Pikiell Praises Freshman Spark as Rutgers Tops Maine, 72–60

Freshman forward Dennis Badalau scored all 19 of his points in the first half to lead Rutgers past Maine, 72–60, on Monday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena, moving the Scarlet Knights to 2–0 on the season.

Badalau sparked Rutgers early, hitting four three-pointers and powering an 11–2 opening run. Head coach Steve Pikiell called it a strong “bounce-back” performance after a quiet debut. Rutgers led 37–30 at halftime, shooting 46 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point range.

The Scarlet Knights stayed in control after the break, opening the second half with a 10–0 run and stretching their lead to 18 points in the final minutes. They never trailed and dominated the glass, outrebounding Maine 37–23 while also winning the battles in points in the paint, fast-break points, and second-chance opportunities.

Freshman forward Dylan Grant earned his first career double-double with ten points and ten rebounds, all after halftime. Pikiell said he challenged Grant at the break and praised his response. Junior guard Tariq Francis added 12 points, while junior guard Darren Buchanan Jr. scored 11 off the bench, shooting 4-of-5 from the field.

Junior guard Jamichael Davis contributed eight points, two assists, two steals, and two rebounds. Junior center Emmanuel Ogbole posted seven points and five rebounds, and sophomore forward Bryce Dortch grabbed eight rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.

Badalau led Rutgers in scoring and added a block. The Scarlet Knights return to Jersey Mike’s Arena on Friday to face Lehigh at 6:30 p.m.