PISCATAWAY – Geo Baker scored a season-high tying 22 points to help Rutgers (7-3, 1-1) lead for 37 of the game's 40 minutes in a 72-65 victory over Wisconsin (5-4, 1-1) Wednesday evening at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded the Badgers 40-26, establishing a 42-28 scoring advantage in the paint and benefiting 23-5 in second chance points, to improve to 7-0 at home.
 
"I thought for one-day prep, we did a really good job of being locked into a totally different team than Michigan State," said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. "I have tremendous respect for Wisconsin, coach Gard does an awesome job. They have 19 NCAA bids in the last 20 years. It was a hard-fought game, but we made some plays down the stretch and everybody that checked into the game really helped us."
 
Baker, who posted 16 of his points in the second half, shot 9-of-18 overall and was joined in double-digits by Myles Johnson. The sophomore center made 5-of-5 from the field to register 12 points with seven rebounds.
 
Rutgers jumped out to a 9-0 lead and aggressively pressured the Badgers, who entered the contest ranked 23rd nationally in fewest turnovers. The Scarlet Knights led for the first half's entirety until a Wisconsin 3-pointer at the buzzer sent the visitors into the locker room at the midpoint with a 33-32 edge.
 
In the contest's initial 20 minutes, RU forced 12 turnovers, exceeding the Badgers season average of 11.2 per game.

Johnson opened the second half scoring with a layup, before a Wisconsin triple provided the visitors a two-point lead, their largest of the game. The Scarlet Knights responded with a 7-0 run and held the advantage for the remainder.
 
The Badgers twice drew to within three points in the final 10 minutes, but the home squad consistently answered the challenge to secure the victory.
 
"I thought they were locked in tonight," said Pikiell. "I thought we were swarming and we have to play like that. We have enough bodies that we can keep running at people."
 
Rutgers returns to the hardwood Saturday afternoon to host No. 22 Seton Hall in the Garden State Hardwood Classic presented by Affinity Federal Credit Union. The contest is sold out and will tip-off at 4 p.m. on BTN. Fans seeking tickets are encouraged to visit StubHub, the official secondary marketplace of the Scarlet Knights.
 
"It'll be rocking on Saturday," said Pikiell. "We're playing a great team, a great program. We have a couple days to prepare and get ready for that game. That's why these guys come here, for these kinds of games."
 
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POSTGAME NOTES 

• Rutgers' 23 second chance points marked its most ever in a Big Ten Conference game.
• RU's 22 points off turnovers was its most in a Big Ten game since scoring 24 in an 80-64 home win over Iowa on Jan. 17, 2018.
• The Scarlet Knights' 42 points in the paint marked its most in a regulation Big Ten game since also scoring 42 in a 76-69 home win over Nebraska on Jan. 21, 2019.
• Wisconsin, which entered the contest ranked 23^rd nationally averaging 11.2 turnovers-per game, was forced into 14 turnovers by the Scarlet Knights.
• Wisconsin's Nate Reuvers, who entered averaging a team-best 15.4 points, was limited to six points on 2-of-8 shooting.
• Rutgers out-rebounded its opponent for the ninth time in 10 games.
• The victory signaled the Scarlet Knights' third-straight home win over Wisconsin. The Badgers leads the all-time series 7-3, but have yet to win at the RAC since RU joined the Big Ten.
• Rutgers remains undefeated at home (7-0).
• Geo Baker scored a season-high tying 22 points, his second game with 20 or more points this season and the seventh of his career. It marked his seventh game in double figures this season and the 49^th of his career.
• Baker had three steals, his second game this season and 13^th of his career with three or more steals.
• Myles Johnson scored in double digits for the fourth time this season and the 10^th time in his career.
• Akwasi Yeboah made his first career start in a Rutgers uniform.
• The Scarlet Knights wore throwback uniforms that resembled those worn by the team in the 1970's.

POSTGAME QUOTES 
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening Statement: "Always appreciate everybody coming. Great environment tonight, I'm very thankful for that. The students were awesome. It's finals week too, so our guys have a lot on their plate this week. I thought for one-day prep, we did a really good job of being locked into a totally different team than Michigan State. I have tremendous respect for Wisconsin, coach Gard does an awesome job. They have 19 NCAA bids in the last 20 years. It was a hard-fought game, but we made some plays down the stretch and everybody that checked into the game really helped us. We're real proud of our guys sacrifices. A lot of guys sacrificed minutes, Caleb comes off the bench and makes a huge play, down the stretch and Myles make some big plays, he bounces back from Michigan State game. Geo, a huge couple defensive possessions too. Akwasi gives us maturity in that lineup and then Montez and Jacob Young defensively put a lot of pressure on them. Really good job by everyone that checked in. Shaq Carter gave us good minutes, so did Mamadou Doucoure, so that was a really good team win against a really good program."
 
