PISCATAWAY, N.J. – It's been a great week to be a part of the Scarlet Knights men's basketball team.
Following a road win at Northwestern, RU won another thriller at Jersey Mike's Arena on Sunday, 68-64 in overtime over Ohio State.
The Scarlet Knights were propelled by the performance of junior guard
Cam Spencer who had a game-high 21 points. He added six assists, four steals and six rebounds. Spencer scored 16 points in the second half.
"What a great college basketball game," head coach
Steve Pikiell said. "Ohio State is terrific, they real physical and well-coached. To be able to come away with a 'W' after 45 minutes, it was a really difficult basketball game. These guys, they all stepped up. It was one of those games – the ball wasn't going in early. We just stayed the course, hung with it. Our defense always gives us a chance. I'm just real proud. They all made big plays. Paul does what Paul does, Cliff gets a double-double. Everyone came off the bench, Derek (Simpson) made a big lay-up for us when we were struggling to score. Dean gets some steals. Aundre (Hyatt) doing what he does. It was really a great team win, great crowd. I'm very excited for the students that were there – school hasn't started yet so I'm very thankful that everyone showed up and they saw a great college basketball game."
Junior forward
Mawot Mag hit the game-winning three-pointer in the corner with RU leading by one point in overtime to seal the victory. Mag had 15 points, and eight rebounds in the victory.
"Paul (Mulcahy) had the ball and he was going to break down his defender," Mag said as he recounted how his defining moment unfolded. "We were all spaced out, and I had seen Paul had nowhere to go. I was wide open in the corner and once I caught it, once I shot it, I knew it was good."
Junior center
Clifford Omoruyi had another double-double performance with 14 points, 11 rebounds and six blocked shots. Omoruyi blocked five shots in the first half alone. "Big Cliff" was (6-8) from the free throw line.
Fifth-year wing
Caleb McConnell played a team-high 43 minutes in the game. He had 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. McConnell tied
Geo Baker for fourth all-time in steals at RU with 180 career steals.
OSU took a 23-20 lead into halftime. A low-scoring opening stanza was dominated by the defense as each team shot under 30% from the floor.
The second half went back and forth, with continual lead changes and each possession counting, heading to the final media timeout at 55-55. A Cliff Omouryi alley-oop finish gave RU a 57-55 lead with 1:44 to play, but OSU had a late answer to tie it. Rutgers had the last shot of regulation, but it was off the back rim and too strong. After 18 lead changes in regulation, the game headed to overtime.
In overtime, Rutgers took a 60-59 lead. OSU took it back at 61-60, but Rutgers answered right back with an Omoruyi bucket, and then Mag drained the shot-clock beating three-pointer for a four-point lead. Mag would ice the game at the free throw line for RU, who held off the visitors for the win.
The RU 1991 NCAA Tournament team was in attendance and was honored at halftime.
The Scarlet Knights are back in action on Thursday in East Lansing against the Michigan State Spartans.
Gallery: (1-15-2023) Men's Basketball versus Ohio State
Postgame Notes
The win for RU over Ohio State represented:
- A 7-1 mark in the past eight games for RU
- A 5-2 conference record for the second straight year.
- Two straight home wins over the Buckeyes.
- A 25-5 record over the past two seasons at home
Rutgers Individuals
Cam Spencer
- With 21 points (following a season-high 23 points last game at Northwestern), he was the first RU player to have back-to-back games of 20+ points in Big Ten play since Ron Harper Jr. (Dec. 14, 2020 vs. Maryland and Dec. 20, 2020 vs. Illinois).
- He reached double digits for the fifth straight game and has scored in double-figures in six of seven Big Ten games
- He has scored at least 13 points in the past six games, averaging 14.4 points per game in that span.
- Had four steals, his most in a Big Ten game and second most on the season (after having six steals in the season opener).
- Went 9-of-11 at the free throw line and is now at 44-of-47 (93.6%) on the season.
- Spencer was the first Big Ten player since 2010 to have at least 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and one or fewer turnovers in a game.
