Gillis scores 20 as Purdue beats Rutgers in Big Ten tourney

Associated PressMar 11, 2023, 12:15 AM EST

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO – Zach Edey was surrounded inside, and freshmen Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer were in the middle of a rough day.

That’s when Mason Gillis and David Jenkins Jr. stepped up for No. 5 Purdue.

Gillis had 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting, and the Boilermakers held off Rutgers for a rugged 70-65 victory in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday.

With Edey drawing his usual attention, top-seeded Purdue (27-5) got a big lift from Gillis and Jenkins. Gillis grabbed nine rebounds, and Jenkins had a season-high 12 points.

“These guys right here stepped up and made big shots,” coach Matt Painter said of Gillis and Jenkins. “David made three 3s. Mason had a huge game. That’s what you’ve got to be able to do.”

Jenkins, a senior who played for South Dakota State, UNLV and Utah before transferring to Purdue, made each of his four shots in 20 minutes. He scored a total of 15 points over his previous six games.

“I just try to do what I can,” Jenkins said. “When my number is called, I’m going to stay ready.”

The 7-foot-4 Edey finished with 16 points and 11 boards. The Big Ten Player of the Year averaged 21.9 points and 12.8 rebounds during the regular season.

Derek Simpson scored 18 points for Rutgers (19-14), which advanced with a 62-50 win against Michigan on Thursday. Cam Spencer had 13 points, and Clifford Omoruyi finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Next up for Purdue is 13th-seeded Ohio State, which beat Michigan State 68-58 in the second quarterfinal of the day. The Boilermakers are looking for the school’s second Big Ten Tournament title and a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tourney.

“We have put together a team that has elite size, but then we have a lot of skill around it,” Painter said. “That’s something for me that we’ve just got to stay with, but then we’ve got to be grimy and tough on the defensive end.”

The loss puts the Scarlet Knights on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, but they think they’ve done enough to get in for the third straight season for the first time in the history of the program.

“We don’t take the backseat to nobody,” guard Caleb McConnell said. “I feel like March Madness deserves to see us play in it, and I feel like that’s what they’ll get.”

Rutgers had won five of its last six meetings with Purdue, including a 65-64 victory on Jan. 2. But the Scarlet Knights struggled to score down the stretch, shooting 40% (14 for 35) from the field in the second half.

After Simpson’s 3-pointer trimmed Purdue’s lead to 50-49 with 8:29 left, Ethan Morton responded with two foul shots for the Boilermakers. Edey then dunked off a pass from Morton and Braden Smith made a jumper to make it 56-49 with 5:40 to go.

Edey added two more free throws and a jumper that lifted Purdue to a 60-52 lead with 3:21 to go.

“We knew it was going to be a grind-it-out, physical game and it was,” Edey said.

The Boilermakers went 19 for 27 at the line, compared to 9 for 13 for the Scarlet Knights. McConnell fouled out, and Rutgers was whistled for 26 personal fouls.

“We were in foul trouble the whole night,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. “Two really physical teams, really physical teams. I guess we got caught more than they did.”

Bothered by Rutgers’ swarming defense, Purdue got off to a shaky start. The Boilermakers trailed by as many as 12 in the first half before rallying behind Edey and Gillis.

Edey converted two three-point plays – including a vicious jam inside – and Gillis made a 3-pointer in the final seconds, lifting Purdue to a 29-28 halftime lead. Gillis had 10 points at the break on 4-for-4 shooting.

BIG PICTURE

Rutgers fought hard all the way to the very end, but couldn’t catch the experienced Boilermakers. It was outrebounded by a 35-28 margin.

Purdue split its last eight games of the regular season. It’s looking to become the first No. 1 seed to win the Big Ten tourney since 2019.

UP NEXT

Pikiell also argued Rutgers’ case for a spot in the NCAA tourney.

“We want a chance to compete for the national championship,” he said. “This group has been great, and we can do some really fun things. I wouldn’t want to play us, that’s for sure.”

Purdue swept each of its two games against Ohio State this season, winning 71-69 on Jan. 5 and 82-55 on Feb. 19.

Rutgers pulls away in 2nd half vs. frigid-shooting Michigan

Associated PressMar 10, 2023, 12:37 AM EST

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO – Cam Spencer and Derek Simpson scored 23 of their combined 31 points in the second half and Rutgers beat Michigan 62-50 on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Spencer scored 18 points and Simpson 13 for the ninth-seeded Scarlet Knights (19-13), who rebounded to shoot 52% in the second half after a 29% first half. They will play top-seed Purdue in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Hunter Dickinson scored 24 points for eighth-seeded Michigan (17-15), which had just one second-half field goal until the final minute.

