Rutgers returns to the rugged road of the Big Ten to play Minnesota in a 12:30 p.m. ET tip-off on Saturday at Williams Arena in a contest televised on BTN. The Golden Gophers are receiving votes in both polls and are the second of seven Rutgers opponents either ranked or receiving votes over its next nine games.
 
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POSTGAME NOTES 

• The win marks Rutgers' first ranked victory since defeating No. 15 Seton Hall at home last season and first win over a ranked Big Ten foe in four years, a triumph over No. 4 Wisconsin at the RAC in Jan. 2015.
• Rutgers shot 42.0% against an Ohio State defense ranked 26^th nationally in FG% defense (39.2).
• Rutgers is 6-0 this season when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent (10/13).
• Rutgers is 5-0 this season when shooting a better percentage than its opponent (42%/40%).
• Rutgers made 15 free throws (15-of-20), its most in a Big Ten game this season and most against a league foe since depositing 18 (18-of-25) against Minnesota in last season's Big Ten Tournament.
• Geo Baker scored 15 points, reaching in double figures for the 11^th time this season and 31^st time in his career.
• Three first-year players scored in double digits for Rutgers, comprised of junior Shaq Carter and freshmen Montez Mathis and Ron Harper, Jr.
• Mathis scored a career-high 16 points, marking the second straight game he set a career-best in points, after scoring 11 against Maryland.
• Playing a career-high 31 minutes, Carter scored 11 points, his second time in double-figure scoring, and grabbed seven rebounds, tying his career-high.
• Harper, Jr. scored 12 points, reaching in double-figures for the fourth time this season
• It marked the third time this season Rutgers had at least four players score in double-figures, and first occasion since defeating Drexel on Nov. 11.
• Ohio State now leads the all-time series that dates back to 1978 by a 6-3 margin.
• Rutgers' leading scorer, Eugene Omoruyi, exited the game at the 12:58 mark of the first half due to a left leg injury and did not return.
• Tonight's game marked the first of seven contests against opponents ranked or receiving votes over nine games.
• Rutgers starting lineup consisted of Geo Baker, Montez Mathis, Ron Harper Jr., Eugene Omoruyi and Shaquille Doorson. The Scarlet Knights have utilized five different starting lineups this season. It was the first career start for Ron Harper Jr.

 
POST-GAME QUOTES
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening Statement: "Great environment tonight, great college basketball game. I am just proud of our guys. Thankful for the people that came out, all the things that make our place great here. The RAC was a tough place to play. We played a great team. I have a ton of respect for Ohio State. They did an unbelievable job, well coached and great players. That is why they are ranked and should be. Our guys found a way. They went through a lot of adversity. Eugene (Omoruyi) went down early, but we found a win to win the game and I could not be more proud of my team."
 
On bounce back after Saturday's performance against Maryland: "I am really proud of it. We had good practices leading up. We had two young guys in the starting lineup for the first time and they both were great. Montez (Mathis) made some big shots. Geo (Baker) was a great floor general today. Everyone that checked in for us tonight gave us great minutes. Shaq Carter and Shaquille Doorson did an unbelievable job guarding (Kaleb) Wesson. He is a problem, he is really hard to guard. I thought everyone played with great energy. It is not always easy, this is the best league in the country with a ton of ranked teams. We figured it out and persevered through a ton of adversity. This is a journey, there are ups and downs and this was a big up for us."
 
On beating a ranked Big Ten opponent: "Just sticking to the gameplan and our players have to keep plugging. We are young and figuring some stuff out, but just really proud with the adversity we fought through tonight. We got down late and fought back from that. A ton of adversity came our way and we just a found ways to win the basketball game against an elite team in our conference and in the country."
 
On the young team learning how to win tonight: "I think so. You have to make big plays and we had huge stops down the stretch. They had been practicing that way. We had good practices. They are really coachable. Tonight was a huge obstacle because Eugene (Omoruyi) is a big part of what we do. Him going down early, he is our leading scorer and he has been great for us. Just figuring out to get through another obstacle. Shaq Carter was able to bounce in and give us a ton of good minutes. To get that win was a big confidence booster for us."
 
On the defense reflecting the great offense: "We got to the free throw line a ton tonight. That was a huge key. We are getting better defensively and offensively. Today we made some timely shots, they are all good shooters. We made some big free throws and they have been doing a great job."
 
On playing zone defense today: "I am just learning my team. We have good length and I thought that might give us an edge tonight. Kaleb Wesson is a problem in the post and we need to play some great post defense."
 
On efficiency at the free throw line: "I think it was huge, just another way to score points. Our guys did a great job in getting to the line and made some huge shots. That percentage is what we need to shot the rest of the season. It helped us a lot tonight."
 
On Montez Mathis' performance down the stretch: "A lot of toughness. He attacked the rim and I like it when he is in attack mode. The last few games he has been getting better and better. His practices have improved and he has an edge to him. It is tough for a young guy when you come into a league like this. We have a lot of guys in new positions so I am really happy."
 
On the team bounce back from the scoring drought in the second half: "We just kept defending. It happens in games when you have good starts. There are going to be spurts where you do not score. I watch NBA games all the time. We have to play through that and I talked about it lot after the Maryland game. I thought our offense affected our defense in that game and today we just kept grinding. To hold them to 61 points, it is a tremendous number against an excellent team."
 
On Ron Harper Jr.'s performance: "He came alive. He got to the free throw line and made some threes. His defense was good too, he has a great attitude and approach to the game. He just keeps getting better and that is what I want. He gives us good size too in the starting lineup."
 
On offensive efficiency: "I told them it is an easy game if you are open, then shoot the ball. They are all good shooters, but they have put a lot of time into it. That extra time shows on the court."

Guard Geo Baker
"We all have confidence in ourselves and we all believe in each other. I know I have to take the big shot at the end of the game, and I'm glad it went in."

"We wanted to bounce back from the way we played against Maryland. We saw this as a good opportunity against the 16^th ranked team in the country coming into our RAC. We come out and played hard. I'm happy with the way we all played. Guys stepped up big today."

Guard Ron Harper Jr.

"This is a building win for us. We expect to keep taking steps forward. We showed a lot of people today that we can be really good. If we keep building as a team, we're a team you have to look out for. We're coming in every game to compete. This is
something we can build on."

"Our fans stick together with us. The student section was packed. We appreciate the fans, students, everybody for coming out and believing in us. They were like our sixth man out there."
 
Ohio State Head Coach Chris Holtmann
 
Opening statement: "I want to begin by giving Rutgers credit. I thought they played aggressive, physical and beat us to more loose balls. We've got to find a way to coach better and play better."
 
On transition defense: "Some of those were against turnovers or off a turnover. I think we had some poor transition defense in the first half. I'll have to look at it, but I do think we had some plays where we did not have very good floor balance."
 
On plays down the stretch: "I thought we ran a couple poor possessions. C.J. (Jackson), I think, was trying to draw a foul on that one possession and we had a turnover against the zone. Did love our last look. I did love that one. That was about the only good look."
 
On Kaleb Wesson: "I think foul trouble hurt him. We were able to get him some touches on the interior. He probably had some too that he normally makes. I was pleased to see us get him involved."
 
On facing zone defense: "Not very well. We thought they could play some, but they obviously played more than they played all year."