Feb 14, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers guard C.J. Wilcher (0) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knightsat Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
In just its third game at the RAC in a month, most Rutgers fans expected a warm reunion with the Rutgers men’s basketball team. Instead, the Scarlet Knights struggled mightily against 12th place Nebraska. It was a disheartening 82-72 result as RU lost at home for just the third time all season.
“Appreciate you guys for being here. As always, I want to thank our crowd. Crowd was great today,” said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. “I want to congratulate Nebraska. Fred’s got them playing at a really high level. These guys are playing great. They were better than us today. It’s on me. I got to get us to play Rutgers defense. Certainly, didn’t tonight I think is the first time we’ve given up over 50% for the game in a long time. They made some tough shots. They made it hard for us, thought we had some chances too, but turnovers, missing free throws, and layups. Didn’t give us a point, an opportunity to kind of turn the tide but defensively, it’s on me, very disappointed in how we defended. I got to do a better job. I got to make sure we get back to playing, the kind of defense that we need to play in a great league against some really good shooting teams.”
Click here for my game recap. Keep scrolling below for game highlights, the postgame presser, my reaction and the box score.
Game Highlights
Rutgers Postgame Presser
AB’s Reaction Video
Rutgers Full Box Score
#
Player
PTS
FG
3FG
FT
OR
DR
REB
A
PF
TO
BL
ST
MIN
+/-
4*
MULCAHY, PAUL
2
1-3
0-1
0-1
0
2
2
12
5
3
0
1
36
-3
5*
HYATT, AUNDRE
24
8-18
5-11
3-4
0
3
3
1
1
2
0
0
30
-8
10*
SPENCER, CAM
8
3-11
2-6
0-0
2
5
7
3
1
1
1
1
35
-5
11*
OMORUYI, CLIFFO
13
5-7
0-0
3-6
6
6
12
0
3
3
5
0
35
-2
22*
MCCONNELL, CALE
12
5-12
0-2
2-3
2
6
8
2
2
2
0
4
33
-11
0
SIMPSON, DEREK
10
5-7
0-0
0-0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
19
-12
1
PALMQUIST, OSKA
0
0-2
0-2
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
2
MILLER, JALEN
0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
-2
13
WOOLFOLK, ANTWO
0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
-4
21
REIBER, DEAN
3
1-1
1-1
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
-4
TM
TEAM
–
–
–
0
0
0
0
0
TOTALS
72
28-61
8-23
8-14
11
22
33
18
13
11
6
7
GAME PCT
45.9
34.8
57.1
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good recap of an awful game. I’m not ready to give up on this team. Something is broken and the staff better figure it out before they come home to play MU. These losses can’t be blamed on the loss of Mag. Hyatt has looked good at both ends of the court. The more minutes he gets the better he gets.
I love Paul Mulcahy but two points? Cam Spenser eight points? I was critical of Simpson earlier this season but at this point maybe Paul should have a seat and give Simpson more minutes. Simpsons offensive production was orders of magnitude better without the pandering to the refs on the injustice of every missed shot and committed foul.
When highlight of the game is your wife meeting Kelsy Gramer pregame at the Rutgers Club, for me, that’s a pretty bad night. Credit to Gramer for attending and watching most of the debacle. It was a Valentines Day massacre at the sub shop.
This was hard. This was sad. I don’t have the heart to critique the offense anymore. Yes, they did score 72pts and that should have been enough. But, when the defense fails, as it did last night, this team can lose to anyone in the Big Ten. It’s very much like Pikiell to take the loss and the defensive breakdown on his shoulders. If anyone can get this team back on track, I believe it’s Pikiell. He has the ability to get this team’s psyche straightened out. I can’t agree more with Aaron about his thoughts on PM in particular and the original remaining 4 starters in general. It’s do or die and it’s time to… https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=cher+snap+out+of+it#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:72f6c62a,vid:0x-fkSYDtUY
Henry Rutgers
February 15, 2023 at 2:09 pm
good recap of an awful game. I’m not ready to give up on this team. Something is broken and the staff better figure it out before they come home to play MU. These losses can’t be blamed on the loss of Mag. Hyatt has looked good at both ends of the court. The more minutes he gets the better he gets.
I love Paul Mulcahy but two points? Cam Spenser eight points? I was critical of Simpson earlier this season but at this point maybe Paul should have a seat and give Simpson more minutes. Simpsons offensive production was orders of magnitude better without the pandering to the refs on the injustice of every missed shot and committed foul.
When highlight of the game is your wife meeting Kelsy Gramer pregame at the Rutgers Club, for me, that’s a pretty bad night. Credit to Gramer for attending and watching most of the debacle. It was a Valentines Day massacre at the sub shop.
pj43
February 15, 2023 at 4:29 pm
This was hard. This was sad. I don’t have the heart to critique the offense anymore. Yes, they did score 72pts and that should have been enough. But, when the defense fails, as it did last night, this team can lose to anyone in the Big Ten. It’s very much like Pikiell to take the loss and the defensive breakdown on his shoulders. If anyone can get this team back on track, I believe it’s Pikiell. He has the ability to get this team’s psyche straightened out. I can’t agree more with Aaron about his thoughts on PM in particular and the original remaining 4 starters in general. It’s do or die and it’s time to… https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=cher+snap+out+of+it#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:72f6c62a,vid:0x-fkSYDtUY
thevinman
February 15, 2023 at 5:32 pm
Past time to panic!