Kaleb Johnson leaving Rutgers football to join the Florida Gators in the SEC, Antwann Hill Jr. discusses Rutgers football offer and where things stand with Ohio State, Rutgers basketball dominates and somehow loses at Minnesota, CBS Sports Jerry Palm has Rutgers basketball in the First Four. INCREDIBLE BLOCK BY @caleb_mcco . GET TKR PREMIUM FREE FOR 30 DAYS CLICK HERE FOR MORE. Then, you factor in his rebounds and his assists, he does a lot of things for us that equate to winning. The 2022 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and one of the best players in the conference is back. Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. THIS. Of course, he was ultimately named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. McConnell announced the decision to declare for the 2022 NBA Draft on March 28th with a post on Instagram that read as follows: These last four years were amazing! 70413 lego - Der TOP-Favorit unserer Produkttester. He also drew a charge and dished out a point guard-quality assist. Rutgers falls to Minnesota at the buzzer, Scarlet Knights suffer gut-punch. INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL SEMI-FINAL'S FRIDAY. Scored in double-figures four times in a five-game span (Clemson, Purdue, Seton Hall, Maine), 16 points versus Clemson was new career-high, Also set career-highs in rebounds (12, Seton Hall), assists (9, UMass) and steals (6, UMass), Had four steals in each of wins over No. He doesnt want anybody to know something is hurting. He was by no means a flashy recruit and was the third-highest recruit out of 4 in Rutgers' 2018 class.. Now, McConnell has recently been crowned the Big . Assisted by Caleb McConnell. ZyAtLT4KCgo=, Enjoying TheKnightReport? Contact him atjcarino@gannettnj.com. It was just a no-brainer, McConnell said. Are Democrats excited about another Biden run? As McConnell has stepped up offensively, he has frustrated opponents on the other end of the court. IHZlcnNpb24gb2YgY3MuanMgc28gd2UgYWx3YXlzIGhhdmUgdGhlIGxhc3Qg The Scarlet Knights senior being recognized for his elite defensive efforts this season. Whenever were in the huddle, hes always saying, Ill guard him. Theres a great feeling as a coach knowing that someone wants to accept the challenge of stopping the best player.. They were wonderful co-parents who remain good friends to this day, but the physical distance between them was tough on their sons. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He kept going at dudes. Rutgers Recruiting: Will Scarlet Knights make surprise push for Bronny James? pic . Clifford Omoruyi scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Rutgers (18-12, 10-9). I wouldnt say 100 percent, but definitely healthy," McConnell said. Play By Play - 1st Half; Time Remaining RU Away Team Score Play Team Indicator Home Team Score PSU Game Score Team Indicator Play; 19:36: TURNOVER by MCCONNELL,CALEB The Hurricanes, who made the NCAA Tournaments Elite Eight last season, are 5-1 thus far with a Kenpom ranking of 50 (Rutgers is 34). At least one Big East coach, to Briskis amazement, said he was soft. All rights reserved (About Us). He is the only Big Ten player to make the semifinalist cut. aWdodD0nMCcgc3JjPSdodHRwczovL3d3dy5nb29nbGV0YWdtYW5hZ2VyLmNv Sophomore guard Jalen Miller has been a defensive specialist to this point, but he broke out on the offensive end Saturday, scoring a career-high six points on 2-3 shooting to go with three rebounds. I have so much love for them, and I wouldnt be where I am without them. Starter at guard in 21 of 31 games played, averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds with 25 steals, Shot 41.1 percent from the field and team-best 79.2 percent from the free throw line, Against Big Ten competition, averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds with 13 steals while shooting 80 percent from the free throw line, Scored in double-figures 10 times, leading team in scoring four times, Scored season-high 20 points on 8-8 shooting with a career-high five assists in win at Nebraska (Jan. 3), Had first career double-double with 10 points and career-high 12 rebounds in win over Minnesota (Jan. 19). Rutgers Wrestling: Coach Scott Goodale gives early lineup preview, Rutgers Football: 5 things to watch during training camp. "Spoke to Steve Pikiell a little bit ago. As a fourth-year player this past season, McConnell . My friends would ask what I was doing or to hang out and Id tell them to meet me at the park. X2Nvb2tpZXNfd2luPXgnIHN0eWxlPSdkaXNwbGF5Om5vbmU7dmlzaWJpbGl0 A return to Rutgers would be big for the program as head coach Steve Pikiell is looking to retool after losing Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr., both of whom were instrumental in the programs resurgence. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. 