Men's Basketball Falls to No. 9/8 Michigan State
Nov 30 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY – Eugene Omoruyi had his fourth double-double of the season, but Rutgers (5-2, 0-1) was unable to match No. 9/8 Michigan State (6-2, 1-0) after the break in a 78-67 loss to the Spartans Friday evening at a sold-out RAC. The Scarlet Knights couldn't overcome foul trouble in their Big Ten opener, RU's second of three games over six days against teams ranked or receiving votes.
"It was a great environment," said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. "I want to thank our fans and students for coming. We obviously played an elite team with one day to prepare. We played hard. You have to be elite when you are playing them. They are the most physical team in the league."
Omoruyi had 16 points and 11 rebounds. He was joined in double digits by Peter Kiss and Geo Baker, who contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively. Baker, who entered the game ranked second in the Big Ten in average minutes (34.7), competed a season-low 28 due to foul trouble.
Despite holding MSU 10 points below its average and committing a season-low seven turnovers, RU was unable to hold down the paint. The Spartans out-scored RU 38-24 in the paint and established a 16-5 advantage in second chance points. Meanwhile, on the perimeter, guard Cassius Winston was 8-of-16 from the field to register a game-high 22 points.
"We played well in spurts, but you have to play full 40 minutes against a team that should be ranked in the Top five," said Pikiell. "They have a lot of weapons, good shooters and ball handlers. I thought (Cassius) Winston was un-guardable at times and was just tremendous job today. (Nick) Ward caused trouble inside. We got into some foul trouble. They are a very good team."
Rutgers came out of the gates hot from long-range, as Baker and Kiss each drained two early triples for an 18-10 lead. Michigan State answered with a 9-0 run.The RAC was electric last night and we could not be more appreciative of the support from Rutgers Nation.
— Rutgers Basketball (@RutgersMBB) December 1, 2018
We came up a little short last night but there is LOTS of 🏀 left to be played.
Stick with us. We're coming!
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The teams traded baskets, as Caleb McConnell's first collegiate three-pointer put the home team ahead 26-25, before Ron Harper Jr. provided a 31-29 edge at the final media timeout. Shaq Carter had a put-back layup with 40 seconds to go in the frame, but the Spartans answered with a 3-pointer on their last possession to take a 39-37 advantage at the midpoint.
In the second half, Kiss opened the scoring with a triple, but Michigan State used a 10-0 run to go in front 49-40.
The Scarlet Knights were unable to tweak the twine with regularity in the second stanza, as the Spartans extended their lead to 59-46 at the eight minute media timeout.
Rutgers had a quick, six-point swing to energize the crowd. Baker hit a step-back jumper, and Shaquille Doorson was fouled underneath. The flagrant foul gave RU two free throws, which Doorson deposited, and the ball, which led to a Doorson slam dunk. As a result, RU trimmed its deficit to seven points.
Issa Thiam hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to six with five minutes to go. The home squad would get no closer, however, as MSU pulled away down the stretch.
"I've been a Steve Pikiell fan since the day he came into the league," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. "I really appreciate where this program is going. It's good for the Big Ten, it's good for us. The fans tonight were awesome."
Rutgers returns to the hardwood on Monday at 22/22 Wisconsin in an 8 p.m. (ET) tip-off. The contest marks the third game in six days for the Scarlet Knights against opponents either ranked or receiving votes. The match-up will be televised live on BTN
Fans can secure single game tickets for Rutgers home games, as well as flex ticket plans, online or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Additional information can obtained by visiting RutgersGameday.com.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Rutgers committed a season-low seven turnovers, its fewest since five versus Ohio State on Jan. 14, 2018.
- Eugene Omoruyi had 16 points and 11 rebounds to register his fourth double-double of his career and this season.
- Omoruyi drew two charges and leads the team with 12 this season.
- Peter Kiss posted 11 points, his 26th career double-digit scoring game and fifth this season.
- Geo Baker had 10 points, his 26th career double-digit scoring game and sixth this season.
