Men’s Basketball’s Late Charge Falls Short Against Washington

Tuesday, February 24

Piscataway, N.J.

6:30 PM

Rutgers University

11-17,4-13Big Ten

Washington

14-14,6-11Big Ten

Washington

Rutgers

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Men’s Basketball’s Late Charge Falls Short Against Washington

Feb 24 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

PISCATAWAY, N.J – Rutgers men's basketball hosted Washington on Tuesday evening in the penultimate home game at Jersey Mike's Arena. The Huskies came in from the West Coast and took home a 79-72victory.Rutgers cut a 18-point second half deficit to five with pesky guard play, but were unable to fully overcome the deficit as UW closed it out.

Rutgers was led by Lino Mark, who finished with 18 points, setting his career-high in scoring for the second straight game. Mark scored in double-figures for the fourth time in the last five games after scoring double-figures just twice prior to that. Mark had 16 of his 18 points after halftime.

Darren Buchanan added 17 points. That matched his season-high on the year, equaling his output against Iowa. RU's leading scorer, Tariq Francis, finished with 14 points.

Hannes Steinbach led UW with 24 points and 16 rebounds. Wesley Yates added 19 points among four Huskies in double-figures.

Washington shot 50% from the field to RU's 40%, making 7-of-19 from three-point while the hosts were just 3-of-14 from long range. Washington had a 34-29 advantage in rebounds and 40-24 in points in the paint.

Rutgers had an early lead, but then the visitors seized control. RU led 5-2 after a Kaden Powers triple, and were at 7-7, but Washington used an early run to race out to a 21-9 lead after seven minutes. The Huskies expanded that to 31-17 before RU came back with a surge at the end of the opening half. Rutgers finished the first frame on a 12-5 run to get back within seven, as Buchanan scored the last four points himself to cut the Huskies lead to 36-29 at the midpoint.

In the second half, Rutgers used a 9-4 run to get back within five at 45-40. However, the visitors responded with an 8-0 stretch to push the lead back into double-digits and take control.

Rutgers gathered momentum late on an exceptional play by Lino Mark, who stole an inbound pass and finished through contact, cutting the lead to five (69-64 with 2:30 to play) and getting home crowd into the game. However, RU could get no closer and fell short.

Rutgers heads to College Park on Sunday, where they will take on Maryland, a 12 pm game on FS1. That is followed by a trip to No. 13/13 Michigan State on March 5, then finishing out the season by hosting Penn State on March 8.

Postgame Quotes Head Coach Steve Pikiell

Coach Pikiell's Opening Statement
I want to thank everyone who came out today. This has been the worst blizzard I've experienced in my 10 years. Despite the conditions, I appreciate our fans for bringing energy in the last seven minutes. Washington played better than us today. Our guys gave their all, but you can't spot a team like this that many points and expect to come back. We had many makeable shots, especially in the first half, and we need to convert those. Our defense has to step up as well; allowing 79 points is too much. Hannes Steinbach is a first-round draft pick and really dominated inside. Congratulations to Washington. We have a lot to fight for and need to bounce back to stop taking steps backward.

On Paint Defense and Playing Time for Emmanuel Ogbole
I chose to play Darren Buchanan because he brought us energy. He had a great game, finishing with 17 points and getting to the free-throw line. Steinbach was the issue; I knew from watching film that he's a first-round pick and leads the nation in offensive rebounds. He only got three today, so we need better minutes from everyone.

On Team Energy in the Second Half
It was the first half that got us down. We had opportunities to cut the lead but missed a couple of fast-break layups. We need to play better and convert the makeable shots. Defensively, our guys have shown improvement, but Washington is very talented. Wesley Yates was a problem for us last year, and Diallo can really heat up. Peterson is a dangerous shooter, and Steinbach has been a challenge for everyone, not just Rutgers.

On Coaching Against Former Teammate Lathan Sommerville
I love Lathan; he's an awesome kid. But we need to improve, and Steinbach was a real challenge for us.

On Points Between Emmanuel Ogbole and Bryce Dortch
Darren also played the five spot. We tried to utilize his speed, quickness, and strength there.

On Upcoming Road Games at Maryland and Michigan State
We want to take the next step, like we did a couple of weeks ago. We were defending well and connected as a team. We need to get back to that. We're young, and while some players are improving, we must be more consistent in our play, defense, and scoring. Scoring only 42 points tonight is not enough; our defense must hold teams to a ower score.

On Pressing Strategy at This Point in the Season
Getting to the free-throw line helps our press, but there's still work to be done. I have certain lineups I prefer for pressing, but they can create rebounding challenges. Your full-court team isn't always your best half-court team. We can't spot teams points and then rely on our press to save us.

On Lino Mark's Performance Since His Back Injury
Our freshmen have shown real improvement. I'm proud of Lino; he's been aggressive at the rim, finishing well, and making free throws. He's improved his understanding of the game and is finishing against tough opponents. I have great confidence in him and am running plays for him down the stretch.

On Guards' Rebounding Efforts This Season
We're a rebounding team, and everyone needs to contribute. The numbers weren't great for any of our guys. Jamichael Davis has been consistently involved, but we need more from everyone. Guards must help with rebounding, especially against teams that take long shots. We emphasize the importance of rebounding daily, as winning the rebounding battle is crucial in this league.

On Playing Denis Badalau and Chris Nwuli Late in the Game
Chris Nwuli is athletic and excels at the top of our press. I thought Denis Badalau could hit a three against their zone. He's been practicing well, and when we're down, it's worth trying new strategies. Both players gave us good minutes, and I'm pleased with their contributions.

On Shot Selection in the Game
I'll review the tape, but I saw many makeable shots. I trust shooters like Kaden Powers and Harun Zrno. We missed several layups and free throws, but our defensive struggles were more impactful. Scoring 72 points at home won't win many games in this league; we need to focus on defense to succeed.