Rutgers scores last 10 points to stun No. 16 Ohio St 66-64
AP
Feb 09, 2022
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Rutgers Scarlet Knights is never out of a basketball game when playing at home and fifth-year senior Geo Baker is feeling it.
Baker had 25 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 18.8 seconds left, and Rutgers scored the final 10 to stun No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes 66-64 on Wednesday night.
''I had it going a little bit tonight. Tonight was my night,'' said Baker, who also had six assists and no turnovers. ''My teammates found me and I tried to make plays. Everyone was just making winning plays and I was the guy knocking down shots.''
Baker scored eight points in the game-ending spurt and assisted on a dunk by Cliff Omoruyi that tied it 64-all with 1:13 to play.
Omoruyi added 13 points and Paul Mulcahy had 12 as the Scarlet Knights (14-9, 8-5 Big Ten) earned consecutive wins over ranked teams for the first time since January 2008. They thumped Michigan State 84-63 last week and are 12-2 at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Makaki Branham scored 19 points and E.J. Liddell added 16 for Ohio State (14-6, 7-4). Zed Key had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Rutgers' defense did not allow the Buckeyes to score in the final 3:48, and their last two shots were blocked. Ron Harper Jr. blocked a layup attempt by Branham with 3.6 seconds to go, and a shot from the corner by Justin Arhens was partially blocked and never got near the rim.
Ohio State missed its last seven shots.
''We need to close games with a little more force offensively,'' Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. ''We didn't play with enough force. Their activity bothered us late. You are going to have to play with force on the road, and we just didn't finish plays when we needed to. Playing on the road is hard. I don't think we've mastered that.''
Rutgers' chances appeared dim when Key hit two free throws with 3:48 to play to give Ohio State a 64-56 lead, its biggest of the game.
''We all came together in the huddle and said we've got four minutes left,'' said Baker, who was 9 of 14 from the field. ''It was a four-minute round right here and we had to turn it around. We've got to play, make plays, get stops, and that's what we did.''
Baker took over. He made two free throws with 3:07 to go and a layup with 2:33 left after the Buckeyes missed two shots.
The biggest sequence of the game came on the ensuing inbounds play. Key broke free after taking a length-of-the-court pass but Caleb McConnell caught him from behind and blocked the shot, sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy.
''I think he just thought he had a free run to the rim,'' McConnell said. ''I just wanted to win and that's what I do, come up with plays.''
After a shot-clock violation, Omoruyi tied the game and Baker was fouled on the possession following Branham's miss, putting Rutgers ahead.
Neither team led by more than four in a physical first half in which the officials called just a dozen fouls. The Scarlet Knights took a 32-31 lead on a shot in the lane by Aundre Hyatt just before the buzzer.
BIG PICTURE
Ohio State: Not a good loss, but Rutgers' victims at home also include Purdue when it was ranked No. 1 this season. When the Scarlet Knights beat the Boilermakers they rallied from 10 down with eight minutes left.
Rutgers: Slowly working its way back into NCAA Tournament contention. The Scarlet Knights just don't win on the road.
''This team is getting better,'' coach Steve Pikiell said. ''I like that. Every year our teams get better. We get better, and it's the best league. People don't understand the depth of this league is like no other.''
UP NEXT
Ohio State: Finishes a two-game road trip at Michigan on Saturday.
Rutgers: Plays at No. 14 Wisconsin on Saturday for its third of six straight games against ranked opponents.
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1st Half
OSU
Buckeyes
31
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
32
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
E.J. Liddell vs. Clifford Omoruyi (Paul Mulcahy gains possession)
19:43
+2
Paul Mulcahy makes two point jump shot
0-2
19:10
Ron Harper Jr. blocks Malaki Branham's two point jump shot
19:08
Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
18:50
Paul Mulcahy turnover (bad pass) (Zed Key steals)
18:32
+2
Zed Key makes two point jump shot (E.J. Liddell assists)
2-2
18:12
Caleb McConnell misses two point jump shot
18:10
Zed Key defensive rebound
18:05
Jump ball. Zed Key vs. Caleb McConnell (Buckeyes gains possession)
17:52
E.J. Liddell misses two point jump shot
17:50
Caleb McConnell defensive rebound
17:44
+3
Ron Harper Jr. makes three point jump shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)
2-5
17:23
+3
Malaki Branham makes three point jump shot (E.J. Liddell assists)
5-5
16:56
Jamari Wheeler shooting foul (Paul Mulcahy draws the foul)
16:56
+1
Paul Mulcahy makes regular free throw 1 of 2
5-6
16:56
+1
Paul Mulcahy makes regular free throw 2 of 2
5-7
16:52
Caleb McConnell personal foul
16:31
+2
E.J. Liddell makes two point jump shot
7-7
16:31
Paul Mulcahy shooting foul (E.J. Liddell draws the foul)
16:31
+1
E.J. Liddell makes regular free throw 1 of 1
8-7
16:06
Zed Key blocks Ron Harper Jr.'s three point jump shot
16:04
Meechie Johnson Jr. defensive rebound
15:55
+3
Meechie Johnson Jr. makes three point jump shot (Malaki Branham assists)
11-7
15:29
Meechie Johnson Jr. shooting foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
15:29
TV timeout
15:29
+1
Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 3
11-8
15:29
Ron Harper Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 3
15:29
Ron Harper Jr. misses regular free throw 3 of 3
15:29
Zed Key defensive rebound
15:23
Zed Key turnover (traveling)
15:11
Jamari Wheeler personal foul (Paul Mulcahy draws the foul)
15:07
Ron Harper Jr. misses two point layup
15:05
Buckeyes defensive rebound
14:43
Ron Harper Jr. blocks E.J. Liddell's two point jump shot
14:41
Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
14:36
E.J. Liddell blocks Paul Mulcahy's two point layup
14:34
Zed Key defensive rebound
14:14
Malaki Branham misses three point jump shot
14:12
Ron Harper Jr. defensive rebound
14:07
+3
Geo Baker makes three point jump shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)
11-11
13:43
Geo Baker blocks Meechie Johnson Jr.'s two point jump shot
13:41
Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
13:37
+3
Geo Baker makes three point jump shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)
11-14
13:03
+2
Zed Key makes two point layup
13-14
12:55
Geo Baker misses three point jump shot
12:53
Zed Key defensive rebound
12:42
Ron Harper Jr. shooting foul (E.J. Liddell draws the foul)
12:42
E.J. Liddell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:42
+1
E.J. Liddell makes regular free throw 2 of 2
14-14
12:26
+2
Clifford Omoruyi makes two point jump shot
14-16
11:58
+3
Justin Ahrens makes three point jump shot
17-16
11:26
Mawot Mag misses two point jump shot
11:24
Paul Mulcahy offensive rebound
11:21
Geo Baker misses three point jump shot
11:19
Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound
11:07
Joey Brunk personal foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
11:07
TV timeout
10:52
Paul Mulcahy turnover (bad pass)
10:29
+2
Malaki Branham makes two point layup
19-16
10:14
Dean Reiber misses two point layup
10:12
Malaki Branham defensive rebound
10:04
Cedric Russell misses three point jump shot
10:02
Kyle Young offensive rebound
9:50
Kyle Young turnover (bad pass) (Caleb McConnell steals)