Trailing by three at halftime, Rutgers opened the second half on a 12-3 run and midway through scored 12 straight points to lead by 13 with just under six minutes remaining. The lead grew to 16 with two minutes to go.

The Wolverines, who shot 48% in the first half, had only four field goals in the second. The first two were 3-pointers by Dickinson – the second with 59 seconds left – that came 14 minutes apart. Michigan finished the second half 4 of 21 for 19%.

Dickinson scored 13 points in the first half when Michigan took a 28-25 lead. The Wolverines scored the first seven points while the Scarlet Knights were missing their first seven shots. Rutgers rallied to take a lead late in the half with an 8-0 run. Dickinson had a bucket and Joey Baker a 3-pointer to regain the lead.

Michigan beat Rutgers 58-45 in the regular season and leads the all-time series 16-2.

Zach Edey is AP Big Ten Player of the Year; Painter, Collins honored

Associated PressMar 7, 2023, 5:33 PM EST

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue’s Zach Edey is The Associated Press player of the year in the Big Ten Conference and the Boilermakers’ Matt Painter and Northwestern’s Chris Collins split coach of the year honors.

Edey received all but one vote for player of the year in balloting by 14 journalists who cover the conference. Maryland’s Jahmir Young beat out Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino for newcomer of the year.

Edey and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis were unanimous selections to the AP All-Big Ten first team.

The 7-foot-4, 305-pound Edey led the Boilermakers to their first outright Big Ten regular-season championship since 2017. He goes into the conference tournament averaging 21.9 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game and is on track to become the first player since Navy’s David Robinson in 1985-86 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season.

Edey’s nine games of 25 points and 10 rebounds are the most for a major-college player since 2006-07, and he’s on pace to become the first Big Ten player in over 50 years to average 22 points and 13 rebounds per game in a season.

Jackson-Davis averages 20.5 points 11 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game and joins Edey as the only high-major players to average at least 20, 11 and 2. Jackson-Davis is on the first team for the second time in three years. He was on the second team last season.

Joining Edey and Jackson-Davis on the first team are Northwestern’s Boo Buie, Penn State’s Jalen Pickett and Iowa’s Kris Murray.

Young, in his first season at Maryland after playing his first three at Charlotte, leads the Terrapins with 16.3 points per game. He has nine games with at least 20 points, including 30 in a win over Ohio State, and his 37 steals lead the team.

Painter has won at least 25 games in 11 of his 18 seasons at Purdue, which is in contention for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers were the favorites in the preseason media poll, and they spent all but three days of the conference season tied or in sole possession of first place.

Collins shares coach of the year after leading Northwestern to a tie for second place after being picked 13th. With Buie running the point, the Wildcats (21-10, 12-8) have their first overall and conference winning records since Collins’ 2016-17 team won a game in the NCAA Tournament.

FIRST TEAM

Guard – Boo Buie, Northwestern, Sr., 6-2, 180, Albany, New York.

Guard – Jalen Pickett, Penn State, Sr., 6-4, 209, Rochester, New York.

u-Forward – Trayce Jackson-Davis, Sr., 6-9, 245, Greenwood, Indiana.

Forward – Kris Murray, Iowa, Jr., 6-8, 220, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

u-Center – Zach Edey, Purdue, Jr., 7-4, 305, Toronto.

-“u” denotes unanimous selection.

—

SECOND TEAM

Guard – Jahmir Young, Maryland, Gr., 6-1, 185, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Guard – Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana, Fr., 6-6, 213, Pittsburgh.

Guard – Terrence Shannon, Illinois, Sr., 6-6, 225, Chicago.

Center – Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers, Jr., 6-11, 240, Benin City, Nigeria.

Center – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan, Jr., 7-1, 260, Alexandria, Virginia.

—

Coach of the year (tie) – Matt Painter, Purdue, and Chris Collins, Northwestern.

Player of the year – Zach Edey, Purdue.

Newcomer of the year – Jahmir Young, Maryland.

