Rutgers will be seeking another strong defensive effort Monday when it faces visiting Maine in Piscataway, N.J., and attempts to open the season with back-to-back nonconference victories.
Rutgers (1-0) beat Rider 81-53 Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights, which finished last season ranked 17th among Big Ten teams in points allowed, held the Broncs to 27.7% shooting from the field, including 2 of 20 from behind the 3-point arc.
“We came with a defensive mindset and a competitive mindset,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. “I like the fact that I think this team is gonna really improve. There’s tremendous competition for minutes and we’re gonna have to figure that out.”
Guard Tariq Francis, a transfer from NJIT, led the Rutgers offense in the team’s opener by scoring 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Fellow guard Jamichael Davis added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Rutgers also received 17 points and seven rebounds from forward Dylan Grant.
“(Francis) was really good, and he’s been that way since he got here in June,” Pikiell said.
Maine (0-2) went 20-14 last season, but the top five scorers from that team either graduated or transferred. The Black Bears began nonconference play with a 67-47 loss to George Washington and a 71-60 defeat to Stony Brook.
Freshman forward Ace Flagg, Cooper Flagg’s twin brother, is averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest.
“He’s a versatile piece who will have an impact for us as a freshman,” Maine coach Chris Markwood said. “He’s prepared and ready to help us win at this level.”
Forward TJ Biel tossed in a team-high 13 points against George Washington, and guard Ryan Mabrey led the Black Bears with 14 points in the loss to Stony Brook.
Mabrey began his career at Miami University (Ohio) and played for Quinnipiac last season.
“He’s our type of guard,” Markwood said. “He’s always been known as a shooter, but he can make the game easy for everybody else.”
