The games keep getting tighter, but Rutgers keeps finding a way to win.
The Scarlet Knights overcame their biggest deficit of the season and a too-close-for-comfort second half to defeat American, 80-71, in Piscataway on Tuesday.
Rutgers (4-0) was led once again by Dylan Grant (22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 7-of-9 on free throws), who got some help from guard Tariq Francis (17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, 3-of-3 on free throws) and forward Denis Badalau (10 points on 4-of-8 shooting) on a night where the Scarlet Knights did most of its damage at the free throw line (24-of-30) and the rim (13-of-20 on layups) while shooting a respectable 40% (6-of-15) on limited threes.
Head coach Steve Pikiell’s team struggled to guard the perimeter (American shot 12-of-32 on threes), but protected the rim well (8-of-22 on layups) and held the visitors to 12-of-34 (35.3%) on twos.
American jumped out to a hot start, taking an 11-point lead through the opening eight minutes after hitting six of its first nine three-point attempts. The Eagles led for 17 minutes and 40 seconds in the first half, but the Scarlet Knights chipped away at the deficit as the visitors missed nine of their following 12 threes.
Rutgers struggled from deep in the first half (2-of-8) and took a ton of non-rim two-pointers (4-of-13), but it kept pace at the free throw line (9-of-11) and thanks to a solid defensive effort, holding American to 11 points in the final 12 minutes before the break.
Rutgers built on its 22-11 run to close the first half with a 12-2 spurt to open the second, establishing a 10-point lead with just under 15 minutes to play. But the Eagles would not go away, answering with a 13-6 run to cut Rutgers’ lead to 3 points with just under nine minutes to play.
That would be as close as the visitors came to coming back, with Rutgers scoring 5 quick points and holding them at arms length from there.
Rutgers will close out its five-game season-opening home stand on Friday — when it hosts a Central Connecticut State team that upset Boston College in Chestnut Hill earlier this month — before heading to Las Vegas for the Player’s Era Festival.
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