PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Scarlet Knights showed out in front of the home crowd on Wednesday night.

RU had their most assists ever in a Big Ten matchup in the 90-55 victory (30). The margin of victory was also the highest-ever for RU in a Big Ten conference game.

Rutgers featured a balanced scoring attack with six players in double figures.

In the opening half, Rutgers jumped out to an 18-7 lead, shooting 7-of-10 to start as Minnesota opened 2-of-13 from the floor. The Gophers cut the lead to 22-20, but a big three-pointer from Oskar Palmquist off the bench sparked a 12-2 run to close the half for the home team, who led by 10 at the break.   

Palmquist finished with a career-high 13 points of (4-for-7) from the field and made three of his four three point shots. Palmquist had his family in town from Sweden to watch his play for their second visit ever to a Rutgers game. 

Senior guard Cam Spencer led the way with 17 points and made five of his six attempts from the field. Spencer knocked down all three of his three-pointers. Fifth-year wing Caleb McConnell had 13 points-six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior center Cliffford Omouryi had 13 points on (6-for-8) from the field and scored seven points in the first few minutes of the game. Junior forwards Aundre Hyatt and Mawot Mag scored ten points each. Senior point guard Paul Mulcahy collected nine assists and had his 400th career assist at RU in the game.

Rutgers opened the second half on a 7-2 run to extend their lead to 15 points, and a 14-6 run to make the lead 20 points. The Scarlet Knights started the second half 10-of-13 from the field and ran away with the contest.  
 
WITH THE WIN 
The 90-55 victory over Minnesota represents: 
- A 9-3 mark in the past 12 games 
- Seventh Big Ten win, the second most league wins of any team 
- Six wins in the past eight meetings with the Gophers, including four straight games at home 
- A 13-2 record at home this season, and 27-5 over the past two seasons at Jersey Mike's Arena.  
 
Team Notes 

• Rutgers 35-point win was the largest margin of victory in a Big Ten game since joining the league, and largest margin of victory in over 20 years in a conference game.   
• Rutgers' 35-point margin of victory was its largest in a conference game since defeating St. Joe's 91-55 on Feb. 11, 1989. None of Rutgers' current players were born on Feb. 11, 1989.
• Rutgers' 30 assists was its most ever in a Big Ten game. The team previously had set the record with 23 assists last game at Iowa.  
• It was the 2^nd time this season with 30 assists in a game. Prior to this season, RU had not had 30 assists in a game since 1992. 
• Rutgers has allowed 65 points or fewer in all but 3 games this year. 
• Rutgers is now 15-1 this season when allowing 65 points or fewer and 7-0 when doing so in Big Ten games.
• Rutgers shot 59.7% from the field, its second best ever in a Big Ten game.  
• Rutgers' 37 field goals tied for its second most in a Big Ten game (and were the most in a regulation game).  
• Rutgers held Minnesota below their scoring average (entering the game at 62.2 ppg). RU has held 20 of its 22 opponents to date under their scoring average entering the game. Rutgers has held all its home opponents under their average. 
• Rutgers scored 80+ points in consecutive Big Ten games for the first time in program history.  
• Rutgers had six players score in double-figures for the first time all season.  
• Rutgers' 90 points tied its season-high and was its fifth most points ever in a Big Ten game.

Individuals 

• Oskar Palmquist saw his first action in a Big Ten Conference game this season and scored a career-high 13 points. He entered the game with just 6 points on the season.  
• Paul Mulcahy had nine assists, becoming the 6^th Scarlet Knight to reach 400 career assists 
• Cliff Omoruyi tied Gene Armstead and Kadeem Jack for 12th all-time at RU in blocks (and reached 100 career blocks).  
• Aiden Terry's three-pointer was the first of his career.  

Postgame Quotes
 
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening Statement:
"First I just (want to) send prayers out to Antwone Woolfolk and his family. Today was the funeral of his grandmother, so I am thinking about him right now, what a great teammate he is. I appreciate the crowd, appreciate you guys being here. As always, the crowd was great. It was a dangerous game. It's a program I have a ton of respect for, Ben (Johnson) is doing a good job. He's been bitten by the injury bug, but he's got talented guys that play hard during every game. You know, I just thought you know 30 assists says it all. We really passed the ball and shared the ball. It all starts with Paul (Mulcahy), I think 400 assists. He got his 400th today, so proud of him and what he brings to our team. Then I always tell these guys – Oskar (Palmquist) comes off the bench, and we say you never know when you're ready. Wolf was down today and he stepped in, he got his chance and he was ready. He did a really great job and we were connected on both ends of the floor. That kind of showed but you know, we got Michigan State. We need Rutgers nation at Madison Square Garden loud. You know, (we) got a couple of days here to prepare and we're on to that next game."
 