On the team's performance: "I thought they were locked in today. I thought we were swarming and we have to play like that. We have enough bodies that we can keep running at people. Having guys like Paul Mulcahy coming off the bench that really come in and make some plays for us, get assists, give us great length and rebound. Then Montez, Geo, guys that stick their nose in there and get rebounds. Ron Harper, too and that's how we kind of got to play, team basketball. It's a good team win."
 
On Geo Baker: "What was really important was his blocked shot. His defense today was great down the stretch. It's great to be confident like he was today.  I thought all of our guys were. I thought even the shots that we took you saw that. Akwasi, he had a good look, he took it confidently down the stretch, Myles made some free throws. It's great to have a veteran guy in Geo who's a captain, who's been in those positions before. He played well."
 
On the second half of the game: "I thought when we came back out we responded well. We knew the game was going to be a war. They're real physical and they have a lot of veteran guys. That's how they play, they're always in games when you shoot the three as well as they can, and they post you up. Our guys I thought played well in the first half. Down one, didn't want to be there, but we were right where we needed to be to win the game of the second half. We came out and did a really good job of having great energy, being great together, great on defense."
 
On Akwasi Yeboah making his first start in place of Caleb McConnell: "Caleb was awesome, Caleb is really good. I just thought physically I liked the matchup. Akwasi gives us real size and they try to post up a lot. I feel like I've got 10 or 11 different guys that could be starters. I never worry about any of that. I trust all my guys. Caleb's a really good player. You saw it at the end of the game too, so it's how we have to be. This guy sacrifices, Caleb sacrifices, he was sacrificing coming off the bench, and there's a lot of other guys that could make a case for starting too. I just like the fact that everyone that got into the game today helped us win. And I think that's the most important thing. I think Akwasi gives us that kind of maturity too as that fifth-year senior that's been through some wars. But it changed things up a little bit. I thought it was better for our matchups, and both guys played really well."
 
On going 1-1 in the opening stretch of Big Ten play: "We haven't been done that in long time. This league is tough. We played the number one preseason ranked team in Michigan State, and then today the number six preseason ranked team, so great programs. This league is a monster so night in and night out, it's good. So, to get a home win in conference play, it is really good and exciting for us. We haven't got one in December, in a long time."
 
On the Seton Hall game coming up next: "Every game we play is a big matchup. Our crowd was awesome tonight. So, I just keep saying to our fans, our students, everybody, let's make the place loud. It'll be rocking on Saturday. We're playing a great team, a great program. We have a couple days to prepare and get ready for that game. That's why these guys come here, for these kinds of games."

Rutgers Guard Geo Baker

On the game: "This showed our toughness. We wanted to come out and prove something. I was just aggressive from the start, just kept attacking."
 
Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard
 
On the difference in the game: "The glass is the biggest thing. I thought they were way more physical than we were, especially early. It took us a while to respond to that, give them credit. They took advantage of those opportunities. That was probably the biggest (reason). We settled down a bit in the second half, but they were the more physical, aggressive team. We didn't respond well enough to that early and let them get a lead. I was happy with the way we clawed back, but it was still such a sloppy first half on both the defensive glass too. The defensive glass continued. I thought they were more physical and we didn't respond to it well. We missed some block-outs, but there were other times when they just flat-out took it from us."
 
On Nate Reuvers: "(Responding) is an area he's got to get better at. That's a process of his development. He's got to be more of a physical presence on both ends."
 
On mental toughness on the road: "I think we're trying to figure out a lot of things. The rebounding component, I think that tells me a lot. I learned a lot tonight. That will be good going forward."
 
On learning about the rebounding component: "Just the physicalness that we are not. I wanted us to be more physical throughout the first 10 games and tonight it was exposed more. I'm just disappointed from that standpoint about how we responded to that part of it. I thought we got frenzied early and turned the ball over too much. But obviously the physical component of it in the paint and in the glass was something that was disappointing and hopefully we can turn it around from that standpoint."
 
On Geo Baker: "He's a really good player. There's some shots that are indefensible that you can't no matter how well you play it. He split us twice on ball screens and he hit some tough ones. But we made some mistakes too and good players make you pay for those. I would say his ability to make plays for himself and others and obviously our inability to keep them off the glass. When we got stops there, we had a four-point game with a minute to go and we gamble and (Caleb) McConnell gets the three-point play. Like I said, we couldn't finish out possessions when we did get a miss. That's a credit to them."
 
On rebounding: "I've never been one that believes that size in the ultimate answer in rebounding. There are technique things, there's some grit and toughness and those things that are part of it. And Tyler Wahl is not near strong enough yet, but he's got a motor and has a nose for the ball and gets after it. He's not afraid to stick his face into places. He's got to get stronger as I told him after the game. You see now why the weight room is important throughout the course of your career because when you get into these types of games, it becomes very imminent and visible of what we need to improve upon."