PISCATAWAY – Before the largest RAC crowd in 17 years, Rutgers (8-3, 1-1) dominated No. 22 Seton Hall (6-4) from start to finish in a definitive 68-48 victory in the annual Garden State Hardwood Classic presented by Affinity Federal Credit Union. New Jersey native Ron Harper Jr. earned Joe Calabrese Most Valuable player honors with 18 points, as the Scarlet Knights out-rebounded SHU 46-29.
"We were locked in today, said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. "I loved our defense from the opening tip. Every guy contributed. Every guy did what they needed to do. (We had) two days to prepare for a really good team, so I was worried about that. We were locked in from the opening tip and we played really well on both ends of the floor."
Akwasi Yeboah contributed 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting to join Harper Jr. in double figures with 14 points. Five players had eight or more points, including Caleb McConnell, who made 4-of-5 field goals off the bench to add nine points.
The Scarlet Knights limited the Pirates to a season-low 32.2 percent (19-of-59) shooting to earn their largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history. The 20-point win marked RU's biggest over its rival since downing SHU by 32 points, 81-49, at the RAC on January 7, 1998.
"Our guys were driven, they were determined," said Pikiell. "We're a good basketball program, I think you saw today, New Jersey basketball's good. These guys all played together. When you're playing a ranked team with the best guard in the country against a team like that, you gotta be ready to play and we were ready to play."
Myles Johnson had 13 rebounds, his fourth game this season with 10 or more boards, while also contributing a career-high three steals.
Rutgers made five of its first six shots to a take a 12-0 lead and never looked back. Meanwhile, RU's defense befuddled the visitors. Seton Hall made just one if its initial 17 shots.
The Scarlet Knights built its advantage to as much as 21 points. The Pirates scored eight of the stanza's final 10, to reduce its deficit to 13 points, 36-23, at the midpoint.
Montez Mathis opened the scoring after the break and the home squad continued its domination over the final 20 minutes. Seton Hall would get no closer than 12, as Rutgers built its lead to as much as 22 points.
"We just had a four-game gauntlet," said Pikiell. "I think we (need to) continue with the right approach to practice and get better every day. We're young, but we have some pieces. I have to put the right pieces in at times. They have to sacrifice. That's part of it. It's all part of a journey."
Rutgers returns to the hardwood on Sunday, Dec. 22 to host Lafayette at the RAC. The contest will tip-off at 1 p.m. on ESPNU.
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POSTGAME NOTES
- The 8,329, attendance marked the largest crowd at the RAC since 8,729 watched Rutgers defeat Seton Hall 66-60 on Feb. 23, 2002.
- The 20-point win was the Scarlet Knights' largest margin of victory over a ranked team in program history and was Rutgers' fourth ranked win under head coach Steve Pikiell
- The 68-48 win marked Rutgers largest margin of victory in the series since the Scarlet Knights downed the Hall by 32 points, 81-49, at the RAC on January 7, 1998.
- Seton Hall's 48 points marked its fewest in the series since also scoring 48 in 61-48 loss on March 8, 2006.
- Rutgers limited Seton Hall to 32.2% (19-of-59) shooting, its lowest percentage this season.
- Rutgers is 7-6 versus Seton Hall at a sold-out RAC, including 2-1 when SHU arrives with a national ranking.
- Rutgers outrebounded its opponent for the 10th time in 11 games.
- Rutgers last win over a nationally ranked opponent was an 86-72 win at No. 22 Iowa on March 2, 2019.
- Joe Calabrese game MVP Ron Harper Jr. scored in double figures for the seventh time this season and the 17th time in his career.
- Rutgers remains undefeated at home 8-0 and improves to 6-0 when limiting opponents to less than 60 points.
- Geo Baker had five assists, his fifth time this season and 21st of his career with five or more helpers.
- Myles Johnson had 13 rebounds, his fourth game this season and eighth of his career with 10 or more boards. He also had a career-high three steals.
