By ADAM ZAGORIA
For the second straight season, Steve Pikiell and Rutgers have beaten the No. 1 team in college basketball.
Rutgers got a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final seconds from Cam Spencer and road it to a 65-64 victory at previously unbeaten Purdue. Paul Mulchay had a brilliant game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in what was Pikiell’s 300th career win.
“We got a long season, there’s a lot more games to be played and that’s a great basketball team that I have tremendous respect for so it’s nice to come in here and get a win,” Pikiell, who has 15 wins over ranked opponents in his 7 seasons, said on the Big Ten Network.
Cam Spencer. Onions. pic.twitter.com/OkpC9dpIxH
— Brian Fonseca (@briannnnf) January 3, 2023
Rutgers (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten), No. 20 in the NET Rankings coming into the game, also beat No. 15 Indiana, 63-48, on Dec. 3 at the RAC, but this was their first road win of the season.
“We know what’s coming,” Purdue coach Matt Painter told reporters. “What Rutgers did tonight didn’t shock us. If we were going to war, we’d stop by New Jersey and pick them up.”
With the loss by Purdue (14-1), Richard Pitino and No. 21 New Mexico (13-0) remain the lone unbeaten team in college basketball. They visit Fresno State Tuesday night.
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