25 Ohio State a 67-66 victory over Rutgers on Thursday night. The Rutgers guard is averaging a career-high 2.4 steals a game. Big Ten Basketball: Rutgers defeats Michigan State, 84-63. Its about me finding the right time and my spots in the game, Miller said. 11.3K followers. "And since we have such a different dynamic (in terms of personnel fit), I think this is actually a better team.. Rutgers' Clifford Omoruyi blocked Brice Sensbaugh's shot with nine seconds left, and the Scarlet Knights led by three with seven seconds to go. My teammates really helped me find my spots by sharing the game., Added Pikiell: Real pleased with what he gave us hes been playing well for us in the absence of Paul and Caleb.. Verified. The freshman had 19 points in the game and was a problem for the Scarlet Knights all night. 1,244 following. Scarlet Nation continues to hear things are trending in that direction as McConnell could use an extra year to improve his draft stock. The award comes days after the Scarlet Knights' (18-12, 12-8) season finale win over Penn State.. McConnell, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, earned the prestigious award with 67 total steals this season, 20 more than second-place Hakim Hart. MUNSTER SECTIONAL. Now he did this all while shooting 39.7% from the floor. McConnell was the star of the historic win, scoring 13 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and playing his trademark defense. b3ItMjAyMi0yMy1zZWFzb24mYzU9MjAyMjczMzE0MCZjdj0yLjAmY2o9MSZj Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. photo: Creative Commons / Gage Skidmore https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2./deed.en. Rutgers basketball makes a move down in CBS Sports projections from Jerry Palm. His work ethic was incredible, Bryant McConnell said. ICAgfSkod2luZG93LGRvY3VtZW50LCdzY3JpcHQnLCdkYXRhTGF5ZXInLCdH Yes, Rutgers basketball fans fully grasped the importance of seeing No. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. When he reached eighth grade, his parents decided that a permanent move to Dayton to be with his father would be the best path toward a future in basketball. McConnell has posted a 42.0 field percentage after only shooting 39.7 percent from the field last season. 13 Michigan State and No. Laser Tattoo Removal clinics in Taipei City at the best price. 113. Caleb Mcconnell gets the layup to fall vs. Penn State Nittany Lions. He announced his decision with an Instagram video on June 1st "calling Rutgers Nation" from his hometown in Florida. Big Ten; New York City Sports; Rutgers Scarlet Knights; College Sports; Sports Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. McConnell will give it everything he has, carried by the unbreakable mindset that got him here, sharing all the fruits of his labor with those who backed him up along the way. Caleb McConnell is a semifinalist for Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year. Rutgers Basketball got some good news today as wing player intends to withdraw his name from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to college for one last season with the Scarlet Knights. Instead, Geo Baker hit a step back jumper to cut the lead to 64-62 at the two minute mark. Neither took the court Friday for the Scarlet Knights' first test . They have three more ranked teams and six more Quad 1 opponents in a row left on the schedule. McConnell is coming off his best season yet, as he is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of The year. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Slot to Rutgers Scarlet Knights Newsletter. Y29tc2NvcmUgPSBfY29tc2NvcmUgfHwgW107CiAgX2NvbXNjb3JlLnB1c2go dmVyc2lvbgogICAgcy5zcmMgPSAiaHR0cHM6Ly9zLnlpbWcuY29tL2N4L3Z6 McConnell is a tremendous defensive presence, blending natural athleticism with instincts and intelligence. He came into Rutgers as part of the 2018 recruiting class with Harper Jr., who already hired an agent and will not return to use his final year of college eligibility at Rutgers. He is focused solely on finishing the fourth year of a Big Ten basketball career few believed could happen on the right foot, carrying an unshakable belief that Rutgers can disprove the doubters and return to March Madness. "We've been trying to let these guys know we need more from them with me and Paul out, and theyve been bringing it," McConnell said. Then came the texts and calls from teammates that all carried the same message: We really need you this year. Mens Basketball Game Thread: Rutgers at Minnesota. Visit ESPN for the play-by-play of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers NCAAM basketball game on 3 March 2023 . He was one of ten that made the cut as a semifinalist last season. Theres not much to be drawn from beating up on an opponent ranked No. Hes been as good a player as there has been in the conference," Pikiell said. McConnell, teary-eyed and frustrated when he lost, often talked about quitting, but his dad would not let him. There is still the option to withdraw up until June 13th, as per the NBA rules, but that would not allow them to retain their college eligibility. Hes not going to let anything bother him and hes not going to make any excuses about it. The Jacksonville native has seen his playing time rise and has shown that he can be a veteran leader. