PISCATAWAY – Rutgers (6-5) battled back from a 15-point first half deficit to defeat Columbia (3-8) 68-65 in overtime Saturday afternoon at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights relied on both familiar and fresh faces to limit the Lions high-scoring offense and to improve to 23-4 in non-conference home games under head coach Steve Pikiell.
 
"I am an old-fashioned grinder type of coach, and we grinded one out today," said Pikiell. "We needed it, as they are a good offensive team."
 
Eugene Omoruyi and Geo Baker provided the veteran influence, while Shaq Carter and Caleb McConnell delivered the newcomer energy in RU's first home game in 22 days. Omoruyi and Baker scored 18 and 13 points, respectively, while Carter provided a career-best 13 points, all after halftime. McConnell was a clutch 4-of-4 at the charity stripe in overtime while playing the entire five minutes of the extra stanza in a career-high 25 minutes overall.
 
"Geo did a great job, Shaq (Carter) gets a career high in points and how about the job Caleb McConnell did today," said Pikiell. "I'm really proud of that effort. It's a good win for us. It is nice to be back at the RAC after 22 days."
 
Rutgers established a 43-34 rebounding advantage and grabbed 18 offensive boards to benefit 18-6 in second chance points. The Scarlet Knights also made a season-best 18 free throws and issued seven blocks.
 
"They're so big and you have to rebound," said Columbia head coach Jim Engles. "They finished some plays, rebounded and started to isolate some guys. I think getting to the free throw line helped them. I think that was a big difference in the game."


 
Columbia raced out to a 10-1 lead. Taking advantage of a 9-of-17 start from the floor, while RU opened 2-of-12, the Lions extended their advantage to 21-7.
 
After Columbia took its largest lead of the game (26-11), the home team responded with a 10-2 run, holding the Lions without a basket for a five-minute stretch. CU made a three-pointer at the buzzer to take a 10-point lead into the locker room at the midpoint.
 
Carter gave RU a spark with six points in the first five minutes of action after the break. A 9-0 Scarlet Knights' run cut the deficit to 39-35 with 11 minutes to play.
 
Omoruyi swished Rutgers' first 3-pointer to cap a 16-2 run that brought RU within one point at 43-42. An alley-oop from Baker to Carter provided Rutgers its first lead at 46-45 with seven minutes remaining.
 
Columbia scored the next four points, before a 3-point play from Omoruyi cut the deficit to 50-49 with 3:20 on the clock. A steal and fast break slam dunk from Omoruyi tied the game at 52-52.
 
Omoruyi responded with a driving layup to take a 54-52 lead, but Columbia tied the game again on a pair of free throws with 33 seconds remaining.  Rutgers couldn't convert in the final possession, and the game headed into overtime.
 
In the extra session, Rutgers jumped-out to a 59-56 lead. A 3-pointer from Baker gave RU a 62-58 edge with two minutes left, then added two free throws to provide RU a six-point advantage, its largest of the day.
 
Columbia drew within one at 66-65, but Rutgers secured the victory at the free throw line.
 
Rutgers returns to the hardwood next Saturday (Dec. 29) for a 3 p.m. tip-off versus Maine at the RAC. The match-up will be streamed live on BTN Plus with Ralph Bednarczyk and Dom Savino on the call.
 
Fans can secure single game tickets for the remaining home games, as well as flex ticket plans, online or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Additional information can obtained by visiting RutgersGameday.com. 
 
Follow Rutgers men's basketball on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersMBB), Twitter (www.twitter.com/RutgersMBB) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/RutgersMBB) for additional news and updates.
 
POST-GAME NOTES 

• First-year junior Shaq Carter and freshmen Caleb McConnell and Montez Mathis all played in the overtime, marking the first time in their collegiate careers they have competed in an extra stanza. McConnell played the entire five minutes of the additional frame.
• Carter had a career-high 13 points, all coming after halftime. He also played a career-high 25 minutes and issued a career-best two blocks.
• Eugene Omoruyi scored 18 points, reaching double-figures for the 10^th time this season and 21^st time in his career.
• Baker scored 13 points, reaching double-figures for the 10^th time this season and 30^th time in his career.
• Baker competed a career-high 41 minutes.
• McConnell played a career-high 25 minutes.
• Carter drew a charge, the first of this career and Shaq Doorson drew a charge, his first of the season.
• Myles Johnson had a career-high tying three blocks in 16 minutes of action.
• Rutgers played its first overtime game of the season and first OT contest since Feb. 13 last season against Northwestern (a 67-58 win).
• The Lions entered averaging 78.5 points per game. Rutgers held them to 65 points, their second lowest output of the season.
• Columbia's active leading scorer, Gabe Stefanini, entered the contest averaging 14.9 points per game. He was 4^th in the NCAA in 3-point percentage at 54.3%. Rutgers held him to four points, including zero made 3-pointers.
• Columbia now holds a 25-24 edge in the series that dates back to 1914. The Scarlet Knights have won nine straight and 16 out of the last 18 match-ups dating back to 1970. The teams played annually from 1946 to 1980, but have now played just five times since. RU is 6-0 at the RAC in the series.
• Rutgers is 23-4 in non-conference home games under Steve Pikiell.
• Rutgers debuted a new starting lineup with Geo Baker, Montez Mathis, Peter Kiss, Eugene Omoruyi and Shaquille Doorson. It was the fourth different starting lineup of the season and third different starting lineup in the last three games.
• This was Rutgers first home game since November 30. The Scarlet Knights are now 5-2 at The RAC this season.

