Geo Baker powered a game-ending 10-0 run with eight points and an assist to deliver Rutgers a 66-64 upset of No. 16 Ohio State Wednesday night in Piscataway, N.J.
Baker finished with a game-high 25 points plus six assists as Rutgers (14-9, 8-5 Big Ten) knocked off its second ranked opponent in a row, following Michigan State on Saturday.
Ohio State led 64-56 when Baker rattled off six straight points on a pair of foul shots, a drive to the basket and a long jumper, cutting the deficit to two with 2:03 to play. The Buckeyes failed to beat the shot clock on their next possession, and Baker found Cliff Omoryui (13 points on 6-for-6 shooting) open for a game-tying dunk with 73 seconds left.
Rutgers got another stop and defensive rebound, and with 18.8 seconds left Baker drew a foul on his way to the rim and made two go-ahead free throws.
Ron Harper Jr. blocked Malaki Branham’s layup out of bounds with 3.2 seconds left, and Baker blocked Justin Ahrens’ last-second shot from the corner to seal it.
Rutgers held Ohio State scoreless for the final 3:48 of the game and earned its third win over a Top 25 team this season. Paul Mulcahy contributed 12 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Branham led Ohio State (14-6, 7-4) with 19 points. E.J. Liddell had 16 points and Zed Key added 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Neither team led by more than four points in a first half that featured 10 lead changes. Baker propelled a 7-0 Rutgers swing by banking in a 3-pointer, getting a block on the other end and hitting another 3 in transition to give Rutgers a 14-11 lead.
Ahrens sank a 3 and Branham got a layup to fall to put Ohio State ahead 19-16, but for the next 4:23 the Buckeyes were held scoreless during another 7-0 Rutgers spurt. After both teams climbed through the 20s and traded the lead back and forth, Aundre Hyatt’s mid-range jumper in the last second handed Rutgers the 32-31 halftime advantage.
When the Buckeyes ran off a quick seven points to move ahead 57-52 with 8:49 left, it was the largest lead either team held to that point. Jamari Wheeler caught a cross-court pass from Liddell and buried a 3 to make it 60-54 a minute later.
–Field Level Media
