PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers (3-0) used a balanced scoring effort and strong defense to down Cleveland State, 70-38, at the RAC Tuesday evening. Issa Thiam and Geo Baker shared the team lead with 14 points, while Corey Sanders recorded a double-double with 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

The Scarlet Knights held CSU to 30.8 percent shooting (just 14 percent from 3-point distance), committed just eight turnovers and established a 45-34 rebounding advantage. Deshawn Freeman contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, while Mike Williams added eight points. 

"That's more like how I want to play," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "I think the guys did a real good job. We had a good practice yesterday, they came out ready to go. That's the kind of defense that I like. Everybody contributed and it was a great team win. I'm excited about how we played tonight."

Rutgers starting backcourt combined for 13 assists, as the freshman Baker had seven assists with zero turnovers, and Sanders added six helpers of his own. Thiam made four three-pointers, a new career best.

After an early three-pointer by Thiam, Rutgers moved in front of the Vikings 17-10. Sanders snagged an inbounds pass, taking the steal in for a basket and a 20-14 RU lead. That ignited a 9-0 run for the home team, as they held CSU scoreless over a near-five minute stretch and extended the lead to 27-16. Rutgers took a 31-22 advantage into the intermission.

In the second half, Thiam caught fire from long range, striking for three triples in the opening minutes. That sparked an 8-0 run as the Scarlet Knights came out of the locker room with a 15-4 burst to extend the led to twenty at 46-26.

Rutgers used a series of highlight-reel plays down the stretch, as Baker found Sanders for an alley-oop to push the lead to 59-34. The Scarlet Knights outscored the Vikings (0-2) 39-16 in the second half to record the 32-point victory.

Rutgers remains home to host Coppin State on Sunday. The game starts at 12:30 p.m. and will be streamed on BTN Plus.

Postgame Quotes

Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell

"That's more like how I want to play. I think the guys did a real good job. We had a good practice yesterday, they came out ready to go and that's the kind of defense that I like. Corey got a double-double with rebounds too, I love to see that. Seven assists and zero turnovers, that's a great ratio. Everybody contributed and it was a great team win. I'm excited about how we played tonight. "

"We've shown signs at practice, we're really sharing the ball. Four guys in double figure scoring tonight. Mike had eight points too, so almost five guys. Finding the open man, we only had one day of prep which scares me always. I watched this team play Akron, he's a really good coach, he's been around for a long time so it was a game I was nervous about. Their transition offense is very good, they did a great job getting back and transitioning, that's one of their strengths. We weren't good against Central Connecticut, we did a great job in this game, so the guys really were locked in."

Cleveland State University Head Coach Dennis Felton 
 
On what CSU can learn from tonight's game: "We are learning a lot of things for the first time with this being a first year team with me, with this team fighting to learn how to win, and that comes with starting with learning how to really compete and keep your composure through heated competition and through adversity that is natural part of the college basketball game."
 
On CSU's offensive end: "Like our first game we had a lot of really good possessions where we got terrific shots and we got what we wanted, and just failed to make high quality shots. There were times when in the paint, their size can be a factor, and make it tough. But really I do not think they defended the free throws line very well, and I think a good majority of our 3's were high quality and good looks by people who should be shooting them, and we just didn't knock them down. (Rutgers) can be aggressive and disruptive and be physical with their defense, and it was a good experience for us to play through that, and I actually think we took a step forward in terms of understanding how to play with some grit, to play through that, but we didn't make shots."
 
On CSU's intensity of their defense: "I liked a lot of things we did, especially in the first half. But we didn't sustain it. It is always a challenge to sustain it when the game starts to get away from you, a little bit. But that is called competing and staying with it, and baring down, and being tougher than that." 
 
Postgame Notes

• Sanders had a career-high with 10 rebounds
• It was Sanders' second career double-double (previously 39 points, 12 assists vs. Illinois on Feb. 3, 2016)
• Rutgers allowed under 40 points for the second time in three games to open the season.
• Issa Thiam had four three-pointers, a new career high in made threes.
• Rutgers is now 11-0 in nonconference home games under head coach Steve Pikiell.
• Rutgers' eight turnovers were the least since committed just seven versus Michigan on Feb. 22, 2017