Males’s Basketball Downs Maine 72-60, Strikes to 2-0

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Freshman ahead Dennis Badalau scored 19 factors all within the first half to steer Rutgers males’s basketball previous Maine, 72–60, on Monday evening at Jersey Mike’s Arena, because the Scarlet Knights moved to 2–0 on the season.

Rutgers jumped out early behind Badalau, who knocked down 4 three-pointers and tallied 19 first-half factors. Head coach Steve Pikiell praised the freshman’s response after a quiet debut, calling the hassle a “bounce-back” efficiency.

The Scarlet Knights led 37–30 at halftime whereas taking pictures 46 % from the sphere and 60 % from past the arc after beginning the sport on an 11-2 run.

Rutgers maintained management all through the second half, pushing its benefit to as many as 18 factors with simply over a minute remaining starting the half on a 10-0 run. The Scarlet Knights by no means trailed.

Rutgers dominated a number of statistical classes, outrebounding Maine 37–23 whereas producing extra factors within the paint, fast-break factors, and second-chance alternatives.

Freshman ahead Dylan Grant recorded his first profession double-double, ending with ten factors and ten rebounds after going scoreless with just one board within the first half. Pikiell stated he “challenged” Grant at halftime, and credited him for responding. Junior guard Tariq Francis added 12 factors on 4-of-12 taking pictures from the sphere. Junior guard Darren Buchanan Jr. scored double digits in his second-straight recreation off the bench with 11 factors on 4-of-5 taking pictures from the sphere. 

Junior guard Jamichael Davis scored eight factors, had two assists, two steals, and two rebounds. Junior heart Emmanuel Ogbole had seven factors and 5 rebounds. Sophomore ahead Bryce Dortch got here off the bench with eight rebounds in 12 minutes on the ground.

Badalau led Rutgers in scoring and added a block. The Scarlet Knights return to motion on Friday evening towards Lehigh at Jersey Mike’s Arena at 6:30 p.m., streaming on BigTen+ and on the radio on WFAN.

Postgame Notes

• Dylan Grant had his first profession double-double (10 factors, 10 rebounds).

  • It was his profession excessive in rebounds.

• Denis Badalau had 19 factors within the first half, together with 4-of-5 on three-pointers. He was the primary RU participant to have 4 three-pointers in a half since Ace Bailey had 4 three-pointers within the first half towards Northwestern final season on January 29, and tied for the second most factors in a half by a RU participant over the previous two seasons.
• Tariq Francis has now made a three-pointer in 47 consecutive video games, the second-longest streak in Division I.
• Bryce Dortch had a career-high eight rebounds in 13 minutes of recreation motion.
• Darren Buchanan Jr. had his seventh profession recreation with at the least 5 assists.
• Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell introduced within the postgame press convention that he has named Jamichael Davis as a staff captain

Gallery: (11-10-2025) MBB Beats Maine

With The Win

• RU has began the season 2-0 for the tenth time over the previous 11 seasons.
• Rutgers is now 6-0 towards Maine all-time and 3-0 below head coach Steve Pikiell

  • The final 4 wins and 5 of the six have come by double-digits

“Tip of the hat to Maine — they performed exhausting. They had a child come off the bench, Isaac Bonilla, who hadn’t scored a basket all yr and he hits 4 3s. I knew they have been going to be a troublesome out. They maintain the ball, and with the tempo they play at, I knew it was going to be a type of sorts of video games.

“But we did enough for some minutes there. I thought we looked really good at the start of the first half and again at the start of the second half. I challenged Dylan Grant at halftime — he had zero points and one rebound. He had to play, and he did a good job.”

On Turnovers and Rebounding

“With the tempo they play at, we have been on them for rebounding and a double-double. And I’ll let you know — Bryce Dorch, eight rebounds in 12 minutes. I inform these guys on a regular basis, you need to be prepared. I do not know whose evening it should be. The different evening it was Reek’s (Tariq Francis). This evening it was Dennis.

