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WISC

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Rutgers tops No. 14 Wisconsin, 3rd win in row over T25 team

AP
Feb 12, 2022

MADISON, Wis. (AP) Rutgers understands it must prove it can beat quality teams on the road to get back into consideration for the NCAA Tournament.

The Scarlet Knights took a giant step in that direction Saturday by winning at Wisconsin for the first time and posting their third straight victory over a ranked opponent. Ron Harper Jr. scored 21 points and Rutgers went on a late 11-0 run in a 73-65 victory over the 14th-ranked Badgers.

''It was huge,'' Harper said. ''I told the guys it's the same 40 minutes of basketball we're playing if we were playing in New Jersey. The game is dependent on us. It's not dependent on the crowd. We love our home-court advantage, but we're the dudes with the jerseys on. We've got to make plays.''

The Scarlet Knights (15-9, 9-5 Big Ten) knocked off then-No. 13 Michigan State 84-63 a week ago Saturday and No. 16 Ohio State 66-64 on Wednesday.

This marks the first time in program history they've beaten a Top 25 team in three consecutive games. Of course, part of that is due to a quirk in the schedule enabling Rutgers to face a ranked team in three straight games. The last time Rutgers won three straight matchups with Top 25 foes was back in the 2001-02 season.

''I think it shows growth, toughness, togetherness - stuff we've been working on,'' said Paul Mulcahy, who scored 18 points and made a 3-pointer that put Rutgers ahead for good. ''Guys are playing for each other and playing hard 40 minutes. I'm proud of everybody.''

Wisconsin (19-5, 10-4) dropped a half-game behind No. 13 Illinois (17-6, 10-3) in the Big Ten standings. Illinois hosts Northwestern on Sunday.

Rutgers has a 4-1 record against Top 25 teams this season and owns four wins over ranked Big Ten teams for the first time ever. Rutgers also beat a top-ranked Purdue team on Dec. 9.

Even so, the Scarlet Knights began the day just 94th in the NET rankings, giving their postseason hopes little margin for error. Rutgers owns a 3-7 road record and dug itself a deep early hole with a three-game November skid that included losses to DePaul, Lafayette and UMass.

''I tell these guys every time we go out on the court, we're going to fight for our lives,'' Harper said.

Rutgers has tried to make up for that early slump by stepping up in Big Ten competition. Saturday's game could answer some questions about their road issues.

This marked the highest-ranked team Rutgers has beaten on the road since winning at No. 13 Pittsburgh on Jan. 26, 2008.

In a second half that featured 10 lead changes, Mulcahy's go-ahead 3-pointer started the 11-0 spurt that helped Rutgers take control. Geo Baker found Mulcahy for the go-ahead basket after stealing the ball from a driving Johnny Davis on the other end of the floor.

''We had some costly mistakes in the second half toward the end of the game,'' Davis said. ''I felt like that's what really lost us the game.''

Davis scored 11 points - nearly 10 below his season average - while getting hounded by Rutgers' Caleb McConnell, who matched a career high with six steals. Tyler Wahl led Wisconsin with a career-high 23 points and Steven Crowl added 12.

Baker scored 16 and Clifford Omoryui had 10 for Rutgers, which shot 51% from the floor and went 7 of 12 on 3-point attempts. Rutgers built a nine-point lead in the first half before Wisconsin responded.

''The start of the game specifically defensively we gave them way too much confidence,'' Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. ''Any mistake we made, they made us pay for. That's what good teams do.''

BIG PICTURE

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights once again showed they can deliver in crunch time. They beat Ohio State by scoring the final 10 points of the game. Their 11-0 spurt proved decisive Saturday.

Wisconsin: The Badgers hurt their cause with some uncharacteristically sloppy play. Wisconsin entered the day making 74.9% of its free-throw attempts but was just 9 of 17 on Saturday. Wisconsin was committing just 8.3 turnovers per game - the lowest average of any Division I team - but had eight in the second half alone Saturday. The Badgers also were 4 of 19 from 3-point range, with Brad Davison going 1 of 9. Davison, the Badgers' second-leading scorer, is 4 of 28 on 3-point attempts over his last four games.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

A road win at No. 17 Michigan State and a home loss to Rutgers could cancel themselves out, causing Wisconsin to pretty much stay put in the next Top 25.

UP NEXT

Rutgers: Hosts Illinois on Wednesday.

Wisconsin: At Indiana on Tuesday.

