college basketball, Rutgers, Big Ten, Illinois
(Photo by Paul Mecca - JSN)

Rutgers Dominates No.12 Illinois For Fourth Straight Win Over a Ranked Team

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights extended their win streak against ranked opponents after their 70-59 success over No.12 Illinois. After Wednesday night, Rutgers is officially the first unranked team in college basketball history to beat four consecutive ranked teams.

There was lots of excitement and anticipation surrounding the Rutgers - Illinois game because the outcome seemed to be a huge determinant as to whether or not the Scarlet Knights would go dancing in March... 

With a quick start, tip-off flew out of bounds and the ball was turned over to Rutgers. The swift switch of possession, followed by the feeling of dominance allowed the Scarlet Knights to gain confidence from the jump. Court positioning was in their favor.

Within the first minute, Caleb McConnell draws a foul and makes both of his free throws, setting the tone of the game towards discipline. Shortly after, Ron Harper, Jr. hit a jump shot with the assistance from Paul Mulcahy. The Scarlet Knights were protecting the basket area well by creatively taking away their opponents potential layups.

Early on the clock, Rutgers stayed in a steady lead with wiggle room that would allow a few mistakes without creating an unsettling pressure. Unfortunately for Illinois, their shooting percentage was incredibly low with a 3-point field goal percentage of 0% (0 for 13) for almost the entire first half. With three seconds remaining, Illinois moves outside the 3-point arc and snags their first of the night.

Rutgers leads 33-24 at the half. Offensive rebounding was definitely harped on as the recipe for success in last nights game throughout each timeout and during the split. This was evident due to the consistently positive takeaways from previous games. 

McConnell handles a tough pass with grace, yet fierce enough to run down the whole court in seconds to secure a two-pointer. He uses his long body and great length in wingspan to anticipate and challenge the best players.

The Scarlet Knights are able to move a lot more aggressively due to the poor offense lent by Illinois. Rutgers continues to grow and Illinois is rattled further by each and every shot missed or defensive block. 

Rutgers created a massive uptake of 45-28 and it did not look like Illinois had much in them to stop from getting steamrolled. In the most dominant and controlled scenario, such as earned free throws, Fighting Illini has only made a quarter of the shots. This has taken away an immense amount of pressure and allowed for the court to get bigger and a lot more fun for the Scarlet Knights.

When Illinois finds success on offense, Rutgers responds with a long jump or a three-pointer. The rebounds are on point tonight, as they create absolutely no way for The Illini to fight... they are wary of the answers that have been brought to the table. The Scarlet Knights are relentlessly shooting for three and creating obvious separation on the scoreboard as it grows to a 21 point gap.

There had been an incredible amount of turnovers that grew into easy passes and plays for Rutgers to capitalize on. Each player was able to dig a few moments out when it was extremely crucial. With about six minutes to spare, the Scarlet Knights tap into their greatest lead this game of 23 points with a whopping score of 60-37.

With two minutes remaining .. Mulcahy assists Cliff Omoruyi for a dunk and an additional two points for the big screen. With 20 seconds left on the clock and a lead of 11 points, the Scarlet Knights began to run the time down as the players started to encourage the crowd to go crazy.

Each Scarlet Knight came to the game with a mission; they all made sure to handle their own positions and trust one another to allow each teammate to demonstrate their abilities for the best result. Head Coach, Steve Pikiell shares his thoughts and appreciation for the group of guys he has out on the floor. "I told you guys I like this team... they get along great, they share the game, and they prepare the right way," he said.

Familiar standout, Omoruyi, contributed to the game with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and an unbelievable and definitely unteachable reverse alley-oop dunk. McConnell had numerous steals and an attractive defensive game, as well as 11 points. Harper added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Mulcahy had 13 points.

The Scarlet Knights were a lot more detailed and precise last night than they were in their last match up with Illinois early in the season. After a devastating 35-point deficit of a loss, Rutgers bounced back and handled their business on home turf with a compelling victory. With their keen focus and desperate desire to grow into the NCAA team to beat, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

Next Up For Rutgers:

The Scarlet Knights will face Purdue away on Sunday, February 20 at 5:30 p.m. Tune in to FS1 for all the action.