- Due to foul trouble, Baker played a season-low 28 minutes. He entered the game ranked second in the Big Ten, averaging 34.7 minutes.
- Tonight's attendance was 8,000, marking the first November sell out at the RAC since the Scarlet Knights hosted Princeton on Nov. 22, 1997.
- Rutgers is 39-49 all-time when the RAC is sold out and 14-27 versus ranked foes when the venue is at capacity.
- Rutgers is 16-4 in the month of November under Steve Pikiell.
- Rutgers starting lineup consisted of Geo Baker, Peter Kiss, Issa Thiam, Eugene Omoruyi and Shaquille Doorson for the seventh time in as many games.
- Rutgers' defense held Michigan State's scoring offense 10 points under its season average of 88.1, while allowing just 11 assists, well under the Spartans' season average of 20.1.
- Caleb McConnell had a season and career-high seven points.
- Michigan State is a top-ten team in both polls. Seventeen of Rutgers' 30 regular season games (57%) are against opponents currently ranked or receiving votes. MSU was the second of three games over six days for RU against foes ranked or receiving votes, including two on the road.
- The contest signaled the eighth meeting between the Scarlet Knights and Spartans dating back to 1970, with MSU going undefeated.
- The Scarlet Knights had six student-athletes compete in their first ever Big Ten Conference contest: Peter Kiss, Shaq Carter, Myles Johnson, Caleb McConnell, Montez Mathis, and Ron Harper, Jr.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Opening Statement: "I appreciate everyone coming tonight. It was a great environment. I want to thank our fans and students for coming. We obviously played an elite team with one day to prepare. We played hard. You have to be elite when you are playing them. They are the most physical team in the league. They were able to force their will on us on the first four minutes of the second half and score some easy baskets. They are well coached. Coach (Tom) Izzo is a Hall of Famer and he does a great job with great players so credit to them."
On quick turnaround: "You just have to play at an elite level. We would have liked a couple of days to prepare, it's tough when you get back at 3 AM from our trip to Miami, but we had our chances. We played well in spurts, but you have to play full 40 minutes against a team that should be ranked in the Top-5. They have a lot of weapons, good shooters and ball handlers. I thought (Cassius) Winston was un-guardable at times and was just tremendous job today. (Nick) Ward caused trouble inside. We got into some foul trouble. They are a very good team. You have to be fully rested and well prepared to win against a team like that."
On managing the early foul trouble: "That is what they do. Ward causes problems inside. I thought our guys did a good job. Caleb (McConnell) came off the bench and gave us great minutes. All the guys were ready to play, which is a good sign moving forward. It was good to see all the contributions, but we do not have a long time to think about this. We have to turn the page and face one of the best teams in the league, Wisconsin, who is playing as good as anybody in the league."
On learning from this stretch of games: "They are the best team in the league, picked No. 1, but when our place is rocking like it was tonight, it gives us a lot of energy. We have a lot of young players on the team. We have a long way to go. There are seven ranked teams in the league. This is the best league in the country."
On Caleb McConnell coming in due to early foul trouble: "Geo (Baker) got in some foul trouble. He stepped right in and was ready to go. He has been working hard. Sometimes when you are playing behind a really good guard, you do not always get a lot of opportunities, but he took advantage of his tonight. I'm really happy for him. He is worker and is going to be a good player."
On rotation of the bigs: "I trust all the guys on the team, but we had foul problems and they run the ball up the court quickly, which is a tiring type of basketball. I trust all those guys. They are all capable of helping us as you saw tonight."
On looking ahead to Wisconsin, the third game in six days: "The guys need a good night of rest and will get right back to work tomorrow. We fly out Sunday, so we have to be prepared."
On using the early conference games as a learning lesson for the young guys: "We are not worried about that. We just play whoever is in front of us. We play hard like we did tonight. We play all elite teams. We got some weapons. There are things we have to get better at six-seven games into the season. We have a young group, but we have a good game plan going here. We have to continue to move forward and we are going to develop our guys. You see the development of our guys like Shaquille Doorson tonight. You can see where this thing is headed."
