Rutgers builds more character with gritty win over Maine

Denis Badalau exploded for 19 points in first half as Rutgers defeated Maine. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Non-conference games are usually taken with a grain of salt, for better or worse, but to do so with this Rutgers team would disparage the retooling the Scarlet Knights have needed to do this season.

Nobody said it would be easy for a team that produced a pair of Top 5 picks in the NBA Draft last season, but Rutgers has taken incremental steps to get itself back on the long and winding road between Wednesday’s opener over Rider and its latest showing, a grind-it-out affair Monday against Maine that required a little more effort in the first half before closing out a 72-60 victory.

“We did enough for some minutes there,” head coach Steve Pikiell said. “I thought we looked really good to start the first half and start the second half. I challenged Dylan Grant at halftime, he had zero points and one rebound. He had to play, and he did a good job.”

“We certainly have to play better. We’re still figuring some things out, but we showed some real signs in some minutes, some good signs. I was pleased with the backboards, but we still gave up too many (points). That’s a game we should hold in the fifties, and we left too many points at the free throw line. Our guys gotta understand how important every minute is. You just gotta be ready.”

Rutgers (2-0) saw two of its young cornerstones step up Monday. Grant (10 points, 10 rebounds) fought through a lackluster opening stanza to secure his first career double-double in the second half. In the first half, it was Denis Badalau who turned heads, scoring 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting and connecting on four of five attempts from long distance.

“Every day, I’m getting more confident,” the Romanian freshman revealed. “The coaching staff is giving me a lot of opportunities. They believe in me. Before the game, I just said I was gonna have a great day. And it happened, right?”

“That’s regular for Denis,” Darren Buchanan, Jr. added. “Denis can do that any given night. He’s a gifted scorer, he makes a lot of shots, and I just like when he’s being aggressive. Yes, the first game, he was 1-for-12, but all of us were still telling him to shoot the ball because that’s just what he does. We’ve got the utmost trust in him, I definitely do. I know if I’m in a game, I’m gonna get him a shot. I feel like that’s my job.”

While Badalau helped Rutgers build its lead against a Maine side that refused to give in through the first 20 minutes, Grant responded to Pikiell’s challenge over the final frame. The Canadian sophomore dug deep, attacked the glass, and showcased his floor game to supplement a strong 17-point debut Wednesday against Rider.

Dylan Grant overcame early adversity to rack up first career double-double in Rutgers’ win over Maine. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

“He can’t have a (first) half like that, he’s too good of a player,” Pikiell said of Grant. “For him to get his first double-double in a game where, in the first half, he wasn’t doing a heck of a lot, is a really good sign.”

“He does so many good things for us. Today, you saw him get it going. He can shoot, he can put it on the deck, he’s a good passer. I think as he gets more comfortable with pace and the different styles these teams play, he’ll get better and better. He’s a worker, he can do a lot of things.”

Rutgers continues its five-game homestand Friday, when it welcomes Lehigh to Jersey Mike’s Arena. Until then, its coach will take the positives of two character-building wins and use them to further mold a new foundation.

“I think we’re learning a lot about each other,” Pikiell said. “Obviously, our defense has improved, and I think we have a chance to be a good scoring team, too. We can’t leave that many free throws on the docket, but we’re growing and that’s what I like. One thing we always get better at, and I think this group is, we’ve got more pieces on the bench that are gonna have to start raising up their game, too.”