DanielHouse
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It’s not often road games in Piscataway are considered a resume building opportunity. Rutgers has finished dead last in the Big Ten during four of the past five seasons. After creating depth, head coach Steve Pikiell has the program trending upward.
On Sunday, the Scarlet Knights dominated the rebounding margin 45-35 (20 offensive boards) and locked down Minnesota’s key contributors. A balanced attack led Rutgers to a 64-56 victory over the Gophers in front of a sell-out crowd at “The RAC.” The Scarlet Knights had four players in double figures, including 11 points from guard Ron Harper Jr.
Rutgers extended its home winning streak to 13 games and continued to make a statement in Big Ten play. Active defense and a 17-2 first-half run helped Rutgers claim a lead it would never relinquish. When new rankings are released, the Scarlet Knights could be ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1978-79.
All year, the Gophers haven’t received consistent contributions from the entire backcourt. Over the past four games, Gabe Kalscheur and Payton Willis are a combined 17-for-61 (28%) from the floor. Minnesota won three of those games behind excellent performances from center Daniel Oturu and Marcus Carr. During Sunday’s matchup, roles reversed.
Rutgers ranked No. 3 among Big Ten teams in defensive efficiency (Ken Pom) and it was easy to see why.
The Scarlet Knights provided plenty of help to slow Oturu in the post. They were also aggressive around the perimeter and made entry passes extra difficult for Carr. In 2020, Rutgers has consistently smothered opponents with active team defense.
In the first half, Carr and Oturu scored a combined two points on 0-for-8 shooting. With 16:34 remaining, Oturu finally dribbled into the lane for his first field goal. The duo finished Sunday’s game with 27 points, while converting just eight of their 24 shot attempts. Carr had eight points on 2-for-8 shooting and was locked down by Rutgers’ aggressive perimeter defense.
Within the first few minutes, Minnesota looked like it was finally set to receive a balanced scoring performance. Kalscheur drilled each of his first three shots, including a deep three-pointer. During a 7-0 run, Kalscheur benefited from smooth ball movement and well-executed offensive sets. Willis also hit a three-pointer and Minnesota grabbed an early 10-2 lead.
Less than three minutes later, Rutgers quickly responded behind hot shooting from guard Montez Mathis. Mathis made four of his first five shots, including a pair of three-pointers. A 17-2 run by the Scarlet Knights quickly erased Minnesota’s eight-point advantage.
Over the same span, Minnesota missed ten consecutive shots. There were several possessions where the Gophers took ill-advised shots early in the shot clock. When post players started to dribble, things really got out of control. Rutgers prevented the Gophers from getting clean touches in the post.
Minnesota wasn’t boxing out adequately either, which allowed the Scarlet Knights to gain additional possessions. During the first half, Rutgers grabbed 15 offensive boards and led the overall rebounding margin 27-17. All afternoon, the Gophers didn't get position in the paint and Rutgers took advantage of extra opportunties.
Oturu finally came to life in the second half and helped trim Rutgers’ 14-point lead to seven points with 8:18 remaining. He was aggressive off the dribble and confidently made mid-range jumpers. When Rutgers center Myles Johnson needed rest, Oturu thrived. He scored 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting in the second half. However, every time Minnesota showed a glimmer of life, a scoring drought followed. After pulling within seven points, the Gophers missed four consecutive shots.
Worth Noting
At the 12-minute mark of the first half, head coach Richard Pitino substituted both Oturu and Carr. After playing nearly every minute this season, Pitino decided to insert Bryan Greenlee and Jarvis Omersa into the rotation. The duo rested during a television timeout and only missed one minute of total action. It’s clear Pitino wanted to see how a quick substitution would work. During Sunday’s game, the team looked slightly fatigued and it could be a product of accumulating minutes for Carr and Oturu.
On Sunday, the Scarlet Knights dominated the rebounding margin 45-35 (20 offensive boards) and locked down Minnesota’s key contributors. A balanced attack led Rutgers to a 64-56 victory over the Gophers in front of a sell-out crowd at “The RAC.” The Scarlet Knights had four players in double figures, including 11 points from guard Ron Harper Jr.
Rutgers extended its home winning streak to 13 games and continued to make a statement in Big Ten play. Active defense and a 17-2 first-half run helped Rutgers claim a lead it would never relinquish. When new rankings are released, the Scarlet Knights could be ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1978-79.
All year, the Gophers haven’t received consistent contributions from the entire backcourt. Over the past four games, Gabe Kalscheur and Payton Willis are a combined 17-for-61 (28%) from the floor. Minnesota won three of those games behind excellent performances from center Daniel Oturu and Marcus Carr. During Sunday’s matchup, roles reversed.
Rutgers ranked No. 3 among Big Ten teams in defensive efficiency (Ken Pom) and it was easy to see why.
The Scarlet Knights provided plenty of help to slow Oturu in the post. They were also aggressive around the perimeter and made entry passes extra difficult for Carr. In 2020, Rutgers has consistently smothered opponents with active team defense.
In the first half, Carr and Oturu scored a combined two points on 0-for-8 shooting. With 16:34 remaining, Oturu finally dribbled into the lane for his first field goal. The duo finished Sunday’s game with 27 points, while converting just eight of their 24 shot attempts. Carr had eight points on 2-for-8 shooting and was locked down by Rutgers’ aggressive perimeter defense.
Within the first few minutes, Minnesota looked like it was finally set to receive a balanced scoring performance. Kalscheur drilled each of his first three shots, including a deep three-pointer. During a 7-0 run, Kalscheur benefited from smooth ball movement and well-executed offensive sets. Willis also hit a three-pointer and Minnesota grabbed an early 10-2 lead.
Less than three minutes later, Rutgers quickly responded behind hot shooting from guard Montez Mathis. Mathis made four of his first five shots, including a pair of three-pointers. A 17-2 run by the Scarlet Knights quickly erased Minnesota’s eight-point advantage.
Over the same span, Minnesota missed ten consecutive shots. There were several possessions where the Gophers took ill-advised shots early in the shot clock. When post players started to dribble, things really got out of control. Rutgers prevented the Gophers from getting clean touches in the post.
Minnesota wasn’t boxing out adequately either, which allowed the Scarlet Knights to gain additional possessions. During the first half, Rutgers grabbed 15 offensive boards and led the overall rebounding margin 27-17. All afternoon, the Gophers didn't get position in the paint and Rutgers took advantage of extra opportunties.
Oturu finally came to life in the second half and helped trim Rutgers’ 14-point lead to seven points with 8:18 remaining. He was aggressive off the dribble and confidently made mid-range jumpers. When Rutgers center Myles Johnson needed rest, Oturu thrived. He scored 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting in the second half. However, every time Minnesota showed a glimmer of life, a scoring drought followed. After pulling within seven points, the Gophers missed four consecutive shots.
Worth Noting
At the 12-minute mark of the first half, head coach Richard Pitino substituted both Oturu and Carr. After playing nearly every minute this season, Pitino decided to insert Bryan Greenlee and Jarvis Omersa into the rotation. The duo rested during a television timeout and only missed one minute of total action. It’s clear Pitino wanted to see how a quick substitution would work. During Sunday’s game, the team looked slightly fatigued and it could be a product of accumulating minutes for Carr and Oturu.
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