One-Knight stand! RU tops No. 4 Badgers
The biggest upset in Rutgers’ history had coach Eddie Jordan in tears.
For a couple of seconds after a stunning 6762 win over No. 4 Wisconsin on Sunday in Piscataway, Jordan felt the emotions of all the losses over the past two seasons, hearing the many boos and naysayers.
Then, he felt a sense of joy and accomplishment.
One win fueled by big games from seniors Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack isn’t going to turn around the Scarlet Knights’ basketball program. It is a step forward for the state university of New Jersey, and it felt real good.
Even Gov. Chris Christie, who traveled to Wisconsin to see his beloved Cowboys face the Packers in the NFC semifinal, would have to admit he went to the wrong game Sunday.
“It’s a great win for the program,” said Jordan, a member of the Scarlet Knights Final Four team in 1976. “Our crowd was here to witness it. Hopefully it leaves a taste in their mouth and they want more.”
Mack had 19 of his 21 points in the second half and Jack added 20 points for the Scarlet Knights (107, 22 Big Ten), whose previous biggest upset was a win over No. 6 West Virginia in 1982.
“I have seen what he [Jordan] had been through,” Mack said of Jordan who took over the team after Mike Rice was fired in 2013 for verbally and physically abusing his players. “This win, he proved them wrong. They can see he actually can. I believe in coach.”
A couple of dozen fans ran on the court after the final buzzer but the crowd of 6,887 was remarkably well restrained after the contest ended, possibly wondering how a team that lost to St. Peter’s knocked off a team that went to the Final Four last year.
“We’re playing defense now,” Jack said.
NC State 87, Duke 75
In Raleigh, N.C., Trevor Lacey and North Carolina State picked apart No. 2 Duke and ended the Blue Devils’ unbeaten start.
Lacey scored 21 points and the Wolfpack shot 55 percent to beat Duke, knocking off one of the last three undefeated teams in the country.
The Wolfpack (125, 31 Atlantic Coast Conference) ran constant double teams at preseason AllAmerican Jahlil Okafor to slow Duke’s big man. N.C. State went 10for16 from 3point range to take control.
Syracuse 70, Florida St. 57
In Syracuse, Trevor Cooney scored a seasonhigh 28 points, Rakeem Christmas registered his fifth doubledouble of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Syracuse beat Florida State for its sixth straight win.
Quinnipiac 66, Marist 54
In Hamden, Conn., Ayron Hutton and Ousmane Drame each had 15 points as Quinnipiac topped Marist.
Fairfield 79, Siena 67
In Albany, Marcus Gilbert scored 23 points and Fairfield pulled away to end a fivegame losing streak.