Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s Basketball Closes Regular Season with Senior Day Victory

Rutgers Men’s Basketball cruises past Penn State to end regular season

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s Basketball guard Dylan Harper | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights wrapped up their 2026 regular season in memorable fashion on Sunday afternoon. They delivered a 74–62 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The victory was more than just another mark in the win column.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s Basketball Explodes Out of the Gate

Before the game tipped off, the program paused to recognize center Emmanuel Ogbole. He was there alongside five senior managers who have played important roles behind the scenes.

Senior Day Dub ✅💯#TheKnighthood🛡️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/i2VJ3MXIyW

— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) March 8, 2026

Jack Reicheg, Richard Wu, Andrew Taffe, Tim Ziemba, and Hailen Arp were honored in a heartfelt ceremony that set the tone for the afternoon. Once the formalities were complete, the Scarlet Knights turned their attention to the court and delivered a performance worthy of the occasion.

With the victory, Rutgers completed a season sweep of Penn State and closed the regular season with a 13–18 overall record and a 6–14 mark in Big Ten Conference play. Just as important, the Scarlet Knights carry momentum into the Big Ten Tournament after a strong home performance.

The opening minutes of the game began as a competitive exchange, with both teams trading early baskets. But it did not take long for Rutgers to seize control. The Scarlet Knights unleashed a devastating 12–0 scoring run that quickly swung the momentum and forced Penn State to play catch-up.

Rutgers followed with an even more impressive 16-point run that brought the crowd inside Jersey Mike’s Arena roaring to life. The highlight of that stretch came when sophomore forward Dylan Grant soared down the court for an electrifying fastbreak dunk that ignited the building.

By the end of the first half, Rutgers had delivered one of its most complete offensive performances of the season. The Scarlet Knights shot an impressive 56 percent from the field while spreading the scoring across the lineup. Five different players scored at least five points before halftime, creating a balanced offensive attack that Penn State struggled to contain.

When the teams headed to the locker room, Rutgers held a commanding 43–21 lead. It was the highest-scoring first half of the season for the Scarlet Knights. The Scarlet Knights applied relentless pressure throughout the first half, forcing seven Penn State turnovers and turning those mistakes into 13 points in transition.

The Nittany Lions shot just 33 percent from the field in the first half, repeatedly running into a wall of Rutgers defenders. Freddie Dilione IV led Penn State with eight points during the opening frame. However, the Scarlet Knights controlled nearly every other aspect of the game.

In the second half, Rutgers focused on maintaining control rather than chasing more offensive fireworks. The shooting cooled to 32 percent after halftime. However, the Scarlet Knights remained composed and relied on their defensive foundation to protect the lead.

Penn State attempted a late push and managed to trim the deficit to 12 points with less than three minutes remaining. However, Rutgers quickly shut down any comeback hopes. Freshman guard Lino Mark delivered seven crucial points during the second half to keep the Scarlet Knights steady.

Then, in the final 90 seconds, Tariq Francis knocked down a three-pointer that pushed the lead back to a comfortable margin. Moments later, Darren Buchanan Jr. delivered a powerful block that effectively sealed the 74–62 victory.

Standout Performances Lead the Scarlet Knights

Lino Mark led the team with 16 points, continuing his impressive scoring run. The freshman has now scored in double figures in six of his last eight games and is averaging 13.5 points over his past six appearances.

Darren Buchanan Jr. stepped up in the frontcourt. And delivered a career-high performance on the glass. Playing a larger role due to foul trouble elsewhere, Buchanan Jr. grabbed 13 rebounds and anchored Rutgers’ interior defense.

The team’s leading scorer at 16.9 points per game extended Tariq Francis' streak of double-digit performances to 15 straight games. Francis has reached double figures in 24 of the last 31 games and has been particularly reliable from the free-throw line. He has made 60 of his last 64 attempts, helping him reach a 90.6 percent free-throw percentage for the season, the third-best single-season mark in Rutgers history.

Rutgers also enters the postseason with growing confidence thanks to a strong finish in Big Ten play. After starting conference action with a difficult 2–11 record, the Scarlet Knights rallied late in the season and won four of their final seven conference games. Those victories came by an average margin of 9.5 points.

Now the focus shifts to the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament at the United Center in Chicago. Rutgers earned the No. 14 seed after its six conference victories and will face the No. 11 Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second round on Wednesday night.

The matchup will mark the third time the two programs have met in the Big Ten Tournament, with all three games coming in the 11-versus-14 seed matchup. Rutgers lost the first meeting in 2015 but secured a memorable victory in 2018 at Madison Square Garden behind a 23-point performance from Corey Sanders.

Overall, Rutgers holds a 5–10 record in the Big Ten Tournament since joining the conference in 2015. Their most recent postseason win came in 2023 against Michigan. Now the Scarlet Knights head to Chicago, hoping to build on their Senior Day momentum.

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