Field Level Media
Feb 24, 2021
Geo Baker scored 20 points on his Senior Night, and Rutgers broke out of some recent doldrums with a 74-63 over Indiana on Wednesday in Piscataway, N.J.
Ron Harper Jr. added 20 points for the Scarlet Knights (13-9, 9-9 Big Ten), who scored their most points since scoring 76 against Minnesota on Feb. 4. Harper Jr., who entered the game 1 of his last 27 from 3-point range, made 4 of 7 3-point attempts.
Trayce Jackson-Davis led Indiana (12-11, 7-9 Big Ten) with 21 points and 11 rebounds, posting his 10th double-double of the season. Al Durham added 20 points for the Hoosiers, who lost their second straight in a game critical to their fading NCAA Tournament hopes.
Baker scored 12 points in the first half as Rutgers rallied from an early 15-point hole to take a 35-31 halftime lead. Rutgers, which started the game 0 of 7 from 3-point range, made 7 of its final 8 3-point attempts in the first half.
Durham made his first four 3-point attempts for Indiana, including a banked-in 3-pointer to put Indiana up 23-8. Rutgers answered with a 17-4 run, fueled by four 3-pointers. Baker made three 3-pointers during the run, including a 3-pointer off a Myles Johnson offensive rebound to cut Indiana's lead to 27-25.
After a Jackson-Davis inside basket put Indiana up 29-25, Rutgers answered with a pair of baskets, regaining the lead 30-29 with 1:22 left. Harper Jr. followed with a 3-pointer to extend the Rutgers' lead to 33-29. After Jackson-Davis made a pair of free throws to cut the Rutgers lead to 33-31, Paul Mulcahy was able to wrestle away a Jackson-Davis rebound in the closing seconds of the first half and make a short jumper to put Rutgers up four.
Rutgers finished the half shooting 50 percent from the field and 46.7 percent (7-15) from 3-point range.
Indiana forward Race Thompson played with a protective mask as a precaution after getting accidentally hit in the face during practice on Tuesday. Thompson had two points and nine rebounds. The Hoosiers played the second half without guard Armaan Franklin who left with an apparent ankle injury.
--Field Level Media