A long-awaited 𒁏resurgence could be coming to 🎐Rutgers — as unthinkable disaster seems to be approaching for Seton Hall.
Playing in fron🍸t of the largest Rutgers Athletic Center crowd (8,329) in nearly 18 years, the Scarlet Knights scored the first 14 points of Saturday’s Garden State Hardwood Classic and claimed one of the best wins of the Steve Pikiell era with a 68-48 knockout of the 22nd-ranked Pirates — whose star senior, Myles Powell, suffered a concussion, keeping him out of the second half.
After losing five of its previous six meetings with Seton Hall, Rutgerꦍs (8-3) followed its Wednesday win over Wisconsin by improving to 8-0 at the RAC this season. Under their fourth-year coach, the Scarlet Knights, who are without an NCAA Tournament berth since 1991, are producing optimism unfamiliar to a generౠation.
“If they can continue to do that, it can be a really fun ꩲjourney,” Pikiell said.
The most hyped Seton Hall team in a quarter-cen🌞tury, meanwhile, no longer looks like a lock to re✱ach a fifth straight NCAA Tournament. The Pirates (6-4) — who host No. 4 Maryland on Thursday — have lost more than just two straight games. They also have lost second-leading scorer Sandro Mamukelashvili to a fractured wrist. And now, they’ve lost Powell, the sixth-leading scorer in the country, to what coach Kevin Willard described as a “pretty bad concussion.”
Less than three minutes into the game, Powell hit the back of his head on the court while 𒊎taking a charge. Later, he collid🧔ed with teammate Tyrese Samuel.
After having played 15 minutes, Powell posed a startling que🧔stion to his coach.
“He asked me during the game, ‘Why are we practicing at Rutgers?’ ” Willard relayed. “We sat down in the timeou💎t and his eyes kind of just rolled in the back of his head. It kind of just hit him like a wave.
“L༒uckily, he’s starting to come through a little bit now.”
The rout began as soon as Rutgers touched the ball. The initial possession ended with the Scarlet Knights’ Ron Harper Jr. (18 points) finishing an alley-oop from Myles Johnson (eight points, 13 rebounds). Less than two minutes🅰 later, Geo Baker hit Harper with a pass from midcourt 𓄧for another alley-oop.
Returning Rutgers football savior Greg Schia꧒no stood courtside, smiling, as the Scarlet Knights took that two-touchdown lead.
“That༒’s the loudest I🍬’ve ever really heard the building,” Baker said. “That’s the type of stuff that we’ve all dreamed about growing up.”
The Scarlet Knights student section was alw📖ays standing. The simplest plays sparked thunderous ovations. Silence wasn’t available on Saturday’s menu.
“I didn’t do a very good job of getting us ready for this atmosphere,” Willard said. “We talked about it a little bit, [but] I didn’t want them thinking about itꦺ. I didn’t do a good job getting them to understand what this game and what this atmosphere is like.”
Seton Hall’s first points didn’t come until six minutes into play, and the Pirate꧂s opened 1-of-17 from the field. Rutgers was aggressive and balanced on each end, leading to a mind-boggling 26-5 lead. The Pirates cut the deficit to 36-23 at halftime, but any hope of a comeback disappeared with Powell.
The ܫdeficit never touched single-digits again. Pikiell emptied the end of the Rutgers bench. Fans spilled oꦉnto the floor. Cheerleaders celebrated on shoulders.
It was Rutgers’ largest m𒁃argin of victory ever over a ranked team.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” Baker said. “We’re gonna enjoy the win, but there’s a bꦅigger goal in mind.”