PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The ranked reapers struck again on Saturday.
The Rutgers men's basketball team (6-2, 1-0 Big Ten) defeated No. 8/10 Indiana (7-1, 0-1 Big Ten) for the sixth straight time with a 63-48 victory on Saturday at Jersey Mike's Arena. RU went on a 19-0 run in the second half fueled by an 8-0 run by true freshman guard
Derek Simpson to blow past the Hoosiers in the second half behind a sold-out crowd in Piscataway.That run erased Indiana's final lead of the game and turned it into a double-digit lead that the home team would hang on to.
Rutgers now has claimed six straight wins over Indiana and wins in eight of the past nine meetings, five straight at home. The team's first ranked win of the season represented wins in five of the past six home games against ranked foes, dating back to last season.
It was RU's first top-10 win since the win over No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 9, 2021. The victory marked the 14th ranked win at RU for head coach
Steve Pikiell. It also marked the third top-10 win under head coach
Steve Pikiell, fourth top-10 Big Ten Conference win since joining the league, and 12
th all-time win over a top-10 team.
The Scarlet Knights were propelled to victory by a boisterous home crowd. Jersey Mike's Arena continues to be an intimidating venue, helping stiffle RU's opponents.
"It's definitely an advantage to us," Caleb McConnell said. "Everyone talks about the other arenas, but I still to this day since my freshman year have been saying that we got the best arena in the Big Ten. You can't compare it to any other arena. It's different. It doesn't hold 20,000, it doesn't hold 30,000, but it gets loud like it's Madison Square Garden. It's definitely awesome. It's an awesome place to play. I wouldn't want to play here if I was an opponent. They know that too coming into the game".
The 15-point victory marked the first time that RU beat a top-10 team by double-digits since a 13-point win (95-82) over No. 9 Notre Dame, March 1, 2003. The total represented the largest margin of victory over a top-10 win since an 89-70 win over No. 10 Cincinnati on December 10, 1977 (89-70 win).
Indiana entered the game 9th in the nation averaging 87.1 points per game. Rutgers held them to a season low 48 points, their fewest point total since scoring 44 against No. 17 Texas on December 1, 2020. Indiana's 48 points was the fourth fewest for a RU opponent in a Big Ten Conference game, and Indiana's 30.4% field goal percentage was the sixth lowest for a RU opponent in a Big Ten Conference game
Playing in his first career Big Ten Conference game, true freshman
Derek Simpson scored 14 points. The Lenape, N.J. native came alive in the second half, posting all of his scoring in the final stanza.
Rutgers continued to play gritty defense and excel on the boards. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded the Hoosiers 47-33, with
Mawot Mag collecting a new career-high in rebounds with nine.
Caleb McConnell recorded his first double-double of the season (fifth of his career) with 16 points and 10 rebounds
"These guys did amazing stuff," head coach Steve Pikiell summarized. "And we played you know a great basketball team picked number one in the league for a reason. (It's) a good team win and we had a lot of great contributions from everybody."
Next up for RU, the initial two-game foray into conference play continues next Thursday night, when the team travels to Columbus to take on No. 25 Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights are back home next Sunday, hosting in-state rival Seton Hall in the Garden State Hardwood Classic.
Postgame Notes
The Win Represented
- Six straight wins over Indiana and wins in eight of the past nine meetings.
- Five straight home wins over IU.
- First ranked win of the season.
- Represented wins in five of the past six home games against ranked foes, dating back to last season.
- First top-10 win since the win over No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 9, 2021.
- Marked the 14th ranked win at RU for head coach Steve Pikiell
- Marked the third top-10 win under head coach Steve Pikiell, fourth top-10 Big Ten Conference win since joining the league, and 12th all-time win over a top-10 team.
Team Notes
- The 15-point victory marked the first time that RU beat a top-10 team by double-digits since a 13-point win (95-82) over No. 9 Notre Dame, March 1, 2003.
- The total represented the largest margin of victory over a top-10 win since an 89-70 win over No. 10 Cincinnati on December 10, 1977 (89-70 win).
- RU was spurred on by a 19-0 second half run, answering Indiana's final lead of the game (37-35) to push RU into a double-digit lead at 52-37.
Team Defense
- Indiana entered the game 9th in the nation averaging 87.1 points per game with previous season low of 77 points and 43.8% field goal percentage.
- Rutgers held them to a season low 48 points, their fewest point total since scoring 44 against No. 17 Texas on December 1, 2020
- Indiana's 48 points was the fourth fewest for a RU opponent in a Big Ten Conference game
- Indiana's 30.4% field goal percentage was the sixth lowest for a RU opponent in a Big Ten Conference game
Derek Simpson
- Playing in his first career Big Ten Conference game, the true freshman scored 14 points, all coming in the second half.
Mawot Mag
- Set a new career-high in rebounds with nine.
Caleb McConnell
- Recorded his double-double of the season (fifth of his career) with 16 points and 10 rebounds
Gallery: (12-3-2022) Rutgers Beats No. 8/10 Indiana
