Box Score
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Postgame Press Conference
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Senior forward Kadeem Jack scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but it was not enough, as Rutgers (10-12, 2-7) dropped a 71-51 decision to Michigan State (14-7, 5-3) Thursday evening at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights had nine steals and forced 17 Spartan turnovers in their initial meeting as conference opponents.
MSU utilized a 43-28 rebounding advantage and shot 51 percent (27-for-53) to earn the win. Rutgers struggled to find it shot, depositing 29.1 percent (16-of-55) of its field goal attempts.
Junior guard Bishop Daniels, who scored nine points and had three steals, provided RU its first highlight of the contest. He drained an and-one three-pointer from the corner at the 17:35 mark for a four-point play.
From there, the Spartans attempted to control the floor with both inside and outside scoring, establishing a 34-19 advantage. RU responded a 13-5 run, capped by a two-handed dunk by Jack that made it 39-32 with 2:16 to go before the midpoint.
Senior guard Myles Mack sank two free throws in the closing seconds of the stanza and Rutgers entered the locker room trailing Michigan State, 42-34. Jack led RU with 11 points and the Scarlet Knights forced eight MSU turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
The Spartans began the second half with a 20-2 run that determined the outcome. The Scarlet Knights continued to battle, however, and after trailing by as many as 26, reduced their deficit to 67-51 after a Nkereuwern Okoro three-pointer.
Mack finished with seven points, four assists and three steals. Sophomore forward Junior Etou contributed seven rebounds.
Branden Dawsen had a double-double for Michigan State, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
The Scarlet Knights return to action on Saturday (Jan. 31), when they travel to Indiana. Tipoff is set for 3:15 p.m. The game will be televised live nationally on Big Ten Network.
POST-GAME NOTES
- Kadeem Jack had 17 points and seven rebounds. Jack led the team in scoring for the sixth time this season, and held the rebounding lead for the ninth time this year.
- Jack scored in double figures for the 45th time in his career. It was the fourth time in conference play and eighth time this season he scored at least 15 points.
- The Scarlet Knights forced 17 Spartans turnovers, the most turnovers RU has forced in Big Ten play.
- The 17 turnovers were the second most in a game this season by MSU.
- RU had nine steals, tying for the second most in a game this season.
- Malik Kone had three steals, tying a career-high.
- Bishop Daniels had two steals, setting a season-high.
- Shaquille Doorson had his first career steal.
- Rutgers is now 0-2 all-time against Michigan State.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Eddie Jordan
Opening statement: "Michigan State is really good. They were really good tonight and they were really good in the second half. Their defense really got into us and they're just the better team all the way down the line. [Coach Tom Izzo] is a mentor and he's a legend. They have a good way of playing. Our whiteboard had it right. We said they would be good in transition and in their rebounding. We came out and they had five offensive rebounds in the first two minutes. We settled in after that and rebounded well. But they're good, they're physical, they have a good pace and we just didn't get a handle on anything we emphasized tonight."
On Michigan State guarding Myles Mack: "They had a pretty good defender on him. They took away some of his catches. They really hedged on his ball screens and he really couldn't see well. His vision was cut down by their good size and scheme. They just did a good job. I thought Myles was out of rhythm when he did get some good attempts up, so credit their defense."
On the leadership of Mack and Kadeem Jack: "Myles and Kadeem are good leaders. They're quiet leaders, but they're good, classy kids and that's what we want to do here. We want to compete with composure, class and integrity."
On keeping the team focused after a loss: "It's a different way of coaching when your team is getting beat up a little bit. We're only two games under .500. They're still college students and it's the best four years of their lives, so you have to make it fun for them. We have to drive them and teach them, but you also have to make it fun. We come in every day and I try to make it a good atmosphere where they can learn and compete. We try to build their skills and prove their skills, so you have to make it a good environment to work in."
On Michigan State's physicality: "From the beginning they were physical. We said they were going to be physical in the days leading up to this game. We had to hit first. We can talk about it, but you really don't feel it until you get out there. They make you feel it. We saw them get 26 offensive rebounds against Nebraska the other night, so it's not only us. It's the way they play. We would love to play that way."
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
Opening statement: "In my many years being in this league, I've never seen the league so strange - from our standpoint and from a lot of other teams. I think Eddie (Jordan) has done a nice job with this team in his first year in the league, its hard to do that. Tonight they didn't play good. At Nebraska last week we didn't play good. You can't sugarcoat it any other way - that's not the team I watched on tape. Yet, from our standpoint, that's not the team I saw last week either. I don't know why there seems to be so many highs and lows. Teams are winning by 30 and then losing by 20. Its frustrating I bet for fans, media and sometime coaches. As far as we're concerned, I thought there were some bright spots and we got back to our roots. We defended well, we rebounded well and we got on the fastbreak well. We still didn't shoot the ball as well. When (Denzel Valentine and (Travis) Trice shoot like they did with the shots they got. We didn't make many shots and still found a way to win. That was encouraging. We got (Bryn) Forbes into the game, which helped. And Branden Dawson has been, no question, a player that has gotten better each and every game. He does so many things for us.I thought (Matt) Costello came in and did some things. Rutgers just didn't play as good as they've been playing. We went through the same thing last week. I told Eddie that after. I like his team and like some of the games I've watched on film. I just don't know why it is."
On consistency: "That's the million dollar question. I convinced my team that if they defend and rebound like they can, we are a pretty good running team. Believe it or not, Trice and Valentine are two of my best three-point shooters. They'll come back. They are two of the hardest working guys on the team. I just see some frustration in (Valentine's) body language. We have to get over that. He did a heck of a job defensively this game. It was scary at halftime, as I told my team, that we were good enough to be up 15 and we were up eight with a couple guys in foul trouble. In the second half we started on a 20-2 run and I think that was very big for us. Hopefully we can build on this now. We want to get back to our roots."
On intangibles: "I thought the key to the game was that we were a much better screening team tonight. I though Dawson did things the numbers wouldn't show. I thought Costello did too. Those guys set some unbelievable screens that we got some shots. It was good to see."
On game being pushed back: "The problem for us and them is we both have to turnaround. There was nothing that could be done. By the way, the people here at Rutgers did an unbelievable job the day before the game in calling my guy and telling him what was going on. They gave us a lot of heads up before anyone else did. I do want to thank the people of Rutgers."
On the RAC: "I had been here a long, long time ago and saw the outside, but had never been it in. I watched some great games on TV. I think it is great."