 
POST-GAME QUOTES
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening statement: "First of all, I want to thank everybody for coming. I know it is holiday weekend and everyone has a lot of things to do, but I appreciate everyone coming. Our crowd was awesome. I was proud of our guys. I am an old-fashioned grinder type of coach, and we grinded one today. We needed it, as they are a good offensive team. We turned the ball over a lot, but we figured out a way to win the game. I give a lot of credit to our crowd, the students, the alums, and the season ticket holders that were here today. I give them a lot of credit for the effort today. If that game was on the road, it would have been really difficult."
 
"I have to give Columbia a lot of credit, love the coach (Jim Engles). He did a great job at NJIT and now at Columbia. They average 78.5 points per game and they took Boston College right down the wire the other day. I was nervous about this game, especially coming off finals week and a couple of our guys were sick."
 
"We grinded it out, Geo (Baker) did a great job and Shaq (Carter) gets a career high in points and how about the job Caleb McConnell did today. I'm really proud of that effort. It's a good win for us. It is nice to be back at the RAC after 22 days."
 
On the gritty win: "I was kind of excited. I think we needed a change of season. Everything was going against us, we were turning the ball over, Eugene (Omoruyi) was injured and in foul trouble. We were not making threes. We cut it down to 19, but I would like that number to be down to 13. We were not making any threes and they were, but we figured out a way to win. We hit big free throws down the stretch and when we were not shooting the ball well, we did a great job in getting big rebounds. Shaq Carter and Caleb (McConnell) gave us great energy off the bench, which we definitely needed."
 
On decreasing the three point attempts on offense: "I would like to make some more. When you are not making them, you have to find other ways to score. If we had made eight of them, than 19 would be a good number, but we have not been shooting the ball well. We have good shooters shooting the ball too. We had some good looks today but they did not go in."
 
On this being a wake-up call: "There is no need for a wake-up. The lineup at the end, with Shaq (Carter), Caleb McConnell, and Montez Mathis, who are first year guys out there, so we are still figuring things out. We have a lot of young guys out there. Eugene (Omoruyi) fouls out, we had to go with a different lineup and figure it out. I thought we had a great week of practice. I thought we played well to start the game today. They had 28 points and made that late three at the half which was contested. We held a team that averages 78-79 points to just 31 at halftime, so our defense was certainly doing the job it needed to do, but our offense with the turnovers, that was not helping us. Just staying on the course and keep plugging in and figuring things out the rest of the way. Shaq (Carter) and Caleb McConnell did not play big minutes in the first few games, now today we could not take them out of the game."
 
On the early full lineup substitution: "We needed some energy and I did not think our starters gave us that to start the game. Follow the game plan, which was not to take quick shots. It was to get the ball, move it side to side, and post-it and some of that, so I wanted to get their attention. I do not know if it worked or not. I had no problem in doing that and I liked the guys on the bench."
 
On Caleb McConnell's big free throws towards the end of the game: "They were huge. We got to the free throw line a lot and with the right guys taking them like Geo (Baker) and Caleb, our percentages will keep going up and up."
 
On getting comfortable with Caleb McConnell and Geo Baker on the court at the same time: "It just gave us a different look today. Caleb has been practicing at a high level and got through the fight of being a freshman and his practices have been at a high level. And then I liked the fact that he really defended today, so his defense was important as anything and he grabbed some big rebounds. He was very involved and so did Shaq Carter. They gave us some great effort. Playing those two guys together is something that we are definitely going to continue to work with."
 
On Shaq Carter emerging in the second half: "His energy is always great. He is always around the ball. He gave us some great lift with a couple of dunks, some huge baskets for us when we were struggling to score. He has been really good. As he figures out our system, he becomes more and more comfortable and his numbers in the last 4-5 games have been really good. To have a guy like him coming off the bench and with Eugene (Omoruyi) in foul trouble and Shaquille Doorson is in foul trouble, so Shaq Carter gives us some good post play."
 
On using this stretch of games as a learning experience: "I think it is really important as we are still learning the team and getting the rotations down. We can tinker with our rotations in practice and we practiced at a high level, so I was surprised when we came out not a high level today. We had some really good practices. They deserve a few days off and away from basketball and get right back at it."
 
On the halftime message: "I just wanted our guys to relax and play. The turnovers were a problem. We were trying to rush things and the high-low actions. The no-ball reversals and stuff like that so I was not that bad at halftime, just ask Geo Baker and the guys. I just said we are zero for 100 from the three-point line and we turned the ball over a lot. They only had 28 points before that last three off the heck of defensive effort by Shaq Carter. We were defending a team that averages 78-79. Wwe just have to calm down and get the ball moving side to side."
 
Columbia Head Coach Jim Engles
 
On starting fast: "I thought we played with great energy. I thought we defended against a Big Ten team. I thought we did a really good job of taking them out of some of their stuff. I was really happy with the effort we put in. The guys played well."
 
On challenges in the second half: "Physicality. They're so big and you have to rebound. They finished some plays, rebounded and started to isolate some guys. I think getting to the free throw line helped them. I think that was a big difference in the game. We have to figure out some things offensively to help us get to the free throw line. Guys battled it out."
 
On playing without top scorer: "It happens. In basketball you're going to miss some guys. Other guys have stepped up into different roles and they've done a good job of trying to play a certain way. There's still some adjustments we need to make, but I think we're playing really hard and playing unselfishly. We certainly battled. That's a positive. We just have to execute some things a little bit differently."