PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Scarlet Knights lost a tough one on Senior Night.

With fifth-year graduate Caleb McConnell playing his last game at Jersey Mike's Arena the Rutgers men's basketball team lost 65-53 to the Northwestern Wildcats in front of a sold-out crowd on Sunday night to wrap up the regular season.

McConnell tied a career-high with six steals and passed Myles Mack (210) for second all-time on the Rutgers steals list with 214 career steals. He is six steals away from tying Eddie Jordan for first on the list (220).

Rutgers shot 2-for-17 from three-point range and 11-for-21 from the free throw line. Rutgers was 36 percent from the field on the night.

Junior center Clifford Omoruyi had 14 points and six rebounds.Senior guard Cam Spencer had nine points, three assists and five rebounds. Senior point guard Paul Mulcahy had eight points, four assists and five rebounds.Freshman guard Derek Simpson had 12 points, two assists and two rebounds off the bench.

Five graduates were honored in a pregame ceremony with their family and friends in attendance. Caleb McConnell, Paul Mulcahy, Aundre Hyatt, Oskar Palmquist and Andrew Fulin were all celebrated on Senior Night. 

The Scarlet Knights tied last year's total in wins (18) and finished off ninth in the Big Ten Conference at a record of (10-10). Rutgers will take on Michigan at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday morning at noon eastern time. 



Postgame Quotes

Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
 
Opening Statement:
"Always appreciate all year long you guys coming. You could be anywhere tonight and you're here. It was another sellout. I think we sold out every game this year. Our fans are fantastic. They did an awesome job. They were out, I think at four o'clock tonight for 7:30 tip off the line started. I really appreciate the cheerleaders, the band, the Riot Squad, they do an awesome job for us. I'm very thankful. I'm thankful to my seniors too. Emotional day today. Not obviously the way we wanted to finish the regular season. But Northwestern, they've had a great year and they've been really good defensively. I thought we did a good job on Boo Buie and Chase Audige and they still were able to get us. We just weren't able to finish plays, make free throws, the whole gamut. We played hard. We played tough but you got to do more to beat Northwestern. We didn't, but very thankful that you guys are here and all the people here that came to support. Six steals right here this guy's (Caleb McConnell) been awesome all year. He couldn't practice yesterday and to play, couldn't take him out today, 38 minutes it's a credit to them. We start a new season coming up here with the tournament. We're excited. You've got the regular season, then you've got the conference tournament, then you've got the postseason. We're looking forward to the other two parts of the year."
 
On player fatigue at this point in the season: 
"I thought we got some good looks too. I'm going to watch the tape, but we didn't make a three in the second half. The free throws too. We could have really kind of hung around and made it a little bit interesting with the free throws. We had, early in the year, shot really well from the free throw line and these guys are good foul shooters but it didn't go in. We're not a great scoring team to begin with and they're really good defensively, but I still think we could have won this game if we just kind of grinded a few possessions when we had some momentum just to finish off some plays and we just didn't do enough. Again, obviously didn't do enough to beat Northwestern."
 
On making changes to offense:
"It's the same thing. We've had games where we really scored. The other day we scored, and our defense wasn't good, so we've got to have both at this time of the year. You got to play good defense and good offense playing really good teams. As you guys can see, this league is a monster, everybody's good. Everything comes down to a basket or a free throw. We just have to play better and these guys are very capable of that."
 
On making a case for Rutgers to be in NCAA tournament:
 
"I really kind of struggle with this. Even my players know I never bring this thing up. I say at the end of the year, your resume is going (tell whether) you're going to be in or you're not. The year's certainly not over yet. I know it's a great thing for the media after every game in, out whatever it is, it's been like this for four years. Let's finish the year. This team can play anybody. Obviously, it's the best league in the country. The scores, every possession. There's really, really good teams and now we're adding UCLA and USC. The league is just unbelievable. And we beat Northwestern, we beat Indiana, we beat Purdue, we beat a lot of really good basketball teams. We played really good basketball. Need to play really well coming up here in the tournament and that's what we expect to do. At the end of the year they tell you if you deserve to be in and we'll figure that out when that time comes."
 
