UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Rutgers (10-9, 3-6) made nine of 12 free throws in the final minutes to earn its second straight Big Ten victory, a 64-60 decision over Penn State (7-13, 0-9) Saturday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center. Sophomore guard Geo Baker scored 20 points to pace the Scarlet Knights in a hard-fought contest that featured seven ties and eight lead changes in the second half.
 
"We knew this was going to be a war," said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. "Lamar Stevens is a problem. Down the stretch they got the ball in his hands. A tip of the hat to Geo Baker for making big plays down the stretch. Eugene Omoruyi made four big free throws. We made some big stops."
 
RU out-rebounded the Nittany Lions by a 41-39 margin to out-score the hosts 24-20 in the paint, while benefiting 15-8 in second chance points.

"Our defense was excellent from start to finish," said Pikiell. "We're fortunate that we made big free throws and had a couple more points than them in the end. It was a hard-fought win."

Freshman guard Montez Mathis and junior forward Eugene Omoruyi both scored 11 points to join Baker in double figures. Omoruyi provided a veteran presence in a reserve role for the second consecutive game and propelled Rutgers to a 22-16 advantage in bench points via a 7-of-8 performance at the charity stripe.
 
RU jumped-out to an 18-14 lead via its sharp shooting from behind the arc. Mathis buried his first two attempts from distance and Baker added a triple of his own.
 
"We were coming in here with that winning mentality," said Baker. "I just stayed on attack mode all game. Our leadership really helped us. We want to keep this team together and keep this going."
 
Penn State started 5-of-20 from the field, as RU's defense enabled a 22-16 advantage. Baker willed the Scarlet Knights through the opening stanza, scoring a game-high 11 points in the frame to give Rutgers a 30-26 lead at the midpoint. The Scarlet Knights benefited from a 10-0 advantage in second chance points, attacking the rim to secure an 18-10 margin in points in the paint through the first twenty minutes.
 
Mathis scored the first basket of the second half, but the home team countered with a 7-0 run to retake the lead at 33-32. RU battled through a shooting slump, with a three-pointer from Peter Kiss giving the visitors a 40-39 advantage.
 
Rutgers made five-of-seven shots in a stretch to take a 48-45 edge with 7:34 to play. A three-pointer from Ron Harper Jr. provided RU a 51-46 lead, as the defense clamped down on Penn State, forcing them into a field goal drought of over six minutes.
 
Baker drained a three-pointer from the top of the arc to give Rutgers a 57-53 lead with three minutes remaining. PSU cut its deficit to 58-57, making it a one-possession game with a minute on the clock. RU made its free throws down the stretch to secure its second Big Ten road victory under Pikiell.
 
"It's great to come into this environment and get a win on the road," said Pikiell. "This is the toughest league in the country and it's especially hard to win on the road. I could not be more proud of this group. They fought through a lot."


 
Rutgers returns home to host five-time national champion Indiana in a 7 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday. The Hoosiers have been ranked six weeks this season. The contest will be televised on BTN with Kevin Kugler and Jon Crispin 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.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Geo Baker scored 20 points, reaching double figures for the 16th time this season and 35th time in his career.
• The 20 points tied his season high and it marked his fifth career game with 20 or more points.
• Montez Mathis scored 11 points, reaching double figures for the eighth time this season and sixth time in the past seven games.
• Eugene Omoruyi posted 11 points to register double-figures for the 13th time this season and 23rd time in his career with 11 points.
• Omoruyi took two charges. He now leads the team with 16 on the season.
• Rutgers used a starting lineup of Geo Baker, Montez Mathis, Ron Harper Jr., Shaq Carter and Shaquille Doorson for the fifth consecutive game. The Scarlet Knights have utilized six different starting lineups this season.
• This was Rutgers first time winning two consecutive regular season Big Ten Conference game, and the third time winning games against Big Ten games back-to-back since joining the league.
• The feat was most recently accomplished Feb. 28, 2018 vs. Minnesota (Big Ten Tournament) and March 1, 2018 vs. Indiana (Big Ten Tournament). It was also done on March 4, 2017 vs. Illinois and March 8, 2017 vs. Ohio State (Big Ten Tournament).
• Rutgers has won two of its last three games at the Bryce Jordan Center (Rutgers won 70-68 on Feb. 4, 2017, the Scarlet Knights' first Big Ten road victory).

POSTGAME QUOTES
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening Statement: "It's great to come into this environment and get a win on the road. This is the toughest league in the country and it's especially hard to win on the road. I could not be more proud of this group. They fought through a lot. Penn State was desperate for the win. Our defense was excellent tonight from start to finish. We're fortunate that we made big free throws and had a couple more points than them in the end. It was a hard-fought win."
 
On the second half effort: "We knew this was going to be a war. Lamar Stevens is a problem. Down the stretch they got the ball in his hands. Tip of the hat to Geo Baker for making big plays down the stretch. Eugene Omoruyi made four big free throws. We made some big stops. These close games, that's what it comes down to. This is a good sign for us, we win two in a row, and I think this team will continue to get better."
 
On Geo Baker: "How good was he tonight? He was running the show, and I loved his defense. I keep saying he's one of the best young guards in the league. He was locked in."