Rutgers University
Syracuse
Rutgers Hangs Tough Against No. 2 Syracuse, 74-64
Feb 19 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Sophomore forward Gilvydas Biruta (Jonava, Lithuania) shot 9-of-14 to score a career-high tying 21 points with seven rebounds, but it was not enough as Rutgers (12-15, 4-10) dropped a hard-fought 74-64 decision to No. 2 Syracuse (27-1, 14-1) Sunday afternoon before 8,093 fans at the RAC. The Orange out-scored RU 12-2 down the stretch to secure the victory.
Sophomore swing man Mike Poole (Rosedale, N.Y.) joined Biruta in double figures by scoring 10 points, including eight in the second half. Junior wing Dane Miller (Rochester, N.Y.) contributed six points, six rebounds and five assists.
Seeking their fourth straight win over a top 10-ranked team at the RAC, the Scarlet Knights out-rebounded the larger Orange 34-29, including 13-7 on the offensive glass. With the effort, Rutgers established a 14-9 edge in second half points.
The first half featured eight lead changes and seven ties. Syracuse scored eight of the opening stanza’s final 10 points to enter the locker room at the midpoint with a 40-34 advantage.
After the break, a persistent Rutgers squad stayed within striking distance. The Scarlet Knights reduced the deficit to just two points on seven occasions, including 64-62 with less than three minutes to play. Unfortunately, a late jump shot by Myles Mack (Paterson, N.J.) was the only points the home squad registered for the reminder.
Rutgers shot 41.9 percent (26-62), but managed to deposit just three-of-18 (16.7 percent) attempts from behind the arc. Syracuse made 50 percent (24-48) of its field goal attempts, including 41.7 percent (5-12) from long range.
C.J. Fair scored a career-high 21 points and Scoop Jardine added 17, including a key three-pointer with 1:11 to play, to pace the visitors.
Rutgers meets its third consecutive nationally-ranked opponent when it travels to Milwaukee, Wisc. to meet No. 12/13 Marquette in an 8 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday (Feb. 22) night. The game will be televised live on MSG+ and will be available live via the web at WatchESPN.com.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Gilvydas Biruta matched his career high with 21 points on nine-of-14 shooting. It marked the third time the forward has pushed over the 20-point plateau in his career and first time this season.
- It marked the 11th time the forward has posted double-digit scoring. It was the first time since at Providence on Feb. 1.
- It was the second time this season, and sixth in his career, Biruta has posted 10-plus points in the first half (scored 12 in first vs. NJIT on Dec. 22, 2011).
- Mike Poole posted 10-plus for the sixth time this season with 10 points. The Scarlet Knights move to 3-3 when he scores double-figures.
- RU falls to 4-12 when less than three players score in double-figures.
- The Scarlet Knights outrebounded the Orange 34-29. RU held SU to nearly six rebounds below their average.
- Of the 28 combined first-half baskets, 21 came inside the paint. For the game, 72 of the 138 points were scored in the paint.
- Biruta paced the team in boards for the ninth time this year.
- Dane Miller dished out five-plus assists (five) for the second time this season and ninth time in his career. The junior added six points and six rebounds.
- Rutgers moves to 9-38 all-time against Syracuse, including 8-15 at home. The Scarlet Knights were looking for their first win in 12 tries.
- Rutgers was looking for its first win against a No. 2 team. The Scarlet Knights drop to 0-7 all-time. RU drops to 6-21 against SU when ranked.
- The 8.093 fans ranks No. 45 on the sellout list and was the 82nd sellout in RU program history.
- This was the first start for freshman Myles Mack in conference play (last start vs. Monmouth on Dec. 12). The Scarlet Knights have gone with eight different lineups through 27 games this season.
- Gil Biruta flushed two dunks, pushing him to a team-best 14 on the year.
- Before the game, Rutgers honored US Marine Corporal Patrick Green, who served a tour of combat duty in Iraq as a gunner/designated marksman.
POSTGAME QUOTES
RUTGERS HEAD COACH MIKE RICE
Opening statement: “I thought as far as the fight and the compete, it was probably one of the most consistent games we’ve had in the last month. We just didn’t finish plays, whether it was penetration, getting the basket (or) drawing the contact. This team still has young bodies and young minds. In the BIG EAST, you have to seek that contact. The free throw disparity hurts, and we were definitely settling for too many jump shots. Again, I can understand why at times, when you have seven feet, six-eleven, six-nine (guys) in the back line, you just can’t settle for three-pointers. You have to continue to grind away and find a way. They are a very talented team, especially when there is an unfair advantage having another college basketball coach in Scoop Jardine running the point. [He is] so composed and understanding of what he wants to do. It hurt us down the line because he was strong.”
On Gilvydas Biruta’s performance: “There was a Gilvydas Biruta sighting today. This is what I thought I’d have every game to be honest with you. The moon, stars, and planets lined up today for Gil. He’s going to talk about the five, it had nothing to do with him being at the five. He had the same shots, he was (getting) at the five earlier on, but we have to switch between him Kadeem and Derrick. There was a confidence about him. Again, something bad is going to happen in this league, it always does. He responded, you can see some times he’s not going to respond well, but he did tonight.”
