Three Thoughts on Rutgers Basketball's 89-87 2OT loss to Notre Dame
It was a tough end to the season for 11th-seeded Rutgers Basketball as it fell to fellow No. 11 Notre Dame 89-87 in double-overtime in what was a classic First Four game in Dayton, Ohio.
Here are three thoughts after the game….
A heartbreaking way to end the season
Both Rutgers and Notre Dame left it all out on the court for 50 minutes and, if not for a lay-up from Paul Atkinson Jr. in the waning seconds, the Scarlet Knights would have left Dayton with the win. However, the college basketball gods did not smile down upon Rutgers in this one as Geo Baker was unable to get off a last-second shot and give the Rutgers faithful one last memorable moment.
"This group has been unbelievable for three years, I just wish it would never end," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "These guys have given everything to our program and they deserve to continue to play. It's just a tough night for us after playing the way we played and fought the whole time but they were one possession better."
Not to sugarcoat things, this is a loss that will take a long time for both Rutgers and its fans to get over as there were 17 different lead changes and the Scarlet Knights had a couple of chances to win it at the buzzer. Much like last season, Rutgers bows out of the NCAA Tournament in heartbreaking fashion but if this was the last time Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., and/or Caleb McConnell don the scarlet and white, they will leave Piscataway giving their fanbase one last unbelievable game despite coming away with the loss.
The homecoming kid shows out
Despite coming in a loss, Caleb McConnell put on a display in his hometown as he finished with a double-double scoring 23 points and 11 rebounds. McConnell also surpassed his previous season-high of 16 points when he recorded 18 in the first half alone.
"It's a very emotional game, coming home and being able to play in front of friends and family," McConnell said. "I'm proud of the culture that we've built and I'm proud of everything that we did. It sucks we came up short but these last four years is something I'll remember for the rest of my life and cherish and hold close to me."
McConnell was also backed up by three other Scarlet Knights who tallied double-figures as Ron Harper Jr. finished with 22 points, Geo Baker scored 19, and Cliff Omoruyi had 15. As a team, the Scarlet Knights shot about 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from three. However, the Fighting Irish were able to match them blow-for-blow as they shot 51 percent from the field and about 32 percent from three. Paul Atkinson Jr. also led all scorers with 26 points on 13-15 shooting.
March Madness at its finest
While this loss will be a bitter pill to swallow for Rutgers for years to come, from a college basketball fans’ perspective this game encapsulates everything special about the NCAA Tournament and shows how hard it is to win it. Whether it is feelings of joy, heartbreak, disbelief, or frustration, anybody who watches this game played on this stage with any rooting interest hopes for one thing: survival.
"This group has been flat-out special, it's by far my best team since I've been at Rutgers," Pikiell said. "They played with their backs to the wall, we play in the best league in the country and had to win games down the stretch."
Now, Notre Dame finds itself on a flight to San Diego to face sixth-seeded Alabama while Rutgers is sent back home wondering what could have been. While it might not feel like this is the ending this group of Scarlet Knights deserved, this was the type of game that reminded people, at its best, not much can stack up to March Madness.
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