Rutgers snaps 5-game losing streak, gets exciting road win over Indiana
Rutgers finally has its first win in the month of January.
It took all 40 minutes and required fending off a late-surging Indiana team, but the Scarlet Knights escaped Assembly Hall with a 74-70 road victory on Sunday afternoon. The win ends a 5-game losing streak for Rutgers.
Geo Baker was the team’s leading scorer, dropping 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor. He was also responsible for 5 assists in the victory. Ron Harper Jr. had quite the day, too, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to record a double-double against the Hoosiers.
Rutgers owned a 38-33 lead at halftime and led by as much as 14 in the 2nd half before Indiana made a strong push in the final 10 minutes of the game. The Scarlet Knights owned a 73-70 lead with under a minute to play and had an opportunity to ice the game with a bucket.
It beat the buzzer.@caleb_mcco tips it back in before the halftime buzzer to give @RutgersMBB the 38-33 lead. pic.twitter.com/i0HvWmwnEI
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 24, 2021
Degree of difficulty very high on this @__RHJR @RutgersMBB basket. 👀
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/DMLKmNkfZT
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) January 24, 2021
They're having fun out there today.@RutgersMBB leads midway through the second half in Bloomington. pic.twitter.com/2vF82CLT67
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) January 24, 2021
Sweet sequence here:
Yet another @MylestheMonster block leads to a @Geo_Baker_1 @RutgersMBB 3⃣. pic.twitter.com/FJGyf7uBW2
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) January 24, 2021
Rebound, Of. The. Season.
Take another look at @MylesTheMonster's clutch @RutgersMBB rebound. pic.twitter.com/4wsMxXtyej
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) January 24, 2021
Indiana got a key stop on that possession, but Myles Johnson grabbed a critical board for Rutgers and got the ball back to Baker, who converted 1-of-2 free throws to make it a two-possession game. Al Durham missed a 3-point attempt in the closing seconds and Harper grabbed the clinching rebound.
Rutgers shot nearly 51% from the floor and outrebounded Indiana 32-29. The Hoosiers were on fire from 3-point land, knocking down 10-of-16 shots from the perimeter, but it wasn’t enough for the win.
This was Rutgers first win inside Assembly Hall.
With the victory, the Scarlet Knights improve to 8-6 on the season while the Hoosiers fell to 9-7.