Harper injured, but Mathis lifts No. 14 Rutgers over Purdue
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rutgers has not performed with a full, wholesome lineup still this calendar year, so the 14th-ranked Scarlet Knights understood what to do when foremost scorer Ron Harper Jr. was pressured to the bench.
”We just experienced the up coming-guy-up mentality,” senior captain Geo Baker claimed.
This time, that guy was Montez Mathis.
Mathis scored a career-higher twenty five points, which include sixteen in the 2nd fifty percent, and Rutgers beat Purdue eighty one-seventy six on Tuesday night.
Harper tweaked his ankle in apply and was scratched an hour right before tipoff. The Honorable Point out All-Significant Ten participant from a calendar year in the past has been among the the top players in the meeting and modest forwards in the nation, capturing 56.4%, which include 50% from outside of the arc, for 23.4 points for every match along with seven.one rebounds and two.one helps.
Harper’s personal injury is the most current in a season of them for Rutgers (seven-one, 3-one Significant Ten). Jacob Youthful returned immediately after a tough slide that sidelined him in the 2nd fifty percent of the last match vs. No. 23 Ohio Point out, and Mawot Mag (ankle) experienced skipped the last a few online games. Cliff Omoruyi was sidelined for the 2nd straight match with a sprained proper knee.
Baker – an All-Significant Ten guard – skipped a few online games immediately after spraining his ankle early in the season-opener. Baker experienced 19 points, six rebounds and four helps, although Youthful experienced 13 points and four helps.
Purdue (seven-4, two-two Significant Ten) punished Rutgers in the paint, led by Trevion Williams’ 21 points and twelve rebounds. The Boilermakers experienced forty two points in the paint to the Scarlet Knights’ 28. Purdue held the rebounding edge 33-31.
”When you play a team like this, you know, Trevion Williams is a truly excellent passer. So if you double down, you get to sort of decide on your poison with him a minor bit,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell claimed. ”And (Zach) Ede is seven-foot-4, I suggest, substantial. You know, Myles (Johnson) has to wrestle with them. … Heading towards two of the better publish men in the league.”
Isaiah Thompson experienced seventeen points for Purdue, and his layup with 15:19 still left gave the Boilermakers their initially guide, 46-44, considering that midway by means of the initially fifty percent. Pikiell promptly called a timeout to crack up Purdue’s 23-six operate.
Rutgers trailed by five right before rallying to tie it at 53 on Paul Mulcahy’s 3-pointer and Baker’s transition layup.
The groups exchanged leads right before Mulcahy hit a 3-pointer to place Rutgers up 61-fifty nine at the seven:fifty two mark. The Scarlet Knights led the rest of the way.
”The ones that Mulcahy hits in the 2nd fifty percent, nobody’s there,” Purdue coach Matt Painter. ”You’re just vast open. No one’s rotating to him.”
Soon after Purdue jumped to an 11-six guide, Rutgers rallied to guide by as a lot of as 15 right before taking a forty-34 guide into halftime.
Sasha Stefanovic added fourteen points for Purdue.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Rutgers fell a number of places to No. fourteen immediately after a loss at No. twenty five Ohio Point out, but can shift again up if it beats No. 10 Iowa on Sunday.
Free of charge THROWS
Rutgers experienced been having difficulties at the charity stripe, capturing 60%. That enhanced towards Purdue, as Rutgers went fourteen of seventeen from the line.
Significant Picture
Purdue: It can be the starting of a difficult road extend in the Significant Ten for the Boilermakers. They have a few online games towards Best twenty five opponents – also at No. 15 Illinois and at No. seventeen Michigan Point out – with a home match vs. Nebraska at home in in between.
Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights are in the midst of a challenging extend, with the Boilermakers the only unranked team through the present six-match extend. Rutgers hosts No. 10 Iowa right before traveling to No. seventeen Michigan Point out and hosting No. twenty five Ohio Point out.
UP Up coming
Purdue: At No. 15 Illinois on Saturday.
Rutgers: Host No. 10 Iowa on Saturday.
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