Coming into Monday's home matchup against UCLA - the third straight at Jersey Mike's Arena - Rutgers Basketball had been run out of the gym by Wisconsin and Purdue, not holding a lead in either game.
Against the Bruins, the energy was different. The Scarlet Knights needed a win, and they played like it on defense. For the first time in conference play, Rutgers' calling card defense played a full 40 minutes and held UCLA in check, especially in the second half.
Rutgers came away victorious 75-68 in a gutsy battle that came down to the final seconds.
The freshmen were back to their usual selves, as Ace Bailey led the team with 20 points and nine rebounds. After struggling from the floor in his previous two games, he had an efficient 7-for-13 night, including 6-for-9 from inside the three-point line.
Dylan Harper - fully healthy after battling an illness - looked like himself as well, scoring 18 points with four rebounds and four assists.
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Even before the game started, the feeling at Jersey Mike's Arena was one of heightened intensity - even with a sense of desperation from the fans - with the season teetering on the edge. Head coach Steve Pikiell made a change in the starting lineup, inserting freshman Dylan Grant and senior Tyson Acuff in place of Jeremiah Williams and Jamichael Davis.
Grant continued his strong stretch of play with several hustle plays on defense and in the rebounding game, giving a much-needed boost on the boards.
Sommerville did not light up the scoreboard, but he did tie for the team lead with nine rebounds and made multiple clutch free throws late in the game to keep Rutgers ahead.
Rutgers' rotations looked much different, with a notable absence from Jordan Derkack. The Merrimack transfer did not play after averaging 22.9 minutes per game, instead replaced by Zach Martini. Martini played in tandem with Emmanuel Ogbole for much of his 13 minutes, matching up with UCLA's size.
The game went about as expected in a matchup between long-time defensive-oriented head coaches Mick Cronin and Steve Pikiell. The Bruins got out to a quick run to get ahead in the opening minutes, but the Scarlet Knights responded quickly and kept pace, drawing within a possession after a drive by Harper and an open corner three from Martini.
Rutgers never took the lead in the opening 20 minutes, but played the majority of the half within 5 points of the Bruins. The Scarlet Knights trailed 33-30 at the break with the two stars combining for 12 points on 4-for-12 shooting from the floor.
The second half, on the other hand, got off to a quick start, with Dylan Harper hitting two quick threes in transition to give Rutgers a lead for the first time in 11 days, since the January 2nd loss to Indiana. The quick 8-0 run - started by a Bailey jumper - caused an early timeout for Cronin.
The second half was similar to the first with the back-and-forth action, with neither team holding a double-digit lead for for much of the half.
The Scarlet Knights' defensive effort looked much improved compared to the previous three losses, but the Bruins continued to hit tough shots in key situations to prevent Rutgers to go on a game-breaking run.
Despite a slower start from the free throw line, the Scarlet Knights kept up their lead with timely conversions at the line going up against an aggressive Bruins defense. Rutgers started just 7-for-14 from the line, but they finished 14-for-17. Jamichael Davis, Bailey, and Lathan Sommerville - all underclassmen - came up huge from the charity stripe when Rutgers' half-court offense went cold late in the game.
The Scarlet Knights got a win they desperately needed, and now move forward with a road trip to Nebraska up next.
RHOOPS PLAY OF THE GAME
Dylan Harper finds a cutting Ace Bailey for a baseline alley-oop late in the first half.
UP NEXT?
Rutgers goes back on the road for the first time in two weeks, when they face Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday. The game tips off at 9pm EST and will be broadcast on Fox Sports One.
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