---

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
38
WISC
Badgers
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Clifford Omoruyi vs. Steven Crowl (Scarlet Knights gains possession)
19:43	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point hook shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)	2-0
19:12		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
19:10		Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
18:57	+3	Geo Baker makes three point jump shot (Ron Harper Jr. assists)	5-0
18:41		Ron Harper Jr. personal foul (Steven Crowl draws the foul)
18:38	+2	Brad Davison makes two point jump shot (Chucky Hepburn assists)	5-2
18:10		Caleb McConnell misses two point jump shot
18:08		Ron Harper Jr. offensive rebound
18:00		Johnny Davis shooting foul (Geo Baker draws the foul)
18:00	+1	Geo Baker makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-3
18:00	+1	Geo Baker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-3
17:43		Chucky Hepburn misses two point jump shot
17:41		Ron Harper Jr. defensive rebound
17:33	+3	Ron Harper Jr. makes three point jump shot	10-3
17:15	+2	Steven Crowl makes two point layup (Chucky Hepburn assists)	10-5
17:15		Ron Harper Jr. shooting foul (Steven Crowl draws the foul)
17:15		Steven Crowl misses regular free throw 1 of 1
17:15		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
16:49		Geo Baker misses three point jump shot
16:47		Brad Davison defensive rebound
16:27		Tyler Wahl misses two point layup
16:25		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
15:55	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point jump shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)	12-5
15:38	+3	Tyler Wahl makes three point jump shot (Steven Crowl assists)	12-8
15:10		Caleb McConnell misses two point jump shot
15:08		Mawot Mag offensive rebound
15:02	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Geo Baker assists)	14-8
14:45	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point layup (Steven Crowl assists)	14-10
14:33		Steven Crowl personal foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
14:33		TV timeout
14:29		Dean Reiber turnover (lost ball) (Chris Vogt steals)
14:17		Brad Davison misses two point jump shot
14:15		Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
14:03		Caleb McConnell misses two point jump shot
14:01		Chris Vogt defensive rebound
13:52	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point layup (Brad Davison assists)	14-12
13:28	+3	Paul Mulcahy makes three point jump shot (Geo Baker assists)	17-12
13:03		Brad Davison turnover (bad pass) (Dean Reiber steals)
12:48		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
12:46		Jahcobi Neath defensive rebound
12:11		Dean Reiber shooting foul (Lorne Bowman II draws the foul)
12:11		Lorne Bowman II misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:11	+1	Lorne Bowman II makes regular free throw 2 of 2	17-13
11:47		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point jump shot
11:45		Ben Carlson defensive rebound
11:31		TV timeout
11:24	+3	Chucky Hepburn makes three point jump shot (Ben Carlson assists)	17-16
11:02		Jahcobi Neath personal foul (Caleb McConnell draws the foul)
10:56	+3	Geo Baker makes three point jump shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)	20-16
10:38		Oskar Palmquist personal foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
10:31		Johnny Davis misses three point jump shot
10:29		Chris Vogt offensive rebound
10:24		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
10:22		Oskar Palmquist defensive rebound
10:09	+3	Ron Harper Jr. makes three point jump shot (Paul Mulcahy assists)	23-16
9:43	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point layup	23-18
9:27	+2	Geo Baker makes two point jump shot	25-18
9:13		Geo Baker shooting foul (Johnny Davis draws the foul)
9:13		Johnny Davis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:13		Johnny Davis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:13		Aundre Hyatt defensive rebound
8:56		Geo Baker turnover (lost ball) (Chucky Hepburn steals)
8:41		Aundre Hyatt personal foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
8:37		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
8:35		Badgers offensive rebound
8:30		Aundre Hyatt personal foul (Johnny Davis draws the foul)
8:30		Johnny Davis misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:30		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
8:20		Paul Mulcahy misses two point hook shot
8:18		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
8:04	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point layup (Steven Crowl assists)	25-20
7:31		Ron Harper Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:29		Aundre Hyatt offensive rebound
7:23	+2	Geo Baker makes two point layup	27-20
7:21		Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout
7:21		TV timeout
7:10		Aundre Hyatt personal foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
7:10	+1	Tyler Wahl makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-20
7:10		Tyler Wahl misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:10		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
6:42	+2	Ron Harper Jr. makes two point jump shot	29-20
6:20		Geo Baker personal foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
6:20	+1	Tyler Wahl makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-21
6:20	+1	Tyler Wahl makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-22
6:02		Steven Crowl personal foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
5:52	+2	Geo Baker makes two point jump shot	31-22
5:36	+2	Chucky Hepburn makes two point layup	31-24
5:29		Geo Baker misses two point jump shot
5:27		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
5:16	+2	Chris Vogt makes two point dunk (Johnny Davis assists)	31-26
4:58		Chris Vogt personal foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
4:53		Ron Harper Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:51		Lorne Bowman II defensive rebound
4:39		Clifford Omoruyi blocks Lorne Bowman II's two point jump shot
4:37		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
4:32		Paul Mulcahy turnover (lost ball) (Brad Davison steals)
4:22		Chris Vogt misses two point layup
4:20		Johnny Davis offensive rebound
4:11		Johnny Davis misses two point layup
4:09		Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
4:07		Jump ball. Paul Mulcahy vs. Chris Vogt (Badgers gains possession)
4:07		Paul Mulcahy turnover (lost ball) (Chris Vogt steals)
4:04	+2	Johnny Davis makes two point layup	31-28
4:04		Mawot Mag shooting foul (Johnny Davis draws the foul)
4:04	+1	Johnny Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 1	31-29
3:47	+2	Ron Harper Jr. makes two point jump shot	33-29
3:47		Chris Vogt shooting foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
3:47		TV timeout
3:47	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	34-29
3:38		Tyler Wahl turnover (lost ball) (Caleb McConnell steals)
3:32		Ron Harper Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:30		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
3:15	+2	Johnny Davis makes two point jump shot	34-31
2:55		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point jump shot
2:53		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
2:32	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point layup (Brad Davison assists)	34-33
2:13		Paul Mulcahy offensive foul (Brad Davison draws the foul)
2:13		Paul Mulcahy turnover
2:01		Clifford Omoruyi personal foul (Brad Davison draws the foul)
2:01	+1	Brad Davison makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-34
2:01	+1	Brad Davison makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-35
1:35		Caleb McConnell misses two point jump shot
1:33		Brad Davison defensive rebound
1:12		Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Chris Vogt draws the foul)
1:12		Chris Vogt misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:12		Chris Vogt misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:12		Ron Harper Jr. defensive rebound
1:00		Johnny Davis shooting foul (Geo Baker draws the foul)
1:00	+1	Geo Baker makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-35
1:00	+1	Geo Baker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-35
0:44		Tyler Wahl misses two point hook shot
0:42		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
0:21		Brad Davison personal foul (Paul Mulcahy draws the foul)
0:21	+1	Paul Mulcahy makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-35
0:21	+1	Paul Mulcahy makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-35
0:01		Jahcobi Neath turnover (bad pass) (Caleb McConnell steals)
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
35
WISC
Badgers
30