On Mike Poole’s performance: “I can’t wait to put ten to fifteen pounds of muscle on Mike Poole. Then I got a steal. He is still a touch frail, but he has a toughness that I love. And again, I enjoy coaching Mike as much as I enjoy coaching anyone. Last night, as I’m walking out of here after a walk-through, he’s still here shooting until 10:30 for an hour and a half.
He gets it. The hardest players are usually the toughest players on the team. He stepped up in the last few weeks and has become a consistent, positive player for us.”
On experience player a factor down the stretch: “They didn’t settle and we settled, so it played a part. Again, I’m playing with five-eight and six-foot-two, and they are playing with six-foot-eight and so our young, big, strong guys have to get better. That is something we will work on.”
On Eli Carter’s three-point attempts: “I love the fact that he has enough onions that he thinks he’s going to make that. But it’s the shot that he’s taken two times that cost us twice before. Again, I watched Villanova, it’s the same thing their freshmen did. I like the fact that he thinks he’s going to make it, he has enough toughness to shoot it, especially after he gets yelled at the two previous times he shot in a situation like that, but now he has to understand that you can’t do that. We have to grind out a great possession. That’s a good shot, I want a great shot.”
On putting Myles Mack in sooner at the end of the game: No, not really. You know why? Because Jerome Seagears was penetrating his tail off, and that’s why I was okay with [Myles Mack] sitting on the bench. Poole was playing with a confidence. I always looked over and I couldn’t figure it out. If I took Dane out, offensively I probably should have, but then I’m never going to get a rebound. I wasn’t real sure who I wanted to put in because we’ve improved in so many areas that Jerome Seagears’ purpose on the offensive end has come along very well.”
On rebounding: “There was a relentlessness (about the team). We said ‘two to the glass.’ I warned Jerome Seagears he couldn’t try and tip dunk today like at an AAU game. Dane and Gilvydas had a toughness about them. Again, in the zone you’re going to find gaps, and they are certainly as athletic as anybody in the league and they had that relentlessness about them tonight.”
#10 MIKE POOLE
On next game: “We just have to limit the bad things that happen, the things that we can control. If we can limit not boxing out, turnovers, (then we will be fine). It’s hard enough against teams without letting them score (off our mistakes). If we can just limit some of our mistakes, we will be fine.”
On extra work after practice: “Everyone comes in here on their own. He just happened to see me that night. It gives you confidence when you’re in (the RAC) shooting. The rim looks big to me when I shoot right now. I hope it is all the extra shooting that I’ve been doing.”
On not letting Syracuse go on a run: “We were just fighting and grinding every possession out. We knew they are a great team. They are going to score at times. We just had to respond and we responded well for most of the game.”
On Gilvydas Biruta: “Gil gave an A+ effort today. This the Gil that I’m used to seeing, last year and at the beginning of this year. He has been in a bit of a slump, but today he woke up and he contributed.”
On needing a stop at the end of the game: “Every time we stopped playing, we said in the huddle, ‘Let’s get a stop. Defense first, defense first.” When the defense comes, that opens it up to score. We just wanted to get stops. They are a great team and it’s hard to get stops. If we had gotten a couple stops, it’s a different outcome.”
SYRACUSE HEAD COACH JIM BOEHEIM
Opening Statement: “I thought Rutgers did a great job against our zone. They were patiently able to [get the ball] to the middle. When we were able to force a miss they were able to get it back, we have to take advantage of some opportunities. When you play tough defense for 35 seconds and they get it back, it’s tough. I thought we did a good job on their shooters, but didn’t do a good job getting back in there [for the rebound]. Offensively, they are a good defensive team that pressures you. I thought we did some good things and made some shots. Scoop [Jardine] makes some plays down the stretch. That’s what we would hope for from a senior guard. He has been doing that all year. He made a two-point jump shot from the side and then the last one, but he has been making plays for us all year. It was a tough game, tough place. We just have to get ready and go back home.”
On substitution rotation: “We are going to play the number that I feel is appropriate for the game.”
On Fab Melo: “I think early they were doing a great job of attacking and keeping him involved. Later he wasn’t attacking as much and he got some different shots and was in position to catch the ball. He made two big free throws for us when it really mattered.”
On defending shooters: “I think we wanted to get the guards away from their spots and it began with defending the inside. [Gilvydas] Biruta got off to a great start. The times I have lost down here are when we let the guys shoot from the perimeter. This is a good shooting place. We have to disrupt that and get out on them. Today we made a couple threes, some days we do and some days we don’t.
On Rutgers’ guards: “I have watched them a lot. They were making unbelievable shots against Florida and we didn’t want to get them in rhythm shooting the ball. I was disappointed in how good we did on those guys, the game shouldn’t have gotten like it was. There were too many second shots. That was disappointing.”
On status of the team: “I don’t think we are playing the way we have to. I thought in the beginning of the year we have some good movement in games, and I thought we were playing better offense then. I think our defense is playing steady. Our offense could still use some work.”
