LINCOLN, NE – The Rutgers men's basketball team leaned on their defense when they needed it most on Saturday night.
RU only let up one basket on the last ten possessions to come back from an 11-point deficit and defeat Nebraska 63-61 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
After struggling throughout the game, senior forward
Ron Harper Jr. knocked down a huge three-pointer to bring RU within one point with 3:53 remaining on the clock. Timely baskets from
Mawot Mag,
Geo Baker and
Paul Mulcahy in the final minutes gave the Scarlet Knights a one-point lead with under two minutes to play.
Harper Jr. knocked down two free throws with under a minute remaining to give Rutgers a 63-60 lead. On the last possession for the Cornhuskers, guard Kobe Webster was fouled behind the three-point line by Baker. With 0.9 remaining on the clock, Webster missed the first of three free throws to seal and RU victory.
"Our defense carried us," Pikiell said. "We made some timely shots. Mawot (Mag) is starting to get in a little groove when we need him. Ron (Harper Jr.) did not have that kind of night, but he made some big ones for us."
Mag had a career-highs of 13 points and seven rebounds in the game. Baker led the team with 14 points in 38 minutes. The guard had six rebounds and four assists. Mag, the Scarlet Knights first player off the bench, has gone through an injury-riddled season. He had two teeth knocked out in the victory over Michigan and had to exit the game in the first half for emergency surgery.
"It meant a lot. I feel like not only me, but our team has been through a lot of adversity," Mag said. "Our shots weren't falling at the beginning of the game, but we stayed together, stayed connected and we pulled it out."
"It's special for Mawot," Baker said. "He's been battling injuries, a whole bunch of stuff. So just to see him thrive like that, it was special. It was a big moment too. We really needed this win on the road."
Freshman guard Bryce McGowens led the Cornhuskers with 29 points and seven rebounds in the game. McGowens was 14-18 from the free throw line, the most free throws attempted by an RU opponent all season.
"We needed everybody," Pikiell said. "Once we stopped fouling them and made them earn shots, I thought our defense was really good and kind of carried us. I have to give a tip of the hat to Nebraska. They played well and they have been in every game this year. They are a dangerous basketball team and with Trey McGowens back, he makes a big difference for them. He is a good defender, and he drives downhill, so the two McGowens brothers are hard matchups for us. We did enough to be on the road and win so I am real proud team effort."
The Scarlet Knights chipped and clawed their way back into the game late in the first half with and 8-0 heading into the break. The second half was more of the same and RU didn't hold a lead in the game until the final 92 seconds.
"We were not leading at any point until the end," Pikiell said. "I was just pleased (Nebraska) went one for 10 down the stretch. I thought Paul (Mulcahy) was great the whole game. I thought he gave us tremendous energy. I thought he was all over the place getting loose balls."
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Rutgers had ten steals in the game and four apiece from Baker and Mulcahy. RU scored 10 points off turnovers and 28 points in the paint. The RU bench outscored the Cornhuskers 20-4. The Scarlet Knights were 11-13 from the free throw line.
"The ball eventually went in but it has always been about our defense," Pikiell said. "I think our guys have confidence in it and we have not shown it every night and that is that part that I need to take responsibility for, but we were locked in and had a good game plan for the game."
Rutgers held Nebraska to (17-58) shooting from the field on the night, good for 29.3 percent. 29.3 percent is a season-low for Nebraska. Rutgers did not have their best night shooting from the three-point line and shot a conference game low of 15 percent from long range (3-19).
"Our defense we can count on that," Pikiell said. "Our veterans know where to be. They can devour a game plan and they did a pretty good job on that. I have to give Nebraska a ton of credit. They played as hard as can be. Every game they have been in it. I have the Illinois tape; I have the Ohio State overtime tape. I just kept telling our guys they are great at home. They have a full team now complementing guys with McGowens back. He is probably their best defender, so it was going to be a different game today."
Center Cliff Omoruyi had eight points and a team-leading nine rebounds and four blocked shots. Mulcahy finished with ten points, two assists and five rebounds. Harper Jr. had seven points.
The victory was RU's eighth all-time win over Nebraska and fifth win in the past seven matchups against Nebraska.
