Men’s Basketball Grinds Out Overtime Win Over Northwestern

Sunday, January 11

Piscataway, N.J.

5 PM

Rutgers University

9-8,2-4Big Ten

Northwestern

8-8,0-5Big Ten

OT 1

Northwestern

Rutgers

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Men’s Basketball Grinds Out Overtime Win Over Northwestern

Jan 11 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Press Conference Game Highlights Photo Gallery

Francis Scores 30 in 77-75 Win

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's basketball faced Northwestern at Jersey Mike's Arena on Sunday afternoon, prevailing 77-75 in overtime. It was the team's second overtime home win of the week, following up on a win over Oregon Monday that took an extra session.

The Scarlet Knights were led by Tariq Francis led RU with 30 points, 23 of them coming after halftime. It was the guard's third 30+ point game of the season. In overtime, Darren Buchanan Jr. sealed the win with a block on the final possession, and Francis had seven points in the extra session. Rutgers trailed by as much as 12 points in the first half but battled back to grind the game into overtime and pull out the home win.

Buchanan had 14 points and 10 rebounds for RU. It was his first double-double as a Scarlet Knight with a season-high in rebounds. Rutgers had just six turnovers, a season-low and just the third time in the past three seasons that RU had 6 or fewer turnovers against a Big Ten team.

Rutgers trailed 62-56 with 4:31 remaining in regulation. The home team outscored the visitors 21-13 in the final nine minutes of play.

Rutgers shot 41% from the field in the game and out rebounded the visitors 47-40. RU had just six turnovers in 45 minutes and made 19-of-27 at the charity stripe.

Nick Martinelli, the Big Ten's leading scorer, had a new career-high with a game-high 34 points, his 12^th game this season of 20+ points. Northwestern entered the game leading the NCAA in both assist/turnover ratio (2.12) and in turnovers per game (8.6) and had 20 assists and just six turnovers on the game.

Led by Martinelli, who scored 11 points in the first seven minutes of the contest, Northwestern ran out to an early 18-7 lead. The Wildcats made nine of their first 15 shots from the floor as they took a 23-11 advantage halfway through the first frame.

Chris Nwuli struck from the top of the arc, making just his second three-pointer of the season and first since November 14, as RU used a 9-2 run to get back within five. Northwestern assisted on 11 of their first 13 baskets, taking a 31-23 lead at the final media timeout of the first half.

The Scarlet Knights utilized depth in the opening half, with 12 players seeing the floor across the first 15 minutes. Rutgers, who trailed as much as 12 in the opening half and never led, battled back late with an 8-0 run to make it a one-possession game. At halftime, Northwestern held a slim 35-33 lead.

Rutgers made just two of their last 12 shots from the field but finished the half on a 10-2 run and 20-12 run across the last 10 minutes of the frame, shooting 9-of-12 from the charity stripe across the first half.

In the second half, Rutgers came out shooting, with two jumpers for Kaden Powers and Jamichael Davis draining a triple to get within one at the first media timeout of the second stanza. An Emmanuel Ogbole slam gave RU its first lead of the evening coming out of that break and a Tariq Francis triple put RU ahead 47-45 at the 12:30 mark.

The Wildcats countered with a 7-0 run, but a Tariq Francis three-pointer with a shooter's roll got RU back within two. Francis had 10 of the first 19 points for RU in the second half.

RU made four-of-six shots to keep the score to 58-56 with 5:39 to play. Northwestern led 62-56 at the final media timeout. The two squads traded corner threes with Jamichael Davis answering to pull RU back within one possession as the game headed under two minutes.

Out of a RU timeout, Tariq Francis drove for a layup to make it a one-point game, with Northwestern leading 65-64 with 1:16 to play. After a stop on the defensive end, Tariq Francis was fouled on a jump shot and made two shots at the line for a one-point lead with 39 ticks left, as RU used a 7-0 run to retake the lead.

Martinelli answered with a jumper from the left block for the Wildcats. Francis then missed a pullup at the other end, with Northwestern earning possession on the resulting jump ball of the rebound. Inbounding with 10 seconds to play, Northwestern turned it over under the hoop. With two seconds left, Darren Bichanan grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled.

He missed the first and made the second, and the game went to overtime. It was RU's second overtime contest across the last three games.

In overtime, baskets from Davis and Francis gave RU a 71-69 lead. Francis then converted a three-point play for a 74-69 lead. RU then pushed the lead to 76-72 into the final minute of OT.

