordan: "I have known Eddie (Jordan) for years. I have the ultimate respect for Eddie as a person and a coach. Eddie is a class guy and he is doing a great job with this team. They are only going to get better. When you take something over, especially when you are jumping leagues, it is going to take time. He is definitely putting their program in the right direction."
