Rutgers basketball survives Bryant as Cliff Omoruyi responds; Ace Bailey signs
PISCATAWAY – It takes an alpha dog to prod a teammate like Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers basketball's 6-foot-11, All-Big Ten senior center.
Aundre Hyatt was up to the task Sunday. The postgrad wing, whose voice has become the most prominent in the Scarlet Knights' locker room, pushed that button after Omoruyi's quiet first half left the Scarlet Knights struggling against Bryant.
"I looked him right in his eyes and said, ‘Let’s go, we need you,'" Hyatt said of their halftime exchange.
It's one thing to hear it from a coach. Coming from a peer, the message hit home. Omoruyi dominated the final 20 minutes as the Scarlet Knights scratched out a 66-57 victory. He finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds, just about all of which came after the break.
"First half he was in foul trouble so he couldn’t be as aggressive," said Hyatt, who contributed 19 points, eight boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks of his own. "Second half he was amazing. Rebounding, ducking in on the offensive end, put-backs -- that’s normal Cliff stuff."
Normal Cliff stuff is what Rutgers (2-1) needs reguarly to reach its potential this winter. It's early, but against three mid-majors, Omoruyi has yet put an entire game together on both ends.
His teammates could help the cause by feeding him more – on both pick-and-rolls and classic post-ups.
"Our guys have to do a really good job of using ball fakes; that's a huge part of what we've been emphasizing," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "We haven't shot the ball great from the floor, but this team can really shoot the ball. If they want to put two and three guys on Cliff, we have to take advantage of that."
Pikiell said they'll hit the film room hard to sort it out.
"He’s one of the best big men in the country – he’s got to get the ball," said sophomore guard Derek Simpson, who looked for Omoruyi most.
Generally speaking, the entry passes have been sloppy and 3-pointers hoisted (Rutgers shot 4-of-22 from deep Sunday) as a mostly new backcourt finds its bearings. Cliff's on-court rapport with them is a work in progress.
"I told them once you see my arm like this on my chest you can throw it in," he said, patting his chest. "But if you don’t see it, don’t force it in."
Omoruyi also has to stay on the court. His second foul, a two-handed shove of a Bryant player who was driving baseline, was needless.
"I got those fouls because I had so much momentum – I was overhyped," Omoruyi said. "In the second half I was able to control that."
Bryant (1-2) did a decent job doubling Omoruyi, but that's to be expected.
"That’s the scouting report on me right now – I did an interview a couple of weeks ago and I said, ‘When I’m in the paint they’ve got to double me or I’m going to get a bucket,'" he said. "I think everybody heard that.”
Omoruyi said he wasn't feeling well against Boston University on Friday, when he finished with five points and five boards (all defensive). On Sunday he owned the offensive glass, grabbing eight.
"We don’t win the game if he doesn’t do that," Simpson said. "He came flying out of nowhere a couple of times. I didn’t even know where he came from."
It’s not easy topping the scouting report, but that’s where Omoruyi is so he’ll have to embrace it.
"I’ve got to rebound for us to win – I’ve got to dominate the glass," he said.
As Hyatt put it, "We need that every time."
FIVE TAKEWAYS
1. Improvement from Simpson
After a tough couple of outings against Princeton and Boston University, Simpson looked more like himself, tallying 12 points and four assists in 26 minutes off the bench. He sank all eight of his free-throw attempts to ice the outcome -- including two makes after a nasty fall that resulted in a flagrant foul on Bryant.
"That wasn’t easy," Simpson said. "I sat there, I breathed, said it’s going to be OK. You sit there and regain your thoughts."
The Lenape High School grad should have some equity in the bank after turning in a strong preseason and showing promise as a freshman, but he knows there are naysayers.
"My family stayed with me, told me it’s going to be OK," he said. "We keep pushing and stay off social media – we don’t care what anybody says."
2. Griffiths watch
After Friday’s electrifying 25-point show in Friday’s romp of Boston University, freshman wing Gavin Griffiths experienced the ebb and flow of being a newcomer at this level. He tallied 5 points on 2-of-11 shooting and grabbed four boards while committing three turnovers off the bench.
3. Rotation still a work in progress
Pikiell kept the same starting lineup from Friday: Noah Fernandes, Austin Williams, Anwtone Woolfolk, Hyatt and Omoruyi.
It will be interesting to see if he stays with it.
With Mawot Mag (knee) and Emmanuel Ogbole (knee) still out and so many new faces, the coach is playing mad scientist. He went to postgrad forward Oskar Palmquist as the first sub when Omoruyi picked up two quick fouls, and he continues to give freshman point guard Jamichael Davis lots of latitude. Davis shot 1-of-8 and while he got to the rim, he handed out just one assist.
4. Sleepy Sunday
In contrast with Friday’s raucous full house, Sunday’s crowd was about 5,800, with the student section two-thirds full and a lower-key environment. Some of that was the way Rutgers performed for much of the contest, but a noon tip on an NFL Sunday doesn’t help either. In the Big Ten, with efforts made to schedule around college football Saturdays, this is what you get many times in November.
One would expect a more lively environment Wednesday when Georgetown visits for the Gavitt Games (8:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1). Brand name, but the Hoyas are bad, already having lost to Holy Cross. Could wind up being a Quad 4 opponent.
5. Ace Bailey signing announced
The most prominent member of Rutgers’ blockbuster 2024 recruiting class, wing forward Ace Bailey, signed a National Letter of Intent late Saturday. The 6-foot-9 forward is the second- or third-ranked prospect in his class nationally, depending on the scouting service.
Don Bosco Prep guard Dylan Harper, a fellow five-star prospect who is considered to be a heavy Rutgers lean but may not commit until the spring, attended Bailey’s signing ceremony.
Rutgers received and processed Bailey's letter of intent Sunday afternoon, with Pikiell projecting that he can play all five positions.
“Ace is unique. He can play all five positions at 6-foot-9," Pikiell said. "He has a chance to be an elite offensive and defensive player and he can really pass the basketball. He has the quickest feet that I’ve seen in high school basketball in a very long time. He has a competitive spirit and an energy about him that is going to make him truly one of the all-time great Scarlet Knights.”
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers basketball nips Bryant; Ace Bailey signs
