Rutgers knocks off Hall
STEVE PIKIELL is turning around the Rutgers’ basketball program a lot quicker than anyone expected.
Corey Sanders scored eight of his season-high 22 points in a game-ending 17-2 run Saturday, leading the Scarlet Knights to their biggest win since Pikiell became coach last year — a 71-65 win over No. 15 Seton Hall.
Many in the sellout crowd of 8,318 came on the floor after the final buzzer, with one fan telling Sanders the fan loved him. Sanders said he returned the sentiment.
“We’re one big happy family in there,” said Sanders, who hit two shots, two free throws and had a steal in the final 2:36. “They stormed the court and I don’t think that’s something that been done since I have been here. It’s a great day for everybody.”
Freshman Geo Baker added 17 and Deshawn Freeman added 12 and 16 rebounds as the Scarlet Knights (10-3) beat a ranked team for the first time since defeating No. 4 Wisconsin in January 2015. It was the last time Rutgers’ fans stormed the court, when Sanders was a high school senior.
“It was a good win at home here,” Pikiell said, refusing to label it a signature win. “It was a great environment and, again, these guys just did a real good job of staying the course and they were poised down the stretch. I’m excited, but we could play better, too. We have potential to be better.”
Myles Powell had 18 points to lead the Pirates (9-2), who had a five-game winning streak snapped in losing to Rutgers for the first time in five games.
SYRACUSE 86, GEORGETOWN 79, OT: Tyus Battle had 29 points, Oshae Brissett had 25 points, and visiting Syracuse overcame a 13-point second half deficit to hand rival Georgetown its first loss.
Frank Howard added 19 points as Syracuse (9-1) made 10 of 23 3-pointers in staging its comeback over the final 10 minutes of regulation to force extra time.
Jessie Govan had 21 points and eight rebounds and Marcus Derrickson had 14 points and eight rebounds for Georgetown (8-1), which entered Saturday as one of six undefeated teams in Division 1. Jagan Mosely had 20 points off the bench for the Hoyas.
Syracuse snapped a two-game losing streak to former Big East foe Georgetown and last beat the Hoyas on the road in 2011.
Hoyas coach Patrick Ewing lost his first game against Jim Boeheim’s Orange after going 8-3 against Syracuse as a player in the 1980’s.
MICHIGAN STATE 86, OAKLAND 73: Cassius Winston scored 19 points, and No. 2 Michigan State went on a 12-2 run late in the second half to hold off Oakland in Detroit.
OKLAHOMA 91, WICHITA STATE 83: Freshman Trae Young had 29 points and 10 assists, lifting Oklahoma to the win over the No. 3 Shockers (8-1). The nation’s leading scorer, Young had 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the first 9 minutes, pushing the Sooners (8-1) to a lead they would never relinquish.
MIAMI 59, GEORGE WASHINGTON 50: Dewan Huell scored 15 points, Lonnie Walker IV had 13 and No. 6 Miami (9-0) used a fast start to win at George Washington .
KENTUCKY 93, VIRGINIA TECH 86: Kevin Knox scored 21 points, and No. 8 Kentucky (9-1) outlasted visiting Virginia Tech (82) for its most significant victory this season.
XAVIER 68, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 66: Trevon Bluiett’s jumper with 6.3 seconds left completed No. 10 Xavier’s rally from a 22-point second-half deficit at home.
VIRGINIA 80, DAVIDSON 60: Nigel Johnson scored 22 points and Devon Hall had a career-high 20, helping No. 16 Virginia (9-1) to the victory at home.
PURDUE 82, BUTLER 67: Carsen Edwards scored 18 points, Vincent Edwards and Isaac Haas had 15 apiece, and No. 17 Purdue got its second win in the seven-year history of the Crossroads Classic at Butler.
INDIANA 80, NO. 18 NOTRE DAME 77, OT: Juwan Morgan scored 19 of his career-high 34 points in the last 8½ minutes, helping Indiana (6-5) erase an eight-point deficit and beat No. 18 Notre Dame (8-3) at the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis. —AP