Rutgers Basketball pulls away late, wins season-opener over Rider
Rutgers Men’s Basketball has started its season with a victory.
The Scarlet Knights (1-0) struggled to find their offensive footing early, but used a strong night defensively to pull away and win 81-53. They were able to dominate the Broncs (0-2) at the basket, and eventually pulled away to put a win on the ledger to open the new-look campaign.
Rutgers had four scorers in double-figures, led by NJIT transfer Tariq Francis’ game-high 19 points. He kept up his scoring output in the America East, but did so on a much more efficient 6-for-10 shooting clip, including four made three-pointers on eight tries as the Scarlet Knights’ best shooter.
Dylan Grant and Jamichael Davis, the team’s top two returners, also helped lead the way with double-digit scoring performances each. George Washington transfer Darren Buchanan Jr. scored 11 points of his own.
The two European freshmen struggled in their respective collegiate debuts, as Romanian Denis Badalau opened the game with a three-pointer but missed his next 11 shots after. He also grabbed seven rebounds. Bosnian guard Harun Zrno scored seven points in 11 minutes, making a three-pointer in the first half.
Head coach Steve Pikiell’s unit outscored Rider 46-29 in the second half. Caleb Smith (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Zion Cruz (11 points) were the Broncs’ lone double-digit scorers.
Offensive inconsistency
Rutgers got ahead early on with a 13-5 lead, helped by three-pointers from Badalau and Francis to open the scoring.
From there, things got a bit shaky.
The Broncs fought their way back into the game as the Scarlet Knights went cold from the floor. At one point, Rutgers had missed 10 straight shots, along with 14 of 15 attempts. Facing Rider’s zone at points, the Scarlet Knights were unable to take advantage, as has become all too familiar at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
Even more concerning, the struggles affected every faction of the offense. Rutgers finished the first half 0-for-8 on layups, and was unable to get anything going against a Rider team that had given up 87 points to Virginia on Monday.
As the first half went on, the Scarlet Knights were able to regain the momentum by attacking the basket relentlessly. That mindset continued into the second half, and was a big reason they were able to pull away quickly in the game on the offensive side of the floor. The shooting numbers still remain concerning, particularly in the paint, and the fact that much of the offense looks similar to Pikiell-coached teams of the past with offensive struggles.
They finished the night 10-for-27 from beyond the arc, and 21-for-33 from the free-throw line. Rider, on the other hand, shot just 2-for-20 from the three-point line, and 28 percent from the floor.
Four more mid- to low-major opponents remain before the schedule heats up with the Players Era Festival, but the Scarlet Knights’ offense will need to turn their fortunes around quickly as the schedule gets more difficult.
Small ball
Rutgers’ most-maligned position heading into the season had been the frontcourt, and the center duo of Emmanuel Ogbole and Baye Fall did not do much to ease those concerns. They combined to play 22 minutes – 19 by Ogbole and just three for Fall – with zero points and 10 rebounds. Fall did not record a stat, while Ogbole was unable to take advantage of his offensive opportunities, even with a solid night rebounding.
Pikiell opted to play small-ball plenty, with some rotation of Grant, Romanian freshman Denis Badalau, and Buchanan at the forward spots.
Could this be a sign of things to come, or was it to take advantage of a small Rider lineup? The Broncs’ rotation features just two players at 6-foot-10 or taller, and they played a combined 20 minutes.
The lack of Fall – who is now at his third high-major program – was concerning, but it remains to be seen his role moving forward.
Defensive dominance
All offseason long, Pikiell maintained the team needed to get back to its roots, defending and rebounding the basketball at a high level. Wednesday night’s game got that message off to a solid start, as the Broncs were simply not able to put together consistent offensive possessions to remain in the game.
Rider went on several multi-minute scoring droughts, and the Scarlet Knights were able to use their defensive pressure in order to slow down the Broncs’ offense.
The visitors had a one-game headstart to the year, as they opened their season on Monday with an 87-53 loss at Virginia, so the competition to open the season is not the biggest test for Pikiell and company – nor was it expected to be.
From here, though, it remains to be seen how Rutgers’ defensive identity will translate against a unit that is able to put more pressure on the defense at the rim and from the perimeter.
Up next
The Scarlet Knights play the second of a five-game homestand on Monday, when Maine comes to town at Jersey Mike’s Arena. That game tips off at 6:30 pm, and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
💬 Wondering what other Rutgers fans are saying?
Head to The Round Table and jump into the discussion →
