Rutgers beats Indiana to snap 5-game skid

BLOOMINGTON, IND. » Geo Baker scored 19 points with four 3-pointers and a key free throw with eight seconds left, Ron Harper Jr. added 15 points and Rutgers defeated Indiana 74-70 on Sunday.

The Hoosiers were coming off a huge upset of No. 4 Iowa on Thursday night and had never lost to Rutgers at home.

Myles Johnson forced Saturday’s outcome towards the Scarlet Knights (8-6, 4-6 Big Ten Conference), winning a tough rebound battle by knocking the ball off the glass to get a better angle on it, then passing it to the perimeter where Indiana, railing 7370, was forced to foul before time ran out.

Johnson scored eight points with eight rebounds, five blocked shots and three steals.

After Baker’s free throw, Indiana’s Aljami Durham missed a 3-pointer and Harper controlled the rebound, sealing Rutgers’ first win at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Rutgers, which joined the Big Ten in the 201415 season, has beaten Indiana in four of their last five meetings, but never in Bloomington.

Armaan Franklin’s pullup 3-pointer brought the Hoosiers, who had trailed by as many as 14 after halftime, to 62-59 with just under eight minutes to play. Franklin scored 12 of his 14 points after halftime.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, who had 23 points in Thursday’s upset at No. 4 Iowa, scored 13 points with seven rebounds for Indiana. Jackson-Davis was 4 of 10 shooting. Race Thompson scored 11.

Johnson had a hand in clutch plays down the stretch with a blocked shot, a drive for two points, two steals and two defensive rebounds in the last 9:05.

Rutgers plays host to Michigan State on Thursday. Indiana’s Jan. 30 game at No. 7 Michigan has been postponed by the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus in the Wolverine program. The Hoosiers next play Feb. 2 when Illinois comes to Bloomington.