—

AP All-Big Ten Voting Panel: Nick Bahe, Fox Sports; Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News, Fox Sports; Dave Eanet, WGN Radio, Chicago; Brian Fonseca, New Jersey Advance Media; Marcus Fuller, Minneapolis Star Tribune; Adam Jardy, Columbus Dispatch; Stephen Jones, Penn State Sports Network; Andrew Kahn, MLive.com (Ann Arbor, Mich.); Ryan McFadden, Baltimore Sun; Zach Osterman, Indianapolis Star; Jim Polzin, Madison.com (Madison, Wis.); Scott Richey, Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette; Dylan Sinn, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette; Kennington Lloyd Smith III, Des Moines (Iowa) Register.

Michigan trails early, pulls away from Rutgers for 58-45 win

Associated PressFeb 24, 2023, 12:09 AM EST

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Dug McDaniel scored 16 points and had five steals as Michigan rallied from an early 10-point deficit to earn a 58-45 win over Rutgers on Thursday night.

The win lifts the Wolverines into a three-way tie with Maryland and No. 17 Indiana for third place in the Big Ten Conference with three games left in the regular season. The top four finishers earn a bye into the conference quarterfinals.

Michigan was without Jett Howard, who averages just under 15 points per game, and the Wolverines managed just a McDaniel 3-pointer over the first six minutes while the Scarlet Knights opened a 13-3 lead. Hunter Dickinson hit a jumper and dunked, and Kobe Bufkin knocked down a 3 and scored at the basket to get Michigan within one, 13-12 with 9:13 left. Dickinson hit a jumper to put the Wolverines in front, and Joey Baker hit a 3 with 2:12 left for a 25-21 lead and they held a 26-23 advantage at intermission.

Rutgers got within a possession several times in the second half, but Michigan closed the game on a 10-3 run.

Bufkin finished with 14 points with three steals and three assists for Michigan (16-12, 10-7). Dickinson posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Cam Spencer paced Rutgers (17-11, 9-8) with 11 points and seven rebounds. Clifford Omoruyi had 10 points and 10 boards.

Michigan plays host to Wisconsin on Sunday. Rutgers plays at Penn State Sunday.

Jackson-Davis leads No. 18 Indiana past No. 24 Rutgers 66-60

Associated PressFeb 7, 2023, 11:28 PM EST

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The milestone moments keep piling up for Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Only one really mattered Tuesday night.

While he scored 20 points to become the sixth player in Hoosiers’ history with 2,000 and the first among that group with 1,000 career rebounds, the most satisfying celebration came after No. 18 Indiana beat No. 24 Rutgers 66-60 – Jackson-Davis’ first win in the series.

“I think that’s the last team in the Big Ten I hadn’t beaten,” Jackson-Davis said after finishing with 18 rebounds and six assists.

From the moment Jackson-Davis announced he would attend Indiana, the expectations were great even as critics contended the results were underwhelming.

Nobody’s complaining now. Jackson-Davis now has 2,004 points, 1,035 rebounds, a school-record 242 blocks and ranks fourth all-time with 44 double-doubles after breaking a tie with Steve Downing.

After helping the Hoosiers snap a five-year NCAA Tournament drought last season and falling out of the rankings after three straight January losses, Jackson-Davis has almost single-handedly led the Hoosiers (17-7, 8-5 Big Ten) into a second-place tie by winning seven of eight.

And his dominance is starting to open things up for his teammate. Or perhaps it’s the other way around.

“I think we’ve gotten a lot better playing around Trayce, giving him space,” Miller Kopp said after scoring 18 points. “It comes down to getting better at what the coaches are asking us to do and we’re all feeling more comfortable with where our looks are coming from.”

It certainly showed against the Scarlet Knights (16-8, 8-5), who had won six straight over Indiana including a 15-point blowout in December.

This time, though, they spent most of the game playing catchup. Clifford Omoruyi had 15 points, Cam Spencer had 14 and nobody else made more than three baskets.

“It’s a one-possession game with three minutes left, but I look at the (free throw) disparity and you can’t defend the foul line,” coach Steve Pikiell said. “Give Indiana credit, they got there. Tracye Jackson-Davis was a problem.”

The Hoosiers started fast and then scored 12 straight points to take a 30-14 lead midway through the first half but even without injured starting forward Mawot Mag, Rutgers charged back. It closed the first half on an 11-2 run, then tied it at 38 when Spencer opened the second half with a 3-pointer.

Kopp broke the tie with his third 3 of the game to start an 11-0 run and Jackson-Davis’ monumental basket, a putback dunk off his own miss, made it 54-44 with 11:13 to go.

The Scarlet Knights could have tied it on Caleb McConnell’s 3 with 3:02 left, but it bounced off the back of the rim and the Hoosiers closed Jackson-Davis’ big win with a 7-2 spurt.

