Box Score COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Scarlet Knights fought till the end in Columbus on Wednesday night.
 
RU fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena by a score of 76-72 in its first contest of the new year.
 
Sophomore Derek Simpson led RU with a career-high of 23 points. Simpson's three-pointer with 15.4 seconds left brought Rutgers within two points as the team trailed by as many as 17 points earlier in the game.

Ohio State's Roddy Gayle made two free throws on the next possession to seal the victory.

The Buckeyes made 11 three-pointers and were bolstered by double-digit scoring outputs from forward Jamison Battle (24 points) and guard Bruce Thornton (22 points). The Buckeyes made nine three-pointers in the first half. 
 
Rutgers started with a heavy scoring output from its starting backcourt in Simpson and graduate Noah Fernandes, who scored all 17 of the team's first points. 
 
Rutgers started the game 8-for-12 from the field. Simpson had nine points in the first nine minutes and freshman guard Gavin Griffiths knocked down and three-pointer to give RU a one-point lead midway through the first half. Following RU's 20-19 lead, the Buckeyes went on a 21-5 run to extend the lead to 15 points four minutes before the break.

The Scarlet Knights outscored the Buckeyes 40-31 in the second half and brought the Scarlet Knights to within one point with a few minutes to play.

Rutgers (8-5, 0-2) will head to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes on Saturday at noon on the Big Ten Network.



Game Notes

• Derek Simpson tied his career-high with 23 points, had a career-high eight rebounds and a career-high nine field goals made.
• It was the sophomore's most ever points in a road game and most ever points against a Big Ten team.
• Simpson has averaged 13.3 points over the past four games.
• Noah Fernandes added 17 points, with the starting backcourt combining for 40 points on 16-of-29 shooting.
• Cliff Omoruyi moved past JR Inman for 37th all-time at RU in career points (1,062).
• Omoruyi had two blocks and has had multiple blocks in 10 of the 13 games.
• Mawot Mag had a season-high 11 points.
• Aundre Hyatt had 10 rebounds.
• It was his second time in his RU career reaching double-digit rebounds, and the second time in the past four games.
• It was his most-ever rebounds in a Big Ten game.
• RU trailed by as many as 17 points but cut the OSU lead to one in the second half.
• The last four games in the series have all been decided within four points and six of the last nine games have been decided within eight points.

Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Steve Pikiell

Opening Statement:

"We really got back in this game. They had some unbelievable shots in the first half, tip of the hat to them. I watched some film at halftime and I thought we played really well on the defensive end, but they were on an amazing clip. We really tried to hang in there, we outrebounded them and they will be in the top-25 next week. We just fought. I loved how we connected, but we need to get better. We showed some signs and I still believe this team can score 80 points, and we did get the ball up and down the court, but there are no moral victories in this great league. I'm proud of our effort but it wasn't enough."
 
On second-half adjustments:

"They made some unbelievable threes and I think Austin Williams helped us out greatly late in the second half. (Bruce) Thornton was getting in the lane and was really using his size and strength over our guards. Austin stayed ready, that's what this team has to be. Derek [Simpson] also was outstanding today and he got eight rebounds. We have been asking our guards to do more on the backboards. He and Noah [Fernandes] really helped us a great deal. We did a better job late stopping their threes, but they have so many weapons. I loved our tenacity, but we let them get too big of a lead early. We showed some good signs, but it really isn't easy in this league."
 
On Derek Simpson's offensive performance:

"We need Derek to be aggressive like that. Especially with the way they play defense. We recognized that every team plays defense differently. I know Derek (Simpson) can finish the plays he needs to, downhill or in the lane. He's a really good mid-range guy and though some games priors haven't been like this. We have a lot of faith in him. Noah [Fernandes] was very aggressive today too. They both did a really good job in stepping up. We will continue to get better."