On the message to the team before the upcoming tournament:
"It's the same thing. I told them that that season's over. We won 18 games. I'm not apologizing. We're 10-10 in the league. It's a really good League. It's a lot of wins. It's a new season. We're undefeated, it's still a new season. You got to go to the tournament and play well and there's a bit on the line, their automatic bid. So, you have three seasons, you've got the regular season just ended, and I'm proud 18 wins, matches last year's win total for the year. These guys have done a fantastic job and like I said, this guy (Caleb McConnell) didn't practice yesterday, and he played 38 minutes today. Our seniors really, they'll play well, and they'll bounce back. We've been here before." 
 
On the impact of Mawot Mag's injury as the season ends:
"We've lost some really tough games. They were in a three-game losing streak. I think that team was excellent. They got senior guys, Purdue went a three-game losing streak. So this league is really good, we're 10 and 10. That's where we were in the best league in the country. I think obviously, anytime you lose a starter, and probably after him (Caleb) probably by far our second-best defender. He did a lot of things for us. We've had time now and we've given other guys opportunities, but it's hard when you lose a starter and it's hard for anybody. We still figured out a way to win some games, some tough games, we won a lot of good road games and some really good road wins. Now we have to go to a neutral site here and play good basketball."
 
On double digit losses at the end of the season:
"We've won 82 percent of our home games in the last four years. I know we lost a couple of here down the stretch, we just didn't play as well as you need to play. And I think we played some really good basketball teams too. I think it's another year where our winning percentage is pretty, pretty good. But would I like us to be undefeated? Yeah, one year we're 18 and one, that was our best year. You get to play some games. We went on the road and won at some difficult places this year too. You've got to play better. You really do and this league, there is no forgiveness in this league. These teams are really good, so you got to play well." 
 
On Simpson's improvements:
"The young guy has done a really nice job for us. He's able to do a lot of things, he's practicing better too. I think that there's a physical part in the season that really was wearing on him and now he's kind of got a new step back. He's got a little more pop INpractices, his body I think, got through the really tough times and he's now kind of emerged, he's more confident, but he's been good at practice, goes up against him (Caleb McConell) every day and I think that helps him, a great deal. We need him to continue that, moving forward. He's talented." 
 
On Derek Simpson helping the team down the stretch:
"He's a very important part, since Mowat (Mag) went out his minutes have gone up a lot. He's able to make plays too for us. He brings us an element, being able to create his own (shot) like Gio Baker had, so he's important. He's a really important part of this thing, and we need him to play well. He adds a lot to our team."
 
On struggles at the foul line:
"I think the right guy's (are) shooting free throws. I feel really good. We made free throws, and we shared them all year long. We've been a team that's probably been in the 77th percentile for the most part, every day in practice and stuff. (It) could be fatigue. It could be some of that stuff, too. You go through stretches like this with your team. Sometimes you shoot it well, we had a five-game stretch where we made every free throw. Now we struggle from the free throw line, and we got t0 get back. They'll win you some games sometimes, especially when you're struggling to score."
 
On regaining early season spark after starting Big Ten play 6-4:
"It's like anything, your season goes, some tough times and some other times when you're playing really well. Right now, we have to find that team and play better. Shots got to go in. We have guys (that are) very capable of playing really good basketball. So, we'll find that again. That's what we have to do."
 
On what the Big Ten Tournament will be like based on the parody of the regular season:
"As a pure basketball fan, this league is as good as any. I really think any team could go and win the tournament. I don't care what their records were. It's good coaches, really good players. I've never in the last two years, games have come down to the last possession. I don't see any other league that is like that. The tournament (will) be an exciting time, and I hope to get our guys excited about having an opportunity. It starts again, everybody's 0-0 when we roll out there. If you're number one in the league, you're 0-0. So, I'm looking forward to that. I know these guys will be looking forward to it. (I'm) going to give them a day off tomorrow and let this guy (Caleb McConnell) get his back healed. Then we'll get back at it on Tuesday."
 
Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins 
 
Opening statement 
"It is always good for me to come back to Jersey.  Many of you guys know I got my start at Seton Hall way back in the day. So always enjoy New Jersey basketball.  Just feel very fortunate to win the game tonight.  I think you saw two really good teams just battling it out.  Both teams defensively were making it real hard on the other team.  I looked at my staff a couple times and just said I don't know what we can do to get a clean shot.  They were flying around.  Fortunately, our defense was matching theirs.  I thought we were doing the same.  Our activity, our physicality it was 25-21 at one point it was a real rock fight in the first half.  I really credit our supporting cast.  Our guards have been great all year long.  Steve is such a good coach that he did a good job getting the ball out of Boo and Chase's hands.  And we knew they were going to do that.  What can you say about Brooks Barnhizer.  He comes out and gives us 16 and 10 and just big buckets when we need them.  I thought Matthew Nicholson was great playing against Cliff who is one of the better big guys and they were battling all night long.  And Ty Berry his ability to give us double figures when we really didn't have our guards going.  Obviously, Boo gets the 3 big threes in the second half when we really needed them.  We did enough against the press.  We missed some free throws, and we had a couple of turnovers but fortunately we never really let the crowd get into it there in the last 4 minutes. Which is what worried me because I have been in there when the crowd gets going and the press gets going and crazy things can happen.  Really proud of my team. I don't think many people picked us to come in second place when the season started.  As a matter of fact, I think we were picked last.  That's a great credit to our guys.   Their ability to block that out and get together this year in a really tough Big 10 and go out and get wins.  6 road wins for us this year was to me an incredible accomplishment because it is so hard to play on the road.  We are really excited to come in here and win and get the double bye and get second place.  We are obviously going to go home and get ourselves ready for next weekend in Chicago.  It should be a great tournament."  
 
On how to manage his players heads in such an up and down conference 
"I think that is a great point because that is what we talk about.  For us everyone was saying that we lost 3 in a row.  Well, we had an 18 point lead at Illinois and lost on the last possession.  We lost on a buzzer beating three to Penn State.  We went to Maryland and lost, and they went 10-0.  We have had a tough stretch here of games and I didn't think we played poorly.  We just got beat by teams that are all probably going to be in the NCAA tournament.  I think we talked about this with our guys. You look at all these teams.  Even Purdue went through it a little bit. They are the conference champs, and they had a couple week stretch when they lost 4 out of 6.  And we went through it here the last week and a half.  We knew it was going to be tough with our schedule.  But that's why we tried to come here tonight and stop the bleeding so to speak.  To get a win on the road we didn't want to go into the postseason with four straight losses.  This was an important game and also, we wanted the double bye.  All the teams are really banged up and tired and the grind of the season is crazy so to get an extra day to get home and get us ready to play on Friday is such an important game.  
 
On the differences between playing against Rutgers in January and now
"Mag was such an Energizer Bunny for these guys last time and he was their guy who was the point of the press and all over the place. He was a shot maker, he could score, and he allowed Hyatt to be the 6th man and come off the bench. When you lose a guy like that it will change your team. The reality is that their defense will always give them a chance, we just happened to do a good job today against their shooting. The first time we played them I think Cam Spencer had 6 threes, and Paul and McConnell also had great shooting games. They're going to be fine, I think their defense really speaks for themselves. They have veteran leadership in that locker room, and I know Paul Mulcahy very well. Obviously, Caleb McConnell is great as well, they will be ready for Chicago".
 
On the competitiveness of the Big Ten Conference
"To be honest it stinks to play at 7:30 because I was very anxious about this game but almost every game was the opposite of what we thought was going to happen. This game was probably a microcosm of what we saw all year round, but so many of these games have come down to the last shot. It has always come down to who makes the last stop or who has the last possession. I've never seen a conference with this amount of great play. It shows the strength of this league and how hard it is to win. It has been really fun to compete, but I'm exhausted and it's great to see the number of teams that are this good".