PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers (11-9, 4-6) overcame a 10-point deficit and limited Indiana (12-9, 3-7) to 35% shooting in a 66-58 defeat of the Hoosiers Wednesday evening at the RAC. It marked the Scarlet Knights' third straight Big Ten victory, signaling the first time RU has won three straight regular season league games in 15 years.
"I thought our guys did a great job after we got down early, having poise throughout the rest of the game," said head coach
Steve Pikiell. "We did a really good job of changing the narrative of the game through that stretch. We have to get a lot better and we will. This group practices hard and I think our guys are figuring out their rolls."
Geo Baker led the way with 16 points, which included a perfect 8-for-8 mark at the free throw line, and
Eugene Omoruyi had 14 points and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double.
Ron Harper Jr. provided the home squad three players in double figures, shooting 4-of-8 to register 10 points.
"We received good minutes from everybody," said Pikiell. "Everyone who checked-in contributed."
Rutgers committed eight turnovers in the game's initial eight minutes, but just six over the final 32. The increased composure was magnified by a 45-32 rebounding advantage that resulted in a 34-22 points in the paint discrepancy.
"We just keep grinding and getting better in practice," said Pikiell. "Their prep is good. They follow the game plan. To hold that team to 35% shooting and out-rebound them, it's a good signs for us moving forward."
Rutgers struck early with two triples, but the visitors raced out to a 16-8 lead behind 55 percent shooting. The Hoosiers' lead reached double-digits at 27-17.
Rutgers proceeded to erase the double-digit deficit for the second time in its three-game winning streak.
Rutgers flipped the momentum late in the initial frame. Harper Jr. finished a fast break with a slam, and then knocked down a three-pointer for a 9-0 run to make it a one-point game. Overall, it was an 11-2 run over the final five minutes of the opening half. Indiana held a 29-28 edge at the midpoint.
The Scarlet Knights continued their strong play after the break. RU began the frame on a 15-0 run, making it 22 consecutive points for RU over 10 minutes of game time.
The impressive start to the half saw the home team use an 18-3 burst to establish a 46-32 advantage. RU made 7-of-12 to open the stanza, while IU deposited just 1-of-11 in that span.
Rutgers kept its lead in double-digits, holding a 58-47 advantage with 5:24 remaining after back-to-back layups by Omoruyi. The Hoosiers fought back, scoring the next six points to cut the lead to five points with two minutes to play.
RU responded with the next four digits, leading 62-53 with a minute on the clock, and held on from there.
"It's a great team win against an Indiana program that I have a ton of respect for," said Pikiell.
Rutgers returns to the road to meet Ohio State in a 12 noon tip-off on Saturday at the Schottenstein Center. The Scarlet Knights downed the No. 16-ranked Buckeyes 64-61 at the RAC on Jan. 9. Saturday's match-up will be televised on BTN with Lisa Byington and Stephen Bardo on the call.
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POSTGAME NOTES
- The last time Rutgers won three consecutive regular season conference games was 2003-04, when it won four straight in Big East play against St. John's, Villanova, Notre Dame and Miami from Jan. 24 - Feb. 4.
- Rutgers had a 22-0 run, its largest ever in Big Ten play.
- Rutgers improves to 3-3 at home in the Big Ten.
- Rutgers' four Big Ten wins surpasses its all-time Big Ten regular season win mark of three from the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. There are 10 conference games remaining before the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
- The Hoosiers entered the game 24th nationally and second in the Big Ten with a 48.6 FG%. The Scarlet Knights held the Hoosiers to 35% shooting.
- Rutgers committed eight turnovers in the game's initial eight minutes. Over the final 32 minutes, RU committed six turnovers
- Geo Baker scored 16 points, reaching double figures for the 17th time this season and 36th time in his career.
- Eugene Omoruyi posted 14 points to register double-figures for the 14th time this season and 24th time in his career.
- Omoruyi has six double-doubles in his career, all accomplished this season.
- Omoruyi took two charges. He now leads the team with 18 on the season.
- Ron Harper scored 10 points to register double figures for the fifth time this season.
- Rutgers has overcome double-digit deficits in four games this season and in two Big Ten contests (two out of the last three games).