Cliff Omoruyi
- Tied his career-high with six blocks
- That represented his most blocks ever against a Big Ten team
- He moved pass Rashod Kent to place 16th all-time at RU in blocks.
- Had a double-double, his sixth of the season (14 points, 11 rebounds).
- Was the first player with at least 14 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks and less than two turnovers in a Big Ten conference win since Purdue's JaJuan Johnson in February of 2011
- Omoruyi's six blocks was the second-most ever by a RU player in a Big Ten game, behind just Myles Johnson's seven rejection against Indiana in 2021
Paul Mulcahy
- Had four assists, reaching 368 for his career to pass Mike Coburn and move into sole possession of seventh all-time at RU.
Caleb McConnell
- Had two steals, reaching 180 for his career, tying Geo Baker for fourth on RU's all-time list.
Mawot Mag
- Set his career-high in points (15) and had eight rebounds, just one shy of his career-high.
Team Notes
- OSU entered the game with a season-average of 78.9 points per game. Rutgers held them below that mark and how now held all 18 opponents this season to below their season-average.
- OSU was the 14th team that RU held to at least 10 points below their season-average.
- OSU was held to a season-low 64 points. RU has held 12 opponents overall to a new season-low, including 10 of the 12 opponents that they have faced at Jersey Mike's Arena.
- Rutgers played its first overtime game since the double-overtime game against Notre Dame in last season's NCAA Tournament.
- It was RU's first overtime win since the opener of the 2021-22 season against Lehigh, and first Big Ten overtime victory since winning at Minnesota on March 6, 2021.
- It was the first Big Ten overtime win at home since February 9, 2020 against Northwestern.
- Rutgers had a season-high eight blocks.
- 10 scouts were credentialed for the game, representing five different NBA teams.
Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Opening Statement
"What a great college basketball game. Ohio State is terrific. They are real physical and well-coached. To be able to come away with a 'W' after 45 minutes, it was a really difficult basketball game. These guys, they all stepped up. It was one of those games – the ball wasn't going in early. We just stayed the course, hung with it. Our defense always gives us a chance. I'm just real proud. They all made big plays. Paul does what Paul does, Cliff gets a double-double. Everyone came off the bench, Derek (Simpson) made a big lay-up for us when we were struggling to score. Dean gets some steals. Aundre doing what he does. It was really a great team win, great crowd. I'm very excited for the students that were there – school hasn't started yet so I'm very thankful that everyone showed up and they saw a great college basketball game."
On defensive effort
"Cliff gets six blocks. Everyone had some huge steals. Their freshman (Brice ) is really terrific. He made some big shots. They got the ball into the post. We did a lot of good things on the defensive end of the floor. They're the most efficient team offensively in the league and one of the most efficient in the country. Sueing is a really good player. Mawot and everyone that played him held him to 7 points. That was one of our keys today. It takes everybody and everybody was connected."
On play of Mawot Mag
"Mawot is a worker. All three of these guys – all of our guys (are workers). He had to do it one both ends of the floor today and he did an unbelievable job. And how about the three, too. A huge three that he tees up. Eight rebounds, 15 points and he was mostly tasked with Justice Sueing the whole game. Cam does what he does, (Mawot) does what he does, Caleb (as well). When they're all in sync that way, good things happen for us. A season-high (in points) couldn't have come at a better time."
On team being able to pull out close wins
"They just stay the course. Even in the first half, in the locker room, I said I liked the looks that we got. They're not going. But if we can't score, they can't score and that's how we just continue to grind. Even getting it into overtime the way that we did. They're really good. That was a really good basketball team. I have a ton of respect for these guys, but down the stretch, we made a few more plays than them and that was the difference."
On if loss to Ohio State earlier in season gave the team extra motivation
"Maybe by these guys (the players). Quite honestly, I don't even think I brought it up. You've got to move on in this league. It was a long time ago. Maybe they would have a different answer, but we moved on to this game and we've got Michigan State on the road next. So we'll quickly move on to that one."
On technical foul assessed to him
"I'm fighting for my guys. I'm just fighting for my guys. I thought they missed a call. I move on quickly after the game."
