PISCATAWAY – The fact shorthanded Rutgers came into Saturday with a three-game winning streak, and played Louisville tough shows how far they’ve come quickly under new coach Eddie Jordan. But the defending national champions gave them a reminder of just how far they still have to go.
Louisville won 83-76 at the RAC, while Rutgers had to settle for a moral victory, a Pyrrhic victory, whatever kind of pseudo victory rebuilding programs have to substitute for real ones. After a four-game skid earlier in the year, and cutting a 17-point second-half deficit to six, Rutgers played well – just not quite well enough.
“They’re good. And we’re trying to be good,’’ said new RU coach Eddie Jordan, tasked with cleanup up the mess the Mike Rice scandal left behind.
Rutgers (7-8, 1-1 AAC) jumped ahead 12-4 and led 29-26 on Junior Etou’s free throw with 3:08 in the half, before Louisville’s used its press to close on a 13-4 run and take a seven-point lead into the break. They never trailed after that, going 41-of-46 from the stripe to hold Rutgers at bay.
“Louisville, they’re a team that knows how to win. When they got the momentum, they held onto it for a long period of time. It was hard to get over the hump,’’ said Craig Brown, who had 17 points. PG Myles Mack had a team-high 19, but what RU needed most was a healthy Jerome Seagears.
Louisville (13-2, 2-0) came in leading the nation in turnover margin, and RU’s best ballhandler was limited to 16 minutes with a sprained ankle. They trailed 50-38 by the time he checked in, and it grew to 57-40. The deficit was 13 at 5:30 before they ran off six straight. They got within six three times, but no closer.
“I thought we were prepared to handle (their pressure) it and to make more plays out of it, so there’s disappointment,’’ said Jordan. “Yet there are things we can learn from.’’
Brooklyn’s Russ Smith had a game-high 22 for Louisville, and was 14-of-16 from the stripe. But he had just one assist and five turnovers.
“It’s about taking good shots. You can’t press off of a miss. Russ is having a great year – one of the best years I’ve seen – but he had a bad night. He shot us out, which is unlike him, having played unselfish all year,’’ said Pitino, and Smith agreed.
“I was hurting the team on offense and defense. I’m just glad I was able to make my free throws at the end.’’
Pitino added of RU: “Eddie Jordan was almost the perfect hire. He’s going to do a great job. Not only was he a great player, but a great guy and a great coach. Rutgers will turn around with him at the helm because they’ll take great pride in the program.’’