Northwestern got back to within two points and had an inbounds possession with 11.9 to play. Martinelli went to the free throw line and hit one shot, and then RU was fouled on the rebound. Buchanan went to the line and put RU up by two with 8.2 left. Rutgers then sealed the game with a block on the defensive end by Buchanan. Rutgers' defense was strong, with Northwestern making just one of its final eight shots from the field in overtime.

The game against the Wildcats wrapped up a stretch where RU had five of six contests at home. RU next will hit the rugged road of the Big Ten for the next two games, as they will be away from the venue after the Northwestern game until January 23, with the Scarlet Knights combining a trip to Wisconsin (Jan. 17) and No. 19/23 Iowa (Jan. 20).

Rutgers gets a midweek break this week. RU is back in action on Saturday at the Kohl Center against Wisconsin, who are coming off an upset road win over No. 2 Michigan.

Postgame Notes

With the win, Rutgers improved to 9-8 overall, earned the program's second Big Ten win of the year, and moved to 8-3 at home at 19-7 at Jersey Mike's Arena over the past two seasons. The Scarlet Knights, who have won two of the past three Big Ten games after an overtime win over Oregon on Monday, have won nine of the past 11 games against the Wildcats.
Tariq Francis had his third 30+ point game of the season, all off the bench.
It was his 11^th double-figure scoring game of the season.
- It was his fifth time across the last six games with 17+ points
Francis shot 8-of-9 at the free throw line. He has made 70-of-80 free throws this season (87.5%).
Darren Buchanan reached double-digit points for the seventh time this season
Rutgers debuted a new-look starting lineup with Jamichael Davis, Kaden Powers, Darren Buchanan Jr.., Harun Zrno and Bryce Dortch drawing the starting assignment
- Dortch earned his first collegiate start
- Dylan Grant came off the bench for the first time this season, dealing with flu-like symptoms, and not checking in for the first time until the 8:50 mark of the first half

Postgame Quotes

Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell

Opening Statement
"It was an awesome college basketball game, from start to finish. It was great to have everyone loud and proud. It is our fourth game in ten days, it is a young team. We just kept fighting in the game, and finally outrebounded a team. We took care of the ball. These guys were awesome. Dylan Grant was sick for the last three days and he had the best plus-minus on the team. He was not himself, but he gave us everything. We needed everyone we had foul trouble and everything. Northwestern has been very good in all their games. They have been a team that is so well coached, Nick Martinelli is the leading scorer in the country. Everyone has guarded him every different way. I think we did a decent job on him. Thirty four points and twelve rebounds does not say that, but he is very efficient. He has been around the league. Just a great Rutgers win, we figured out a way, I am so proud of these guys. We are getting better, and they earned a couple days off."

Coach Pikiell on Darren Buchanan Jr.'s Performance
"He wanted the match-up and when Dylan Grant was out, he knew it was going to be a big night. He stayed out of foul trouble too because Nick Martinelli does a great job of getting people in foul trouble big, big free throws. How about the block at the end? He is practicing better; he is just doing a better job in all areas. I am really proud of him. He took on the challenge of being the best player and the best scorer in the country. It is not an easy task and he did a great job too so I am really thankful and his improvement has been dramatic."

Coach Pikiell on Winning in Overtime for the Second Game
"We were down a lot today, but I talk to these guys a lot, and they know and are tired of hearing me. It is rebounds and turnovers, and we did a great job in both those areas tonight to get us. We did plays when we had to. J Mike (Jamicheal Davis) made a huge three from the corner, hits that shot clock going down, he was unguardable and had it going again. Just got to the line 9 times, which helps us a great deal. Everyone chipped in, this is a great team win and we needed the entire roster tonight. They earned a good day."

Coach Pikiell on Outrebounding Northwestern and the Team's Rebound Consistency
"We are a big ten team, it is a step for us because the guys know how important it is. They are starting to catch on since it is a forty-five-minute league. I would say forty-minute league but you just look at the scores of Northwestern against Michigan State, they are up big at Michigan State at halftime, and it comes down to a few possessions and a few plays and we were able to get a couple more than them tonight. The backboard was huge so it worked out in our success."

Coach Pikiell on Point Generation off the Bench and Tariq Francis Hot Hand
"Tariq [Tariq Francis] played 35 minutes tonight so the only time I pulled him out was when he was tired but he is in a good groove. He has given us tremendous minutes and we have to compete every day and tonight, it was his night and June's [Darren Buchanan Jr.] night too. Some other nights have been J. Mike's [Jamichael Davis] night, and Dylan Grant's night, and that is kind of the team we are and these guys are getting better. They are learning, they are accepting whatever roles and who plays well, plays a lot. So when you look at the minutes the guys will play a lot and well."