- Akwasi Yeboah reached double-digits for the sixth time this season and 76th time in his career.
- Caleb McConnell had a season-high three steals, his fourth career game with three or more steals.
- Seton Hall leads the all-time series dating back to 1916 40-31
POSTGAME QUOTES
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Opening Statement: "What a great environment today. We really were locked in today. Played a really good team, obviously, well-coached. I have a lot of respect for Seton Hall and coach (Kevin) Willard. I really wanna thank the community and the students that showed up - it's finals this week so it's a really crazy week. It's a crazy week for our guys too. We were locked in today. I loved our defense from the opening tip. Every guy contributed. Every guy did what they needed to do. (We had) two days to prepare for a really good team so I was worried about that. We were locked in from the opening tip and we played really well on both ends of the floor"
On team's strong start to the game: "The building was great. The most fans since 2002. The place was jumping. From the beginning. I thought our guys got a great start too which really helped. Got the fans involved and they make it a real tough place to play. When the RAC is jumping like that — all the good things about Rutgers University you saw today. Everyone comes together, you can do some really nice things. My team has come together. They have to sacrifice. Caleb was starting, now he comes off the bench. 'Whatever you need, coach.' Guys coming off the bench — our bench gave us tremendous energy tonight. They gave us some great minutes. All of our starters were resting. Just a great team win in a great environment. Getting off to a good start was important."
On defensive game plan: "We only had two days, so you can't re-invent the wheel. We were really connected on the defensive end. We had a lot of switches If we had to. I thought we were real aggressive in all our coverages. They got really good players. I don't think they got comfortable looks, a couple open threes which I didn't love — I thought for the most part we were really aggressive on that end of the floor. And everyone subbed in did a great job so we got a to of different looks for all their guards.
On team's motivation for rivalry game: "Our guys were driven, they were determined. We're a good basketball program, I think you saw today, New Jersey basketball's good. These guys all played together. When you're playing a ranked team with the best guard in the country against a team like that, you gotta be ready to play and we were ready to play."
On the environment at the RAC: "We're getting there. We had the most people ever, the place was rocking. I think we got a good team This university is exploding, I keep saying that. It was nice to have everybody come together. I know my son just took a final and ran over. Students were there. All the different things that had to happen to make the place loud. You gotta have great administrators, you gotta have great fans, cheerleaders, the band, all of the different things that go into this. Then you gotta have a team that's willing to sacrifice, take on roles, pass the ball and play with great energy. They practice hard. The last three or four practices they've been really focused and really trying to find themselves. These are great things and we have great momentum at Rutgers, we really do. Academically, basketball-wise, athletics-wise. There's a lot of good things happening, so we can continue that trend."
On team's rebounding effort (46-29 advantage): "I thought we did an awesome job. How bout the backboard numbers. They're big, they're one of the biggest teams in the country. That was very much a concern for me. They tend to get a lot of long rebounds too cause they're so tall. I thought we were locked in and we stayed attached the whole time and it helped us run, especially in the first half too, those long rebounds."
On Akwasi Yeboah: "He's just mature. He gives us a maturity about him. He can really shoot the ball. I think he's as good a shooter as there is. We can post him , we can do a lot of different things. His maturity has really helped. He gets locked in, he comes to practice every day, they love him. I think these guys are really enjoying what he brings. He's figuring it out too with a new team. He's been a nice addition."
On the team's journey: "We just had a four-game gauntlet. I think we (need to) continue with the right approach to practice and get better every day. We're young but we have some pieces. I have to put the right pieces in at times. They have to sacrifice. That's part of it. It's all part of a journey. You have to go through some ups and downs in order to get better. Luckily, these guys stay the course, they get better. If they continue to do that. It'll be a really fun journey."
Rutgers Forward Ron Harper Jr.
On feeling when he lifted the trophy: "It was unbelievable. Last year, we dropped this game and it was a hard-fought game. Being a jersey kid, this game meant a lot to me. And getting that win and pulling it out meant the world to me."