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
On Steve Pikiell and the Rutgers basketball program: "I've been a Steve Pikiell fan since the day he came into the league. I really appreciate where this program is going. It's good for the Big Ten, it's good for us. The fans tonight were awesome. He's building something, and I hope all the fans and I hope the media take light of it because it's a competitive team."
On Rutgers' size/youth: "Plaxico Burress was in our locker room tonight and I told him it looked like the old Giants. They looked like some linebackers out there. Some of those freshmen, Mathis and Harper. They got some good young kids so the first thing is I'd like to give credit to them."
On Michigan State's recent schedule: "I want to give credit to my team. We're on a four games in eight days, traveling all over the world, stretch without our key defensive player, Matt McQuaid, who plays 31 minutes a game."
On tonight's game: "I thought our guys competed tonight. I thought they blitzed us early a little bit. But I thought we shot pretty well. We went into the game, as everybody follows us, we averaged 100 turnovers a game in the last four games, and that was a key. We only had two at half time and seven for the game. That was one big goal. We wanted to defend without fouling, they got to the free throw line 16 times. We had 16 fouls. We've been averaging 23. That was two big goals. We felt like we had to out-rebound them even though they were big, and we did that. We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish. It wasn't pretty because they can play and they are good."
On facing Rutgers last year versus tonight: "Last year, to me, they played hard and weren't as good. And even though we won more than last year, and last year we might've had a really good team too, I just felt like the energy in this building, in this place, it was awesome."
On what it would mean to the Big Ten if Rutgers "becomes good": I think it'd be great, and if it happens four or five years from now when I get the hell out of this job it would be even better. That's one thing I always do, when you've been in the league as long as I have, when the teams that were on the bottom. I say were with them because they're not a bottom team. I watched them play Miami. They're a team that's got to learn how to win. They won one big game and it's hard to come back, talk about tough travel. I don't know what time they got back but then they had a one-day prep and that's tough. And it's tougher for a younger team that hasn't done the things. But this guy here is a hell of a coach and a class person, so I think they're definitely on the way up. I really appreciated the way their fans got on me a little bit and then at the end were great about it. This place is starting to come as they get facilities now and they got the right guy, I could tell you that."
On his conversation with Pikiell after the game: "I said, 'I know you're disappointed and you didn't play as good as I thought you played the other night, to be very honest with you, I know you had a great start. But look what you've done to this place.' I came here when it was just you guys (the media) and who the hell wants the media to watch a game, no insult intended. You had a damn good crowd, there was kind of a buzz even around the hotel. I watched their game the other night. They played good against a pretty good team. I just told him to hang in there and his program is on the rise. It's not looking to be good down the road. They're going to win some games here and I think they're going to win some games on the road because he reminds me of some of my teams I had early in my career. Tougher than nails, looks like a bunch of football players that can play. Personally, I love that and I think that helps you win on the road some, too."
On tonight's win: "Put it this way, this was a big win for us. Coming on the road, under the circumstances we've been under, and playing against a good quality tough team. I consider this not a 'win, get out of here.' I consider this we beat a good team and a good program in a tough place to play."
On Geo Baker: "We put Josh Langford on him and instead of guarding him with a point we guarded him with a bigger two-man. Josh, I thought, did a pretty good job on him. He's got that step-back going left shot that is really effective and I don't know if he didn't take as many because of us or because of him. You got to understand, I got two guards in there that are out. I'll bet you a couple of his guys are really tired too. They had to expend everything they could expend to win the other night and maybe Baker's legs weren't all there either. He didn't look to me as good as I've seen him. I'm a big Baker fan."
On playing a packed schedule: "I'm still questioning these Big Ten games this early, personally. Nothing bad, it just makes it so hard to fit games into your schedule. This is brutal for our guys. I think [Pikiell's] quick turnaround, winning a big game after building this program up, they didn't even get a chance to tell him 'well now you've got to get back down to earth,' so that probably hurt them a little bit."
