By Shane Petagna (@shanepetagna)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Any college player’s first career points will be a personal memory passed down from generation to generation. Third-year guard Max Fradkin stepped to the free-throw line with 43 seconds left in a 38-point game with the chance to make history not only for the name on the back of his home white jersey, but the name on the front as well.
Fradkin sank his first attempt to put Rutgers over the century mark for the first time in the Steve Pikeill era—a feat last accomplished in regulation against a Division I opponent since Feb. 2, 1993, in a 105-100 loss to George Washington for the cherry on top of a 101-64 Rutgers win over NJIT at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Tuesday that improved the Scarlet Knights to 2-0 this season.
“We want to push the tempo and get to that number if we can,” said acting head coach Brandin Knight.
It was an admittedly slow start for Rutgers as NJIT made a pair of threes at the start to jump out to a 12-8 lead through the first four minutes. However, the Rutgers defense was able to settle in and limited the Highlanders to 11 points over the final 13 minutes of the first half to build up a 46-26 advantage at the break.
Lino Mark was able to get to the basket at will on the left side of the rim, which led to six points in the first four minutes after only scoring four total in the season opener against New Haven. That set the tone for an excellent half for him, where he entered the break in double figures to go along with five rebounds.
The speed that Mark was able to play with was found throughout the rotation, as Rutgers finished with 36 fast-break points. The Scarlet Knights rattled off a 10-3 run between the Scarlet Knights between the first and second media timeouts to take an 18-15 lead and never looked back.
“That’s the quickest and most up-tempo Rutgers team that I can remember in a long time,” said NJIT coach Grant Billmeier. “They did a really good job just getting downhill and getting out [in transition].”
Rutgers extended its lead to 32-22 with 5:56 remaining before the half, with help from made three-point shots by Tariq Francis & RaSheed Jones and a willingness to still get the ball inside against a 2-3 zone that the Highlanders started to employ. That advantage grew to 20 points at the break. The Scarlet Knights widened the gap between the Highlanders and them to 30 points, as a three-point barrage from Francis and Darin Smith Jr. early in the second half.
Rutgers showed a well-rounded offensive attack throughout the night, finishing shooting 52% from the field and starting the game with a 7-for-14 clip from beyond the arc through the first 28 minutes, in addition to a 76% success rate at the free-throw line.
Individually, Mark finished with eight rebounds to set a new career-high while matching Francis with 17 points for the team lead. NJIT’s David Bolden led all scorers with 18.
In addition, Darren Buchanan Jr., Will Sydnor and Christian Gurdak finished in double figures with 10, 10 and 12 points, respectively. Big men Mervedi Miteo and Gevonte Ware supplemented Gurdak with five rebounds apiece.
Rutgers will have one more tune-up against Bryant at home on Friday night, while the 1-3 Highlanders will have to move on quickly, as they take on VCU in Richmond, Virginia on Wednesday.
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