On the noise level at the RAC: "There's times where you cant even hear the plays being called, you cant hear screen coverage That's the type of atmosphere we want to make regular at the RAC and I think the students are doing just that."
Rutgers Guard Geo Baker
On the noise level at the RAC: "It was definitely really loud. We really appreciate that a lot. All the fans came out. The student section was great. It just felt right. The win felt right."
Seton Hall Head Coach Kevin Willard
On Myles Powell's injury: "He has a pretty bad concussion. He got whacked when he took the charge and whacked his head on the floor. [Then] him and Tyrese [Samuel] ran into each other. I was kind of wondering, and then he asked me during the game 'why are we practice at Rutgers?'. I kind of looked at him because I was wondering what the heck he was doing. We sat down during the timeout and his eyes rolled in the back of his head and it kind of just hit him like a wave. So, he got whacked pretty good. Luckily he's starting to come through it a little bit right now, so we'll watch him overnight and put him in concussion protocol. With concussions, you really have to be careful.
On what happened over the first eight minutes of the game: "I think [Rutgers] did a good job and just jumped on us. I didn't do a very good job of getting these guys ready for this atmosphere. The only ones who have really played in this atmosphere before were Myles Powell and Myles Cale. Sandro [Mamukelashvili] also played a little. We talked about it with them a little bit, but I didn't want to get them thinking about it, but I didn't do a good enough job to get them to understand what this game and atmosphere is like. I've been here now 13 times and I should have done a better job."
On the atmosphere: "I think by far this is the best atmosphere I've seen here. I really do. [Steve Pikiell] has done a phenomenal job here. Pat Hobbs has done a phenomenal job. But this is by far the best atmosphere I've seen it. It was a great atmosphere."
On Ron Harper and Akwasi Yeboah: I thought Ron played really well. I thought him and Yeboah both did. I think Yeboah is a bigger difference maker for them than they had last year just because of his ability. He's such a smart player. He's a veteran guy. I thought he was a bigger difference because of the way he can just spread guys out. The way Steve has kind of gone away from what they were doing earlier in the season and just giving it to Geo [Baker] in space on the floor and put a lot of pressure on your pick and roll defense. Having [Yeboah] out there, you can just tell he's a fifth-year guy and just knows what to do."
On how much the rivalry benefits New Jersey basketball: "It's great. I just think from where we all started to where we all are, and where this game is where the juice is, to me, it's a home run. Nothing but positives. Steve is doing phenomenal things with his program and it's nothing but good things for the both of us."
Seton Hall Senior Guard Quincy McKnight
On how they approached the game: "They had us on our back heels a little bit to start the game. Coming out of halftime without Myles [Powell] was kind of tough for us. That 13-point lead, and you saw us last year come back a lot in the second half. We had a fresh 20 minutes, but it was just tough. With this atmosphere, they came out and threw the first punch and just had us on our heels."
On Myles Powell's Injury: "Honestly, we came down and I saw him and Tyrese [Samuel] bump into each other a little bit. We came down and I called out a play and he kind of just looked at me a little bit. He was holding his face, so I just thought him and Rese ran into each other and he might have gotten poked on the eye. I didn't even see it [on the bench], I went to go get water and coach just told me that I was back in the game already. I was looking around to see who I was subbing in for, and he said it was an injury sub. I didn't know who I was subbing in for until I looked on the court and didn't see Myles.
On the team's confidence: "Everyone is still confident. Everyone is going to still play their game and come out and play hard for coach and play hard for the name on the front of our jersey."
On what Rutgers defense did well: " They did a lot. They showed a couple of things that we haven't seen all season. They hedged us on the screens, things like that. We usually go under on those underhooks. They played hard. The crowd got them juiced up in the beginning. It's a rivalry game, so a lot of the guys on the team, I don't want to say they don't realize what it is, but they just didn't understand just how much juice is behind this game. They came out with a stronger punch than we did."
Gallery: (12/14/2019) Men's Basketball Downs #22 Seton Hall
