Judging by their record, one would not think that the game between Rutgers and Washington on Wednesday evening in Seattle has tournament consequences.
But it does.
The visiting Scarlet Knights (12-14, 5-10 Big Ten) and Huskies (13-12, 4-10) fight for the 15th and last quay in the conference tournament next month in Indianapolis.
The Huskies comes from a victory 75-73 Saturday in Penn State when Mekhi Mason scored 20 points, which made a season’s high six 3-points. DJ Davis and Franck Kepnang got 14. Leading goal scores Great Osobor (14.9 ppg), despite missing exercise with flu -like symptoms, had almost the first triple stubbly in school history with six points, 13 returns and 10 assists.
“All this does is make the next match bigger,” said first-year Huskies coach Danny Sprinkle, whose team has won three of his last five after a six-match ski where five of these defeat would be ranked team.
“But this was our best profit of the year,” the coach said.
Rutgers has a couple of possible NBA lottery draws in beginner Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper and opened the season in the top 25, but a little has gone right in the Big Ten game.
Bailey (18.6 points per match) and Harper (18.5) combined for only 21 on Sunday in Oregon in a loss of 75-57-the Scarlet Knights’ Third in Row.
“Of course, we have to play better on both ends of the floor,” said Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell. “Our crime did not help our defense, and our defense did not help our crime. We also have to share the ball better. … I have to get us to play better, that’s safe.”
When it comes to Bailey and Harper?
“They are just a little synchronized,” Pikiel said. “Teams get really physical with Ace. With Dylan they are in the gaps. I try to explain to the guys they just get in the gaps (defensively), they are not even double teams. You ‘we have to make it extra pass and they have to make some of these opportunities.
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