The Rutgers men's basketball team secured its fourth ranked win in a row in as many games with a 70-59 victory over No. 12 Illinois on Wednesday.
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Jersey Mike's Arena has packed and loud as the 8,326 fans in attendance helped make life hard for the Illini.
The Scarlet Knights never trailed.
“By far this was the craziest environment from the start," Rutgers guard/forward Caleb McConnell said. "I looked up at the scoreboard and it was 4-0 and the crowd was going wild. I appreciate the fans coming out. The fans are awesome. Jersey Mike’s Arena was awesome tonight. We couldn’t hear anything."
Rutgers made four of its first five shots and seven of nine to go along with four free throws to take a 17-7 lead. Rutgers switched up its defenses and held the Illini to nine points until the 11:00 mark of the opening half.
The Scarlet Knights led by as much as 12 points in the first half with 54 seconds remaining until the break. Trent Frazier made Illinois' first 3-pointer in 14 tries 19 seconds later. Illinois made another 3-pointer to begin the second half, and it had the ball to cut its deficit down even more, but McConnell came up with a key steal and a fastbreak layup on the other end. That started a 12-1 run for Rutgers that put it up 47-28.
Rutgers led by as many as 23 points with 6:45 to go and shot 47.5% for the game (28-of-59).
Ron Harper Jr. netted a team-high 16 points. Cliff Omoruyi notched a double-double, his fifth of the year, with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Paul Mulcahy also scored 13 points with seven assists, McConnell finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, and Geo Baker added seven points. Dein Reiber and Aundre Hyatt chipped in with five points and three points, respectively.
Harper Jr. is now the 16th on the all-time scoring list at Rutgers. Mulcahy has scored in double figures in five straight games dating back to his 31-point performance against Northwestern. He had six games total in two-plus years since coming to Rutgers prior to that. McConnell also had four steals for the fourth-straight game as well and is now 11th all-time at Rutgers in that category.
McConnell helped lock down Frazier and Alfonso Plummer.
"My assignment was Frazier and a little bit of Plummer," McConnell said. "I felt like I did a good job of containing (Frazier). He runs the offense and I wanted to take them out of their offense.
“I trust Pike’s. He goes through the matchups and gives me the toughest assignments. I can’t take all the credit. Our team defense has been awesome.”
Illinois came in average 40 rebounds per game, but Rutgers crushed the Illini on the backboards, 46-28, including 14-8 on the offensive side.
Rutgers was minus-14 in rebounds the last time the two teams met.
“It was a big emphasis especially with Kofi and they are just a great team," McConnell said. "They're a well-coached team and one of the best rebounding teams in the country. We had the mindset of just cracking the glass and finding a body, and helping Cliff in there with Kofi and sticking our nose in there and rebound. I felt like we did an awesome job with that tonight.”
"They’re one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, you know, obviously it's an emphasis when you play them," Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell said. "Great rebounding team and when you got a guy that big too in the ln takes up so much space [Cockburn]. It started with Cliff but everyone stuck their nose in and everyone had to dig a few out. I just thought we were really focused on that every time out. We were talking about it. You know it's a recipe for winning. If you can rebound, you know, it helps you in a lot of ways.
One of the highlights of the game was Omoruyi's backwards alley-oop dunk.
“I’ve never played with anybody like Cliff before," Mulcahy said. "It took me a little bit to figure out that I can just throw it up and he’ll go get it. He opens things up for everybody. I’m happy to be on the team as him.”
"That's a pro looks like," Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said of Omoruyi. “That’s a tribute to him. His energy level is up, his involvement is much more prominent. As a center, you're dependent upon others to help you in terms of getting involved with him. He’s impacting the game with his rebounding, his defense, and his energy is great.”
Illinois thumped Rutgers pretty good in December out in Champaign, 81-56, but this time the Scarlet Knights were able to reverse the outcome.
“Two months worth of days and guys getting better. That was early in the season and we were figuring things out, but I think we’re connected right now," Mulcahy said. "We’re just going to keep building on it.”
“We’re just trying to keep it going," McConnell said. "We’re not getting too high or too high. We want to stay right in the middle and keep getting better every day. We want to lock in and go 1-0 each day.
“Practices are way more focused and way more detailed. The details matter and that’s how we’re winning these games.”
Up next for Rutgers during this gauntlet is No. 5 Purdue the road at Mackey Arena.
“We know we can play with anybody and anywhere," McConnell said. "Our goal is to go 1-0. Our coaches will have us prepared and we’ll be locked in.
“You gotta enjoy tonight, but when you wake up it’s over with it. You have to worry about the next game.”
Harper Jr. played hero with a heave at the buzzer to upset the then-No. 1 Boilermakers in mid-December, but the senior could be out of action on Sunday as he left Wednesday's game with a hand injury.
“Ron’s good. He’ll be alright," McConnell said. "We’re concerned, of course, but it’s nothing to worry about. He’ll be back.”
"You know honestly, I don't know, he hurt his hand," Pikiell said. "So we have to kind of figure that out. He's down there with the doctors now. Anytime any of my players go down, I'm concerned. Ron's an important part of this but you don't want anybody to get hurt. But there's nothing but obstacles when you play in this league and Ron will get the best, our doctors are awesome. Good people here. Teammates will help him through.
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
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