Rutgers men's basketball stuns No. 11 Wisconsin in blowout victory
The Rutgers men's basketball team dominated Wisconsin on Saturday en route to a 78-56 victory. The Scarlet Knights (13-10, 5-7) controlled the game in its entirety, and the win marked their third in a row.
Rutgers got off to a roaring start over the Badgers (16-8, 8-5), going on a 9-0 run across the first 3 minutes. It all started with a signature dunk from senior center Clifford Omoruyi following the opening tipoff.
The energy from the beginning moments of the game carried the Knights for the rest of the half. Then-No. 11 Wisconsin did not take the lead a single time in the first half or across the whole game for that matter.
The Badgers had a sliver of momentum in the opening half, going on a 7-0 run of their own, but could not keep things moving.
Rutgers showed off its stout defense against Wisconsin, forcing 11 turnovers in the first half alone.
Fifth-year guard Noah Fernandes drained two three-pointers in the first half, building confidence for the Knights from beyond the arc.
Rutgers finished the half with a layup from Omoruyi, contributing to the boisterous crowd at Jersey Mike's Arena on Livingston campus. The Knights led 37-28 heading into halftime.
The final 20 minutes of the matchup was where Rutgers really shined. The Knights began to build on the positive flashes they showed in the first half and ended up putting the game out of reach.
It was a team effort throughout the afternoon for Rutgers, but a few players stood out in particular.
Redshirt junior guard Jeremiah Williams had himself a day in his first game at Jersey Mike's Arena. Williams led the team with 18 points and seven assists. His introduction to the home fans on the Banks was, indeed, one to be remembered.
Fernandes continued to be red-hot from three-point range, hitting three more three-pointers in the second half, making him a perfect 5-5 on the day. He finished with 17 points on 6-6 shooting.
Omoruyi had a remarkable outing and was just two blocks away from notching a triple-double. He recorded 13 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks in the contest. He was the first Division I men's player to post such a stat line against a top-25 team since 2017.
Overall, the Knights played some of the best basketball they have played all year. Not only did Rutgers skate away with a win, but it did so by a whopping 22 points against a top-tier conference opponent like the Badgers in front of an electric home crowd.
Head coach Steve Pikiell spoke of the pride on display in Jersey Mike's Arena on Saturday.
"Great environment today, and I want to thank the crowd. They started early and were loud from the beginning," Pikiell said. "I really appreciate them. The band, cheerleaders, dance team, students that came out — they were ready, and so was our team."
The Knights will return to their home court on Thursday, facing off against Northwestern. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network and 88.7 WRSU-FM.
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