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. College players have until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday to withdraw from the 2022 NBA Draft and retain their college eligibility. Im so grateful to have been blessed with this group of teammates. 12 Illinois (four). I was just focused on making it down the floor and making the right plays," he explained. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the win for the Gophers. Please check your email for a confirmation. Dave Briski, head coach at Spire Academy, watched from the stands as McConnell, then a junior at Dunbar High, dominated his opponents. MINNEAPOLIS (AP)Jamison Battle hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer and finished with 20 points as Minnesota beat Rutgers 75-74 on Thursday night to snap a 12-game losing streak. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the win for the Gophers. McConnell made the 15-minute walk from his moms Jacksonville apartment to the courts and he spent hours in pickup games, a majority of which against grown men. Players didnt call fouls because there were none allowed. JyZndG1fcHJldmlldz0nKydlbnYtMScrJyZndG1fY29va2llc193aW49eCc7 The Scarlet Knights close out the regular season on the weekend at home against Penn State. He is rarely the Scarlet Knights top scorer, but he creates scoring chances for himself and his teammates because of his defensive ability. Big Ten and Big East programs that once had shown interest hesitated to take him. Kristian Dyer. It would be a fitting award to conclude an arduous college basketball career that few believed was possible. That roar became an eruption a minute later, when McConnell converted his first touch into a bucket an eight-foot running floater from the baseline. All rights reserved (About Us). Even by Rutgers basketball's historically painful standards, Thursday's loss at Minnesota ranks among the most infamous. Through six games he's been Rutgers' best all-around player this season. Rutgers was carried by a stellar night from senior . Please update it here. Afterward, hed put up shots late into the night. He followed it up with the best summer of his college career and entered his senior year with a specific goal: to be the Big Tens defensive player of the year. Rutgers led 70-60 before Garcia scored the next four points and Battle hit consecutives 3s to pull the Golden Gophers to 73-70 with 22 seconds left, and Jaden Henley's putback cut the deficit to 73-72. As this team proved once again highlighted by the block from the rafters by Caleb McConnell, Rutgers is very much alive as the calendar turns to mid-February. 13 Wisconsin (six) and No. He has been more involved offensively and is taking advantage of his opportunities. UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Between them, Caleb McConnell and Paul Mulcahy have played 208 games for Rutgers basketball. Was the new setting going to make things weird? dmFyIHMgPSBkb2N1bWVudC5jcmVhdGVFbGVtZW50KCJzY3JpcHQiKSwgZWwg He has also been a rebounds machine of late, with 32 rebounds so far in 2023. It was their own fault and the play started with a blown coverage. If you look at our games, hes taking the best player and cutting their points in half. When Spire Academy, an elite sports performance training and education program in Geneva, Ohio, offered McConnell a chance to transfer there for his senior season, it meant living on his own for the first time 200 miles from his dad and 900 miles from his mom. "Certainly for the first time these guys being on this stage, they were locked in from the beginning," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. On The Banks Rutgers Athletics Oral History Project, Men's Basketball Loses 75-74 to Minnesota on Thursday Night, Caleb McConnell Named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist, Mens Basketball Pulls Off Biggest Comeback Since 1996 at PSU, Men's Basketball Heads to Penn State for Sunday Night Matchup, Men's Basketball Falls to Michigan Thursday. McConnell, who led the conference with 70 steals last season, decided for one last ride with his beloved Scarlet Knights after working out with several NBA teams this offseason. 19). Hes just tough. According to a former coach, he is also toughest damn dude in the Big Ten..