Rutgers Basketball Downs Michigan For First Time Ever
RUTGERS 75 – MICHIGAN 67
These Scarlet Knights like making history, don’t they? Nearly a month after it took down the number ranked team in the Nation in the Purdue Boilermakers, the first time in program history that Rutgers defeated the #1 team in the Land, the Scarlet Knights beat back the Michigan Wolverines for the first time ever, 75-67 in front of a sold out crowd at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
Led by two incredible performances by Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers never trailed, leading by as many as 17-points midway through the second half, en route to its second win in-conference this season, and eighth win overall.
DOWN GOES MICHIGAN!
— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) January 5, 2022
The Scarlet Knights claim the program's first ever victory over the Wolverines! #GardenStatement🛡️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/lwO5EheNuf
Harper set the tone early when he drilled a three-pointer near the top of the key to take an early 3-0 lead. Paul Mulcahy followed that up with a three-ball of his own to build a 6-0 lead to stun the Wolverines, barely three minutes into the game.
It was all Rutgers, all night long. Geo Baker soon joined the action with a three-pointer of his own at 16:00 to make it a 12-4 game. He would back that up with a jumper outside the paint to increase the RU lead back out to eight at 14-6. Baker then drilled another three-pointer at the top of the arc to blast Rutgers off to a 17-8 lead.
Whatever Baker did, Harper wanted in on the action to. At 8:28 Baker hit another three ball to give RU its biggest lead of the first half, 14-points at 29-15.
Michigan would close the first half with an 11-3 run to chip away at the Rutgers lead going into halftime, but Rutgers proved to be just too much to handle for the Wolverines.
Caleb McConnell’s step up 16-foot jumper that kissed the glass and dropped in opened up the second half. Then it was the Geo Baker show again, as he accounted for eight consecutive points for Rutgers including scoring twice on the fast-break to help RU build a 50-36 lead.
McConnell then put the final dagger in the hearts of the Wolverines when he drilled a three in the corner in front of the Rutgers bench for the largest lead of the night at 17-points, 53-36.
After shooting over 50 percent from the floor in each of their last two victories over Maine and Central Connecticut State, Rutgers shot only 48 percent from the floor and 47.8 percent from downtown, (but who’s counting?)
Rutgers was also buoyed by 37 rebounds, 20 on the defensive side of the glass, while Michigan shot a poultry 20 percent from three (3-for-15, 20 percent).
Baker finished with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting to lead the way for RU. Harper had 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. McConnell added nine points, Mulcahy had seven points. Clifford Omoruyi had 12 boards for the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers (8-5, 2-1) will take on Nebraska on Saturday from Jersey Mike’s Arena on Saturday, January 8. Remember to listen live in the 10:00 hour of the Dan Patrick Show to see if you can win tickets to the game on Fox Sports New Jersey, 93.5 FM, 1450 AM.
GALLERY
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 04: Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights gestures after making a three-point basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of a game at Jersey Mike’s Arena on January 4, 2022 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 04: Eli Brooks #55 of the Michigan Wolverines attempts a shot as Caleb McConnell #22 and Clifford Omoruyi #11 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights defend during the first half of a game at Jersey Mike’s Arena on January 4, 2022 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 04: Clifford Omoruyi #11 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights fights for a rebound with Eli Brooks #55 and Moussa Diabate #14 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of a game at Jersey Mike’s Arena on January 4, 2022 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 04: Ron Harper Jr. #24 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights attempts a shot as Eli Brooks #55 of the Michigan Wolverines defends during the first half of a game at Jersey Mike’s Arena on January 4, 2022 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
