Takeaways From Rutgers On-Edge Win Against Northwestern
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Rutgers men's basketball survived another close call win on Sunday at Jersey Mike's Arena. In a game of perseverance, Rutgers outlasted Northwestern, securing a 77-75 final score in overtime for its second Big Ten win.
The Scarlet Knights erased an early 12-point deficit, seized momentum after halftime, and leaned on clutch plays to prevail, marking their second overtime home victory in a week.
Rutgers Showed How Having Competent Depth Comes In Clutch
Northwestern struck first and fast, racing to a 23-11 lead midway through the opening half behind hot shooting from Jake West and Nick Martinelli. The Wildcats dominated early possession, leading for over 37 minutes total. Rutgers refused to fold. A rare Chris Nwuli three sparked a push, and the Knights closed the half on a 20-12 run, including an 8-0 burst, to trail just 35-33 at intermission.
Depth played a role in the match as 12 players saw first-half minutes in a new-look starting lineup featuring Jamichael Davis, Kaden Powers, Darren Buchanan Jr., Harun Zrno, and Bryce Dortch (earning his first collegiate start), while Dylan Grant entered late due to flu-like symptoms.
Knights Still Dependent On Second Half Turnovers
The Scarlet Knights carried the energy into the second half. Early jumpers from Powers and Davis, plus a Jamichael Davis triple, pulled within one. An Emmanuel Ogbole slam gave Rutgers its first lead, and a Tariq Francis three pushed it to 47-45.
Northwestern responded with a 7-0 spurt to lead 62-56 with 4:31 left. But Rutgers stormed back, outscoring the Wildcats 21-13 over the final nine minutes. Francis drove for a layup to make it 65-64, then sank free throws for a brief one-point edge. Martinelli countered, but Buchanan's split at the line forced overtime at 67-all, capped by two offensive rebounds on the possession.
Francis took over in the extra session, scoring seven points, including a three-point play for a 74-69 lead. Baskets from Davis and Francis built a 76-72 drive, but it was late. Northwestern clawed within two, but Buchanan's block on Jake West's final drive sealed the victory. Rutgers held the Wildcats to one made field goal in their last eight overtime attempts.
This game marked the second time the Knights won in overtime in a home game. While this grit is great for drama points, if the Knights keep on relying on such narrow wins, the season may end sooner for them than expected.
Tariq Francis Keeps On Proving That He Is The Best
Francis delivered his third 30-point game this season (second in a week), with 23 coming post-halftime. Shooting 8-of-9 from the line, he repeatedly attacked off the dribble, his fifth straight 17+ point outing, showing his bench dominance.
Buchanan's Not Too Far
Darren Buchanan Jr. notched his first Scarlet Knights double-double (14 points, season-high 10 rebounds), hitting key free throws and the game-saving block. Rutgers posted a season-low six turnovers (third time in three seasons with six or fewer vs. Big Ten foes), won the rebounding battle 47-40 (13 offensive for 11 second-chance points), outscored Northwestern in the paint, and shot 41 percent overall (32 percent from three) while hitting 19-of-27 free throws.
The win lifts Rutgers to 9-8 (2-4 Big Ten), with nine victories in the last 11 against Northwestern. It caps a home-heavy stretch positively before road tests at Wisconsin (Saturday, 2 p.m., BTN) and No. 19/23 Iowa (January 20).
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Rituraj Halder is a football junkie. He covers everything from clutch game-day moments to the stories that offer a glimpse into the locker room. Over the years, he’s written for outlets like Pro Sports and Football Network, Esports on Sports Illustrated, Sportskeeda, and EssentiallySports, carving out a voice that blends sharp analysis with genuine passion. Whether it’s breaking down a Big Ten rivalry, highlighting rising stars, or capturing the emotion that fuels the game, Rituraj writes football the way fans feel it: loud, proud, and all in.