On team's rebounding performance
"We had team rebounds, too. Again, everybody chipped in. Cam sticks his nose in there for seven, Caleb is my guy – always sticking his nose in there, We needed every single one of them.
Aundre Hyatt, Mawot does eight, Cliff is Cliff. We need to be team rebounders. Whether one guy was boxing out and the other guy went and got it. We were going after the boards. They understood the game plan."
On having the next few days off and how they are going to prepare for the next game
"The first thing is that they earned a day off. That's a thing that they need. I do want to mention too that the 1991 team was here and we're so thankful that those guys came back. They're awesome representatives of Rutgers. They were an awesome team. To have those guys back, it was great. But these guys earned a day off and we'll get to work as a staff. It doesn't get any easier in this league. Obviously when you travel on the road, you know what that's like. We'll move on and we'll get our rest."
On being second place in the Big 10 standings and if winning the Big 10 title is on their mindset
"No, you guys can talk about that. We've got Michigan State and it's the best league in the country. We don't ever look down the road these guys know how I am and I'll never change. There's a lot of season left and there is a lot of really good basketball and there's a lot of things that go on, so we've got to stay focused on what's important."
On the team's success at the free throw line
"The guys are getting up there and making free throws. It is nice when you have one of the best free throw shooters in the country on your roster. But Caleb makes them, Mawot makes them, and Cliff did a really good job today stepping up. We've got good shooters, we really do. I know we didn't make some shots in the beginning of the game here today, but we have good shooters. We are very confident and they work at it. These guys are in the gym and if you can't score you have a secondary way to score from the free throw line, so it's important to step up and make them."
On Cam Spencer's 16 points in the second half and if there was any changes to get him more involved
"I also tell guys to be aggressive and do what you do. In the first half, we had some really good looks that we got just didn't go in. But he did a good job of getting to the free throw line, I think that was important, too, for us. I told them eventually that shots would go in. If you're just patient, the ball will find you. The way we run sets, we've got a lot of different looks. When these guys are open I want them to shoot it. I've got a ton of confidence in them
On recruiting rankings and if there is a message to younger players about being overlooked
"Just stay the course and these guys are all such good workers. You can really make yourself a lot better when you get to college. Just always understand that rankings are built based on offense and that's 50% of the game. What these guys do here is defend and no one ranks that. They only rank guys that score. When I watch these guys play, they have heart and they have grit. We don't get caught up in the rankings stuff. Guys that work at it, get better. I want guys that fit our locker room and that are team players, (come from) great families. All these guys up here are on the Dean's list. That's what I look for. Rankings are some of the last things I look at. I watch players and I evaluate them. My staff does an unbelievable job.
Brandin Knight,
Karl Hobbs, and T.J. (Thompson) do an awesome job getting guys that fit Rutgers basketball. These guys just keep getting better, too, and that's a great sign.
On bringing back 1991 NCAA Tournament team
"They were in our locker room and it was just great to have them back. It was an excited locker room and they got a chance to say hello to all of our guys and it was great. I got to talk to them for a little bit and it was nice to have them back and to honor all the past teams. It's nice when they come back and see this kind of environment. Now we're in a different conference and it's an exciting time for us.
Ohio State Head Coach Chris Holtmann
Postgame Quotes
On the difference in the game
"Just a couple off offensive rebounds. We just didn't make a couple of the clean looks I thought we had there, both in the post and on the perimeter."
On keeping RU off the offensive glass:
"That was the difference. We just have to be better than that."
On facing RU's defense:
"We got our shots a lot late. We got Zed (Key) right where we wanted too twice. Justice (Sueing) had a clean look on the perimeter. I liked Brice (Sensabaugh)'s shot from the top to win the game. I've got no issue with that. It's hard when you play an elite defense.
Steve Pikiell does a great job. They have great length. They really are terrific defensively."
On adjusting to the environment early on:
"I thought we had really good stretches of play. We had good readiness. Give Rutgers credit, they are a good team. They played well. They were able to make a few more plays. Give them credit. I don't fault our readiness to play at all."
