Smoking Scoreboard Delays Northwestern-Rutgers Men’s Basketball Game

The Wildcats and Scarlet Knights gave new meaning to ‘combustible atmosphere.’

The Big Ten, as a men’s basketball league, produces a healthy combination of barn burners and tire fires every year.

This, however, may be the century-old league’s most literal fire yet.

Sunday evening’s game between Northwestern and Rutgers at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J. was held up for seven minutes when the Scarlet Knights’ scoreboard began smoking.

With 3:57 left in the first half and the Wildcats nursing a 19–14 lead, officials gathered on the court and temporarily halted the contest, with the announcers noting that Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs and the local fire marshal had both gotten involved.

Shooting so hot the scoreboard is on FIRE pic.twitter.com/Hc0cgJ6rqk

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) March 6, 2023

Luckily, no one appeared to be hurt.

The scoreboard, seemingly no worse for the wear, was turned off and the final four minutes of the first half played without it. Bidding for the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament next week in Chicago, Northwestern entered intermission with a slim 25–21 lead.