Time		Play	Score
19:48	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point turnaround hook shot	40-35
19:23		Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot
19:21		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
19:14	+3	Brad Davison makes three point jump shot (Tyler Wahl assists)	40-38
19:03		Paul Mulcahy misses two point turnaround hook shot
19:01		Steven Crowl defensive rebound
18:53	+2	Steven Crowl makes two point layup (Tyler Wahl assists)	40-40
18:32	+3	Ron Harper Jr. makes three point jump shot (Caleb McConnell assists)	43-40
18:01		Clifford Omoruyi blocks Tyler Wahl's two point layup
17:59		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
17:45		Caleb McConnell turnover (lost ball) (Tyler Wahl steals)
17:33		Johnny Davis misses three point jump shot
17:31		Caleb McConnell defensive rebound
17:25		Caleb McConnell offensive foul (Brad Davison draws the foul)
17:25		Caleb McConnell turnover
17:03	+3	Steven Crowl makes three point jump shot (Brad Davison assists)	43-43
16:44	+2	Ron Harper Jr. makes two point layup	45-43
16:42		Scarlet Knights 30 second timeout
16:42		TV timeout
16:20	+2	Chucky Hepburn makes two point layup	45-45
16:01		Ron Harper Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:59		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
15:48		Johnny Davis turnover (lost ball) (Caleb McConnell steals)
15:41	+2	Caleb McConnell makes two point pullup jump shot	47-45
15:29	+2	Steven Crowl makes two point layup (Chucky Hepburn assists)	47-47
15:29		Caleb McConnell shooting foul (Steven Crowl draws the foul)
15:29		TV timeout
15:29	+1	Steven Crowl makes regular free throw 1 of 1	47-48
15:18		Johnny Davis personal foul (Paul Mulcahy draws the foul)
15:14		Ron Harper Jr. misses two point floating jump shot
15:12		Chris Vogt defensive rebound
15:00		Chucky Hepburn turnover (lost ball) (Geo Baker steals)
14:52		Geo Baker misses two point step back jump shot
14:50		Brad Davison defensive rebound
14:37	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point turnaround hook shot	47-50
14:22	+2	Paul Mulcahy makes two point turnaround jump shot	49-50
13:59		Chucky Hepburn misses two point jump shot
13:57		Chris Vogt offensive rebound
13:56		Jump ball. Chris Vogt vs. Clifford Omoruyi (Chris Vogt gains possession)
13:35		Tyler Wahl misses two point fadeaway jump shot
13:35		Scarlet Knights defensive rebound
13:18		Ron Harper Jr. misses two point pullup jump shot
13:16		Brad Davison defensive rebound
12:56		Lorne Bowman II misses three point jump shot
12:54		Caleb McConnell defensive rebound
12:48	+2	Paul Mulcahy makes two point layup (Ron Harper Jr. assists)	51-50
12:19		Lorne Bowman II turnover (lost ball) (Caleb McConnell steals)
12:13		Jahcobi Neath technical foul
12:03		Geo Baker misses two point floating jump shot
12:01		Dean Reiber offensive rebound
11:58	+2	Dean Reiber makes two point putback layup	53-50
11:44		Mawot Mag personal foul (Johnny Davis draws the foul)
11:44		TV timeout
11:44		Caleb McConnell personal foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
11:29	+2	Johnny Davis makes two point floating jump shot	53-52
11:03		Geo Baker turnover (bad pass) (Tyler Wahl steals)
10:49	+2	Johnny Davis makes two point pullup jump shot	53-54
10:33		Jahcobi Neath shooting foul (Paul Mulcahy draws the foul)
10:33	+1	Paul Mulcahy makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-54
10:33	+1	Paul Mulcahy makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-54
9:19		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
10:06	+2	Johnny Davis makes two point turnaround jump shot	55-56
9:39	+2	Caleb McConnell makes two point turnaround jump shot	57-56
9:19		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
9:17		Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
9:07		Clifford Omoruyi turnover (traveling)
8:51		Chucky Hepburn turnover (bad pass) (Caleb McConnell steals)
8:31		Paul Mulcahy misses two point floating jump shot
8:29		Tyler Wahl defensive rebound
8:12		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
8:10		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
7:57		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