- Indiana now leads the all-time series that dates back to 1980, 6-2, but Rutgers has won two straight, including a match-up in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
- Rutgers used a starting lineup of Geo Baker, Montez Mathis, Ron Harper Jr., Eugene Omoruyi and Shaquille Doorson for the third time this season. The Scarlet Knights have utilized six different starting lineups this season.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Opening Statement: "I appreciate everyone being here. I know it's the coldest night of the year. It was warm inside though. It's a great team win against an Indiana program that I have a ton of respect for. The job that Archie [Miller] does and the players they have. It was a good win tonight in a great environment and we are looking forward to the next one."
On closing the first half strong after slow start: "I really liked how we settled down and didn't turn the ball over. We have times like that when we try to get through. I knew we could if we just sit down and guard them, not turn the ball over and get a shot up. That is what this team has done. Just keep grinding and getting better in practice. Their prep is good. They follow the game plan. To hold that team to 35% shooting and out-rebound them, it's a good signs for us moving forward."
On leadership of Geo, Ron and Eugene: "These three are great leadership. Ron had a tough assignment today to guard one of the greatest players in the country. He stepped up and did a great job for us."
On going 1-0: "I say it to these guys all the time. Trying to go 1-0. You have to win games, you have to finish it out. We did a good job. Games get crazy. They get up and down. I thought our guys did a great job after we got down early having poise throughout the rest of the game. A really good job of changing the narrative of the game through that stretch. We have to get a lot better and we will. This group practices hard and I think our guys are figuring out their rolls. We received good minutes from everybody. Everyone who checked-in contributed."
On momentum and noise building around the program: "These guys are doing a great job with the program. They are out in the community. They play hard. I think the crowd appreciates that. I hope they do. It's great when the students come out. The Riot Squad, the dance team, the cheerleaders have all been awesome. The band is terrific. A lot of great things are going on and, hopefully, they tell a friend and keep bringing them back. The way we play, we are a young program too and we can see some great things building here."
Rutgers Freshman Ron Harper Jr.
"Coach Pikiell stresses to us to go 1-0 each game and focus solely on that. This is a good win and a good step in the right direction for the program. But now it's just on to the next one and focusing on preparing for Ohio State on Saturday and fighting them for 40 minutes."
On the 22-0 run: "I felt like we got an energy boost. We dug into a hole, but we got back into it quickly. We fought our way back. It was amazing. It felt like we were scoring the ball every time and we were shutting them down on defense. That run was like an out-of-body experience."
On the winning streak: "It's been fun. This is a very special team. It's a great group of guys. We don't think of it as a streak, it's just another game. We were 1-0 tonight, we know need to focus on being 1-0 on Saturday. That helps keep us levelheaded and focused. We need to just keep that going and make it a regular thing.
Indiana Head Coach Archie Miller
Opening statement: "Heck of a game played by Rutgers. I thought they did what they do well, really rebounded the ball. Put a lot of fouls on us because of our lack of ability to rebound. That hurt us in the first half, it changed the game. Second half, give them credit. They made everything around the basket hard. We had some decent looks, point-blank ones that they blocked or challenged. And they were able to take advantage of some run outs and some things where our offense broke down early. Our guys kind of hung tough, fought it out there a little bit, but it just wasn't good enough tonight with the inability to rebound, and in reality, the inability to continue to score. We had a nice stretch there in the first half with about six to go, fouls crept in and they go, I think, 9-0 in the last 1:26 of the half. That was a big momentum swing for us coming out of halftime. Got to keep getting better. Got to keep finding a way. We're at the halfway point. We'll play our seventh out of 11 road games on Saturday. In some ways, hopefully that will come back as the season continues to progress in a good way for us. We've been on a heck of a stretch and just haven't been good enough to win these games. That's part of playing the Big Ten."
On room for error: "We don't have a lot of room for error. We have six scholarship players out in practice right now. You have two juniors who have played two years in the Big Ten who aren't part of what we're doing the whole month, pretty much all January. And you have some young guys out there who are having to play extended minutes, which will benefit them in time. But you can't make any excuses. Like I told them before the game, this same team found a way to grind it out in November and December when it wasn't pretty. At some level, I think it's confidence, a little bit. I think it's fatigue a little bit. Hopefully we can find a way to be ourselves and stay with it right here. Our lack of shooting are our inability to continue to score are something that has been problematic. You can't be perfect on every possession defensively. And we had some bad possessions offensively early in that second half that gave them turnovers, gave them baskets. We are who we are. Hopefully each day we get a guy back or each game we get two guys back. I'm not real sure. But what we have is what we have. Those guys have to understand, they got to bring it. It is up to our staff, like I told them, we all have to be better right now."