“He’s a man who’s done a lot since he’s been here,” said coach Mike Woodson, who is 57 points ahead of Jackson-Davis on the Hoosiers’ scoring list. “He’s a phenomenal player who does a lot of beautiful things on the court. To get 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds says a lot.”

BIG PICTURE

Rutgers: Mag missed his first game with a torn ACL in his right knee and Rutgers struggled against Indiana’s size and speed. There could be similar challenges over the final eight regular-season games.

Indiana: Woodson’s team is playing, at times, like the conference’s preseason pick to win the league title. When the Hoosiers make perimeter shots and defend well, they’re a difficult matchup for anyone. They just need fewer lulls.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The victory should help solidify Indiana’s top-20 status – at least until it hits the road for their next two games. Losing Mag and Tuesday’s game may make Rutgers’ return to the rankings short-lived regardless of what happens later this week.

UP NEXT

Rutgers: Visits Illinois on Saturday

Indiana: Heads to Michigan on Saturday.

Rutgers beats No. 10 Indiana for sixth straight time, 63-48

Associated PressDec 4, 2022, 12:30 AM EST

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – With the clock winding down in the final minutes, Rutgers fans didn’t hesitate in letting No. 10 Indiana how they felt about the Hoosiers’ rating.

Chants of “Who’s Your Daddy” and “Overrated” were shouted with glee at the Indiana bench after the team was knocked from the unbeaten ranks.

Make no mistake, Rutgers (6-2, 1-0 Big Ten) owns Indiana (7-1, 0-1) on the basketball floor these days.

Freshman guard Derek Simpson scored 10 straight points in a game-deciding run and Rutgers beat Indiana for the sixth time in a row and ninth time in 10 meetings, 63-48 on Saturday.

“As far as Indiana goes, I feel we just know the focus of this team,” said Rutgers senior Caleb McConnell, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds. “It gives us an advantage because we had beaten them five times in a row. We went in trying to execute our game plan and we did it again.”

Simpson scored all 14 of his points in the second half as Rutgers made coach Mike Woodson’s first visit to “The Banks” unpleasant.

“We got to make shots from the perimeter,” said Woodson, whose team shot 30.4% from the field, including 6 of 21 from long range. “But we just got out-toughed tonight. I thought, I mean, from the beginning to the end, I mean, we couldn’t rebound the basketball with him. I thought that was the difference in the ballgame and that was the cushion that they needed.”

Miller Kopp scored a season-high 21 points for Indiana . Star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who faced a packed in defense, was held to 13 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late.

Jackson-Davis said Indiana just didn’t play well.

“I don’t necessarily say that it’s a bad matchup for us because I think defensively we’re still good,” he said. “But at the same time, our offense just wasn’t clicking tonight.”

The win was coach Steve Pikiell’s 14th over a ranked team since taking over a struggling Rutgers’ program in 2016-17. As usual, defense was at the center of its win.

The Hoosiers’ point total was a season low. They were averaging 87.1 points and were coming off a win over North Carolina.

Indiana played poorly in the first half in falling behind 31-24. The Hoosiers opened the final 20 minutes with a 13-4 spurt, taking two-point leads on baskets by Xavier Johnson and Kopp.

McConnell hit a 3-pointer to put Rutgers ahead for good and then Simpson took over, hitting a layup, a jumper, a 3-pointer and a big scoop shot for a 47-37 lead. His final point in the run came when Johnson hit him in the face in the offensive zone and a flagrant foul was eventually called. He made 1 of 2 free throws.

“I still have have much more to do and I am going to keep working and we’re going to keep working as a team,” Simpson said. “It was a fun game, and it really got loud. My ears are still ringing right now.”

MULCAHY RETURNS

Rutgers senior starting guard Paul Mulcahy returned to the lineup after missing four games with a shoulder injury. He came off the bench early in the first half and played almost 24 minutes, scoring six points and handing out four assists.

MISSING

Indiana starting guard Jalen Hood-Schifino did not play because of a back problem. He was averaging 8.7 points. Starting forward Race Thompson, who was averaging 7.3 points, was scoreless on 0 for 4 shooting.

BIG PICTURE

Indiana: This was poor performance by the Hoosiers. They are bound to take a tumble.

Rutgers: This was a big win for Rutgers, which was coming off a road loss at Miami. They are 6-0 at home.

UP NEXT

Indiana: Conference home opener against Nebraska on Wednesday.

Rutgers: At No. 25 Ohio State on Thursday.