KC Ndefo made the go-ahead basket and stuffed Clifford Omoruyi at the other end to help visiting Seton Hall stun rival Rutgers 45-43 Sunday night in Piscataway, N.J.
Caleb McConnell missed the second of two free throws that would have put Rutgers up a point, and Femi Odukale fed Ndefo in the paint with 1:54 to go. Ndefo then blocked Omoruyi’s layup attempt on Rutgers’ ensuing possession, and neither team could score for the rest of the game.
Rutgers missed a game-tying floater in the final seconds, and Ndefo appeared to step on the baseline while keeping the loose ball in play. Officials reviewed the play for the game clock but did not award Rutgers the ball.
The Pirates’ Dre Davis was the only player to score in double figures (10 points). Ndefo, who followed coach Shaheen Holloway from Saint Peter’s to Seton Hall, finished with nine points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
The Pirates (6-4) shot 34.1 percent from the field and the Scarlet Knights (6-4) made just 32.6 percent as both defenses shone.
Aundre Hyatt made three 3-pointers to lead Rutgers with nine points. But Seton Hall forced the Scarlet Knights into a season-high 19 turnovers.
Seton Hall dug out of a 33-26 deficit early in the second half with eight straight points. After Paul Mulcahy’s free throws, McConnell and Al-Amir Dawes traded 3-pointers to make it 38-37 Rutgers with 8:20 to play.
The lead continued changing hands, with McConnell’s bucket putting Rutgers ahead 42-41 with 4:01 left and Davis making two foul shots for a 43-42 Pirates edge. McConnell tied the game with a foul shot at 2:18 before missing the back half.
Hyatt tied the game at 12 with a 3-pointer early on, but Davis, playing for the first time since Nov. 25 due to a knee injury, answered with his own triple at the other end. That set off a 7-0 run for Seton Hall to go up 19-12 with 6:16 left in the first half. The Scarlet Knights were held scoreless for a stretch of 5:13.
Omoruyi — who subbed back into the game after two early fouls — sparked Rutgers with his only five points of the game. It turned into a 10-0 Rutgers sprint, capped by Hyatt’s second 3-pointer, before the Scarlet Knights took a 26-22 edge into halftime.
The teams shot an identical 8-for-21 in the first half.
Seton Hall extended its lead in the all-time series between New Jersey rivals, 42-31.
–Field Level Media
