Rutgers Scarlet Knights Secure First Road Victory
In a decisive matchup on Wednesday, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights achieved their first road victory of the season, overpowering the Penn State Nittany Lions with a final score of 85-72. Tariq Francis led the charge with an impressive performance, putting up 22 points and dishing out seven assists.
Game Highlights
The Scarlet Knights dominated from the outset, establishing a substantial lead of 39-20 by halftime—their highest halftime margin on the road in Big Ten play since head coach Steve Pikiell took the helm in 2016.
Rutgers capitalized on an uncharacteristic start for the Nittany Lions, who didn’t record their first basket until nearly seven minutes into the game and ended the first half with ten turnovers, allowing Rutgers to convert those into 19 points. This resulted in Penn State’s lowest first-half output of the season.
Second Half Action
As the second half unfolded, Rutgers expanded their lead to a formidable 20 points. However, Penn State showed resilience, mounting a comeback and narrowing the gap to 67-56 following a 12-4 run. Josh Reed‘s three-pointer with just under three minutes left brought the Nittany Lions even closer, but Francis quickly answered back with a long-range three-pointer followed by a jump shot, re-establishing a comfortable lead for Rutgers.
Key Contributions
Additional contributions to Rutgers’ success came from Dylan Grant, who scored 15 points on an efficient 6 of 8 shooting, and Harun Zrno, who added 13 points, including three three-pointers. Lino Mark provided valuable support off the bench with 12 points while the team shot an impressive 57% overall and excelled at the free-throw line, converting 20 of 23 attempts.
For Penn State, Reed also finished strong, matching Francis’s 22 points, while Kayden Mingo added 16 points and six assists to the effort. Despite shooting 55% from the field, the Nittany Lions struggled significantly from the three-point line, managing only 3 out of 17 attempts (18%).
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Rutgers will take on Minnesota this Saturday, whereas Penn State is set to face No. 9 Nebraska on the same day. This victory is a significant morale booster for the Scarlet Knights as they navigate through the challenging Big Ten season.