7:55		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
7:38		Caleb McConnell turnover (bad pass) (Chucky Hepburn steals)
7:31		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
7:29		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
7:17		Steven Crowl misses two point turnaround hook shot
7:15		Steven Crowl offensive rebound
7:11	+2	Steven Crowl makes two point putback layup	57-58
6:54		Geo Baker misses two point floating jump shot
6:52		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
6:27		Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot
6:25		Geo Baker defensive rebound
6:17		Geo Baker offensive foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
6:17		Geo Baker turnover
6:17		TV timeout
5:53		Johnny Davis misses three point jump shot
5:51		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
5:22	+2	Paul Mulcahy makes two point turnaround jump shot	59-58
4:50	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point turnaround hook shot	59-60
4:26		Ron Harper Jr. misses two point layup
4:24		Johnny Davis defensive rebound
4:11		Geo Baker personal foul (Johnny Davis draws the foul)
4:08		Johnny Davis turnover (bad pass) (Geo Baker steals)
4:01	+3	Paul Mulcahy makes three point jump shot (Geo Baker assists)	62-60
3:49		Ron Harper Jr. blocks Brad Davison's two point layup
3:47		Paul Mulcahy defensive rebound
3:42		Ron Harper Jr. turnover (out of bounds)
3:42		TV timeout
3:21		Tyler Wahl misses two point layup
3:19		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
2:40		Johnny Davis misses two point step back jump shot
3:01		Geo Baker misses two point layup
3:00		Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
3:00		Tyler Wahl shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
3:00	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-60
3:00	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-60
2:40		Johnny Davis misses two point step back jump shot
2:38		Ron Harper Jr. defensive rebound
2:38		Brad Davison personal foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
2:19		Geo Baker misses two point fadeaway jump shot
2:17		Tyler Wahl defensive rebound
1:58		Tyler Wahl turnover (lost ball) (Paul Mulcahy steals)
1:34	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Paul Mulcahy assists)	66-60
0:50		Tyler Wahl personal foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
1:11		Brad Davison misses three point jump shot
1:09		Ron Harper Jr. defensive rebound
1:06		Ron Harper Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Johnny Davis steals)
1:05		Johnny Davis turnover (lost ball)
0:53		Brad Davison personal foul (Paul Mulcahy draws the foul)
0:51		Chucky Hepburn personal foul (Geo Baker draws the foul)
0:50		Tyler Wahl personal foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
0:50	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	67-60
0:50	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	68-60
0:41		Johnny Davis turnover (lost ball) (Caleb McConnell steals)
0:33	+2	Paul Mulcahy makes two point dunk	70-60
0:30	+2	Tyler Wahl makes two point layup	70-62
0:30		Caleb McConnell shooting foul (Tyler Wahl draws the foul)
0:30	+1	Tyler Wahl makes regular free throw 1 of 1	70-63
0:11	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-63
0:25		Johnny Davis personal foul (Caleb McConnell draws the foul)
0:25		Caleb McConnell misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:25		Tyler Wahl defensive rebound
0:17		Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot
0:15		Ron Harper Jr. defensive rebound
0:15		Jump ball. Ron Harper Jr. vs. Tyler Wahl (Ron Harper Jr. gains possession)
0:11		Jahcobi Neath personal foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
0:11	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	71-63
0:11	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	72-63
0:07	+2	Brad Davison makes two point layup	72-65
0:04		Brad Davison personal foul (Ron Harper Jr. draws the foul)
0:04		Ron Harper Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:04	+1	Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	73-65
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Ron Harper Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2