Rutgers improves to 11-1 with 68-53 win over Fordham (Dec 18, 2016)
NEW YORK (AP) Mike Williams was the only member of the Rutgers team to have played in Madison Square Garden.
He made himself right at home, scoring 19 points to lead the Scarlet Knights to their fifth straight victory, 68-53 over Fordham in the Holiday Festival.
''This was a homecoming,'' the native of Brooklyn said. ''I had been here before so I had feel for the court and it was fun with family and friends in the crowd.''
Deshawn Freeman added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Scarlet Knights (11-1), who continue their best start in 40 years under first-year coach Steve Pikiell.
''I don't think that much (about the start),'' said Pikiell, who came to Rutgers from Stony Brook. ''I'm just proud of these guys. They have jumped on board. We're really locked in defensively and you could see that in the first half.''
Williams finished 7 for 12 from the field as Rutgers shot 49.1 percent overall (28 for 57), including 4 for 9 from 3-point range, well above the 29 percent it was shooting from there entering the game.
Led by Freeman, the Scarlet Knights dominated the rebounding, 51-22.
''That is a huge emphasis of ours, just keep attacking on the glass,'' Pikiell said. ''We have a lot of guys who can rebound and we needed them today.''
Joseph Chartouny had 17 points for the Rams (5-7), who lost their sixth straight.
''That's a really good defensive team,'' Fordham coach Jeff Neubauer said of Rutgers. ''We didn't get the looks we got in other games. We did get some good looks but they were well contested.''
Rutgers led 34-20 at halftime and the Rams were able to close within seven five times - the last time at 47-40 - but couldn't get any closer.
Fordham finished 6 for 29 from 3-point range and that included missing their first nine attempts from beyond the arc. The 53 points matched a season low for the Rams, who came in averaging 68.1 points per game.
''Their defensive mentality makes them a huge problem for us,'' Neubauer said. ''They deserved to win the way they play defense.''
BIG PICTURE
Fordham: The Rams came into the game first in Division I in steals per game at 12.4 and they were third in turnover margin at plus-8. They force an average of 20.7 turnovers. They had 10 steals Sunday and committed nine turnovers.
Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights are off to their best start since 1975-76 when they opened 31-0 before losing in the Final Four. ... Rutgers is 12-8 all-time in the Holiday Festival.
SECOND CHANCES
Rutgers finished with a 16-7 advantage in offensive rebounds and that led to the Scarlet Knights finishing with 13 second-chance points to one for Fordham.
UP NEXT
Fordham: The Rams host Central Connecticut State on Wednesday and then open Atlantic 10 play by hosting Duquesne on Dec. 30.
Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights are at Seton Hall on Friday in an in-state battle and then are at Wisconsin on Dec. 27 to begin Big Ten play.