“I was pleased with the backboards. We still gave up too many. That is a game we should hold them in the 50s. We left too many points at the free-throw line, but some good things. We have to get to 40 [good] minutes. We probably got to 18 really good minutes today, and we have to figure out how to get to 30 minutes and then 35. Guys have to understand how important every minute is.”

On Players Being Ready

“I inform these guys — you simply should be prepared. You by no means know what it will take. Veterans like DG (Dylan Grant) performed effectively. Jay Mike (Jamichael Davis) has been improbable. I formally named him captain as we speak — he earned it. He’s in nice form, plus-14 within the recreation. He does loads of issues.

“Obviously, E (Emmanuel Ogbole) offensively did some good things tonight, and he remains one of our best pick-and-roll defenders. And then obviously Bryce — our four returning guys really helped us a ton. That experience — you see them getting better, and Bryce is always ready. He’s a good defender and he does really good stuff for us. I was proud of him. He stayed ready the whole time.”

On Dennis Badalau Bouncing Back

“The first recreation he had some seems to be that he usually makes, however he was nonetheless plus-25 within the recreation. He does so many good issues for us. Today, you noticed him get it going. He can shoot it, he can put it on the deck, he is an excellent passer.

“As he will get extra snug with the tempo and the totally different kinds groups play — like this staff needs to play within the 40s and 50s — he’ll get higher and higher. He is a employee. These three guys — Dylan Grant, Darren Buchanan and Dennis — work. They’re good observe gamers too, which is admittedly vital.

“He has good size and we have to keep figuring out how to utilize him for the matchup problems he causes. You saw DG cause matchup problems too. We’re moving him around — we snuck him into the middle of the zone. Once we got the ball into the middle of that zone, we had good opportunities. But Dennis — he has to keep getting better. I appreciate him.”

On Dylan Grant’s Double-Double

“First double-double, so I’m happy with him. In the primary recreation it was 17 and seven, then 10 and 10 right here. He’s gotten so a lot better — he is placing the ball on the deck.

“But the thing I liked is I challenged him in front of his teammates at halftime, and he went and played in the second half — and we needed him to. There’s growth there, and he’s still young in his basketball game.”

On Character Built Through First Two Non-Conference Games

“I believe we’re studying lots about one another. I believed we must always have held this staff within the 50s. They received 60 final recreation and 53 this recreation, so our protection has improved.

“I believe we now have an opportunity to be an excellent scoring staff too. We cannot depart that many free throws on the docket. Dennis is just too good of a shooter to be 3-for-6. He’s a 6-for-6 man. But we’re rising. One factor is we all the time get higher, and I believe this group is.

“We have more pieces on the bench that are going to have to start raising up their game too, because we have some guys that can do some things.”

On Dylan Grant’s Performance

“I do know you guys see it too — he is only a higher participant this yr. He’s extra assured. He will get to the rim. He can actually deal with the ball too. I used to be actually proud to problem him — he cannot have a half like that. He’s too good of a participant, and he had a extremely good half.

“For him to get his first double-double in a game where, in the first half, he wasn’t doing a whole lot is a really good sign. Now he’s going to string two of those together and get a 20-20 night. That’s the goal.”

Maine Head Coach Chris Markwood

On Rutgers

“I’m proud of the fight and the effort. We’re essentially down three starters right now, and it was great to see some of our other guys — who maybe hadn’t played as much in our first two games — step up under the lights on a big stage. There’s still a lot we need to clean up with the controllable stuff. We weren’t great from the free-throw line again tonight. We fouled them too much and put them on the line. But overall, I thought we fought. We got off to a slow start, but the guys got themselves right back into the game, and I’m proud of that. We just have a lot still to improve.”

On Playing a Big Ten Caliber Team

“Rutgers — or any Big Ten team — brings size and physicality that we can’t really duplicate in practice. Until you get out there, get punched in the nose a bit, settle in, and then react, it’s hard to simulate. Coach Pikiell does a tremendous job with his group. I’ve coached against him since he was at Stony Brook, and his teams have always been physical and well-coached on both ends. I know they’re young, but I think he’ll do an amazing job with this group too.”