Myles Johnson dominated Michigan State, proving unstoppable inside as Rutgers claimed first-ever win against Spartans Wednesday. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)
Three short weeks ago, when Rutgers was being written off in the latest example of social media causing instant panic in the frustration of a slump, Jacob Young tried to put the Scarlet Knights’ rabid fan base at ease.
“We’re good,” the speedy guard said after Rutgers had dropped its third straight game — a skid that would reach five in a row before Sunday’s win at Indiana — on January 9 against Ohio State. “We’re going to bounce back.”
It would take the remainder of the month, but Young — his teammates and coaches, too, for that matter — were vindicated in a way hardly anyone thought possible Thursday night at the RAC.
Taking the floor against a Michigan State team coming into Piscataway fresh off a COVID-19 pause and owners of a 23-point win over Rutgers in East Lansing earlier this month, the Scarlet Knights played with a chip on their shoulders and the aggressiveness that carried them through a 6-0 start to the season. The 15-0 run on which the hosts opened the game was only the beginning, the stifling defense serving as the body of the effort, the 67-37 obliteration of the Spartans providing the emphatic conclusion and reminder that reports of the demise on the banks of the old Raritan were greatly exaggerated.
“We definitely wanted to come out and just make a statement,” Geo Baker declared as Rutgers (9-6, 5-6 Big Ten) not only defeated Michigan State for the first time ever in 12 attempts, but also held the Spartans to a point total that ranks tied for the second-fewest surrendered in a game since Steve Pikiell took over in 2016, and nine markers fewer than the program’s previous Big Ten Conference low. “We didn’t forget how we lost to them earlier this year too, so we just wanted to bounce back and get a good win, and we’re just happy that we did.”
“Defense was a huge part of this win today,” Myles Johnson imparted after his 13-point, 14-rebound tour de force was augmented by five blocked shots. “That’s who we are. Today was just a great showing of what we’re capable of doing from that end of the floor.”
In a textbook Pikiell defensive effort, Rutgers studied the tape from Michigan State’s 68-45 rout at the Breslin Center January 5, and effectively flipped the script a full 180 degrees. After being outrebounded by 20 in the first encounter between the teams, the Scarlet Knights took command of the boards by a 42-33 margin, turned 21 Spartan giveaways into 33 points, and registered 14 steals — five of which were recorded by Baker — to pair with a decisive 36-18 performance in the paint that was anchored by Johnson’s feast in the lane, which included a putback dunk that will make the rounds on highlight reels across the country.
“They did a good job defensively, we did a poor job,” Tom Izzo surmised. “I think my four guards, between them, had 15 or 16 turnovers. They played well, we played poorly.”
“Our guys were locked in,” Pikiell admitted. “We’ve had signs of being a good defensive team. Today, we kind of put it together. That was a 40-minute game.”
Now on a winning streak again to right the ship, Rutgers is firing on all cylinders heading into Sunday’s road trip to Northwestern. In fact, the Scarlet Knights buried their free throw shooting struggles Thursday as well, making 10 of their 12 attempts at the line to satisfy a coach who had taken slings and arrows for that facet of the game all season.
“No more e-mails today about free throws,” Pikiell quipped. “It’s a good feeling, 10-for-12. They stepped up today, they made them. Today’s a good day, I don’t have to answer that question.”
“We were going to let our defense dictate our offense,” Baker said when discussing the turning point for Rutgers. “Our defense was there the whole time, and we’re talented enough to where shots are going to start to fall. We played as a team, we just played together, and it worked out well.”
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