Coach Pikiell on the Strategy against Nick Martinelli Tonight
"We had a few different things that we wanted to do. We did a really good job of hard hedging them. I have watched every team guard him differently and none of them have been successful. I think he scored twenty or more points in every game but two. He is a professional scorer. He is efficient. He is really unique. I think we did a really good job; our guards had to get over on screen coverage. We tried a little bit of everything. He scores in a lot of ways too, and you have to guard him from three-point land too."

Coach Pikiell on Crucial Moments of Defensive Plays
"It is huge, once we settled down after the first 10 minutes, I thought our defense was pretty good and they are a really good offensive team. They are very, very efficient so we are getting better, we are not where I want to be, but the rebounds are a huge part of this and scoring 77 points too means we did not turn the ball over. So there is a lot of good things that come. I want us to get to the free throw line even more. I know we went 27 times. They actually went 29 times and that helps our defense, because we can switch up some different things and give them some different looks. But we are trying to get better. We are really trying to get better. It is a young group that had not been in these environments and Jersey Mike's was great for us tonight too and the people were awesome. So I am thankful for the crowd."

Coach Pikiell on the death of former governor of New Jersey Richard Codey
"Today is a sad day and my prayers go out to his family. Governor Codey was good for all sports in New Jersey. He was an advocate for youth sports. He was a college sports fan and was helpful when we needed the APC built. You need friends in high places to get some stuff done here on this campus. He was a great guy and also was a season ticket holder for 10 years here at Rutgers and I'm really proud that he came and supported us for so long. It is a sad day for New Jersey especially when a good person who had the best interest of everybody passes on. I am very thankful, you know, for all he did for youth sports, for high school sports, very much was a sports advocate. His advocacy is one of his legacies.

Coach Pikiell on Chris Nwuli performance and where he anticipates Chris' performance in the future
"Chris is getting better and better. He is playing more and more every night. He was ready to help us and he is another guy who had to guard Martinelli tonight. It is a tough matchup for him but he is getting more and more comfortable. He is practicing better. He stepped out and hit a big 3 tonight and played with some great energy and he played well."

Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins – Opening Statement
"Needless to say, it's a dejected locker room on our side. I thought we really played hard, and you have to give Rutgers credit. There were two teams that have been struggling, both trying to find a win, and you could see the intensity from both sides.
I'm just disappointed we couldn't finish the deal. We had it there with ten seconds left in regulation and a one-point lead. We weren't able to take care of the ball. Then Francis [Tariq Francis] took a tough baseline shot that he missed, and we weren't able to come up with the loose ball. Buchanan [Darren Buchanan Jr.] stepped up and made a big-time free throw.
In overtime, I thought we missed a lot of free throws, which really shot us in the foot. I think we missed four, if not more, in overtime. When you're going possession by possession like that, it makes it tough. I also thought we committed a couple of silly fouls and didn't step up to make a big shot.
But that's part of it. I can't fault our guys' effort. We played really hard, and in a lot of ways, we were worthy of winning."

Coach Collins on the Late Block
"One of their guys came over and made one hell of a block. I don't want to misidentify who it was, but it was a huge play and a game-winning block for them."

Coach Collins on Defending Tariq Francis
"He's a great one-on-one player, so you want to give him some gap help. He got some layups, and those were the ones that really killed me. If he hits tough step-back pull-ups, sometimes that's what you have to live with.
He's quick and can get to his spots. The plays that hurt us were when we opened our feet and let him get downhill. He had a big layup late and a huge three-point play when we let him split the seam and get an and-one.
He's a terrific scorer and has been playing really well for them. He's a tough cover because even when he's guarded, he can make difficult shots. I thought we put him on the line a little too much. Against a player like that, you've got to make him take tough pull-ups, and if he makes them, you tip your cap. But he made nine free throws, and you really can't let that happen."

Coach Collins on Facing This Rutgers Team
"They're playing really hard. I'm a huge fan of Steve [Pikiell]—everybody knows that. He's one of my favorite guys and one of my favorite coaches.
You know his teams are going to get better as the season goes along. They fight, they play defense, they're physical, they attack the glass—those are all trademarks of his program. You can see some of their young guys coming of age.
Powers [Kaden Powers] has a lot of talent and is going to be a terrific player. If Buchanan [Darren Buchanan Jr.] is starting to find his rhythm and put the ball in the basket, that helps them. Francis [Tariq Francis] has obviously been a terrific scorer for them.
They've got good young pieces, and they're going to keep getting better. Especially here at Jersey Mike's Arena, it's a tough place to play because you know exactly what you're going to face."