Rutgers Edges Marist in Opener; UConn, Villanova, Seton Hall, St. John’s Win
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Despite a slew of cramps, poor foul shooting and a pesky opponent, Rutgers narrowly escaped with a 63-61 victory in its season opener against Marist at the Rutgers Athletic Center.
A win is a win, but this one came against a team projected to finish last in the 10-team MAAC.
Rutgers was picked 12th in the brutal 16-team Big East.
“We’re not going to blame it on cramps, we’re not going to blame it on anything other than that it was a heck of a hard fought game,” Rutgers head coach Fred Hill said. “And I’m really proud of the guys, especially young guys on the floor, that made plays down the stretch.”