On team's 30 assists tonight and success passing all season:
"You know, it really starts with Paul. But all these guys – Cam (Spencer) – I mean, they can all pass the basketball. They embrace the success of a teammate. Oskar was hot today, they got him the ball. Cliff (Omoruyi) during a certain stretch in the second half, we just got him the basketball. You know, a lot of different guys scored, six guys in double figures and that's because you're really sharing in the basketball. This team cares about winning. They care about winning and never did they say 'I need more this or that' – they just wanted to win. We have good leadership, Caleb (McConnell), and Paul, and Cliff, Oskar's a good leader too. So, we got a good group."
 
On Oskar Palmquist's performance:
 "Yeah, I mean, he's good. I know he's very capable of that, sometimes it's hard and he hasn't played the minutes that I know he would like, but he plugs away every day in practice. He's a great teammate. He does all the things that you want. He got his opportunity tonight – and sometimes guys get that opportunity and they're not ready for it – he was ready for it and we needed him to be. (I'm) real proud of him."
 
On Palmquist's ability to provide a spark, and the potential to see more of him:
"Obviously when you play like that, you've earned yourself some opportunities. And, again, I trust all my guys. You know, Jalen Miller came in and did a good job for us, too, tonight. Dean Reiber has been good for us in the last couple of games. So he got his opportunities, he's done a good job. But yeah, (I'm) real happy for Oskar. He works hard. He does everything right. (He's a) great student, great teammate, all the things that you want in a player."
 
On Aiden Terry's three-pointer:
"Aiden's birthday is today, so a great birthday present for Aiden. He teed it up. Again, Aiden does a lot of things that you guys don't see for our program. And he's a worker, he's part of our scout team and he has to do a lot of things. One day he's the point guard, one day he's a two guard, he has to act in his role as the other guy on the other team does. Happy for Aiden, he got in there on his birthday – his birthday present." 
 
On Antwone Woolfolk's time with his family:
"Yeah, as long as he needs to be with his family, that's nothing that you ever put a timeline on. These are young kids and they go through a lot and his grandma was really close with him. He's got a great mom and a great family so we'll be with them till he needs to."
 
On Cam's efficiency from three tonight
"It's really good. He's gonna have games where the ball doesn't go in. He got six assists tonight, passing the ball, big steals. I never worry about those things that everyone worries about. I just worry about playing good defense and doing all the other things. The ball goes in, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it does, keep shooting."
 
On Rutgers' ceiling for this season:
"I'm not a big ceiling guy. Michigan State (is next). (You) can't look at the ceilings in the league like this. These guys have been great and fun to coach, talented. We're gonna see where this takes us this year."
 
On crashing the boards
"We had to because that was what was keeping them alive, to their credit. They went and got them. We didn't do a great job of blocking out, they had 12 (offensive rebounds) from the game, which, you know, it's just way too many. We got to do a better job of watching film. We've got to make some adjustments because Michigan State, that's one of their fundamentals, they rebound. We've got to take care of that."
 
On the rematch vs Michigan State
"When you're attached and connected and playing team basketball, that always lends to good results. But you know, Michigan State's one of those teams – (Tom Izzo) is as good a coach as there is in college basketball, and he's got talented guys. Obviously (they) played much better than we did before. When you're unselfish and you share the basketball and you're connected on the defensive end, that usually leads to good results, but we're gonna have to be that way."
 
On playing at Madison Square Garden
"Rutgers nation will be there and that's the most important thing. We have a lot of alums in that area. It's a great city. So excited and you're playing as good a team, as good as a program as the rest of the country. So excited for that opportunity." 
 
"These guys know they see Madison Square Garden on TV. You get these opportunities, opportunities come and you've got to take advantage of them. So hopefully, we'll have the place red and packed. That's what we need more than anything."
 
Oskar Palmquist on playing at Madison Square Garden:
"Man, I'm just really excited. I'm from Sweden, so I've been dreaming about playing in an arena like that my whole life. So I'm just excited.