Tariq Francis delivered a career night and Rutgers men's basketball showed late-game toughness, defeating Oregon 88–85 in overtime Monday night at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Rutgers struggled to find an early rhythm offensively, making just four field goals in the first 11 minutes of the opening half, but stayed within striking distance by getting to the free throw line. The Scarlet Knights used those trips to the stripe to keep pace, pulling even at 22–22 midway through the period.
Oregon responded with a run to seize control, stretching its lead to 37–29 and later 42–33. The Ducks led by as many as nine before hitting a three on the final possession of the half to take a 45–37 advantage into intermission.
The Scarlet Knights came out of the locker room with urgency, opening the second half on a 19–8 run to reclaim the lead at 56–53. Rutgers found its shooting touch early in the half, making seven shots in the first eight minutes, including a 6-of-7 stretch that shifted momentum.
Rutgers' defense tightened as well, holding Oregon to one field goal over a five-minute span and forcing seven consecutive misses. That surge allowed the Scarlet Knights to take a 64–63 lead at the under-eight media timeout.
Rutgers pushed the advantage to 71–65 with just over three minutes remaining, but Oregon answered with a three-pointer to cut it back to one possession. Francis gave Rutgers a 75–71 lead with a late basket, only for the Ducks to respond again.
Oregon came up with a defensive stop, but Lino Mark delivered a key steal with 17.6 seconds remaining, regaining possession for Rutgers. Mark split a pair at the line to make it a three-point game, but Oregon knocked down a clutch three with 4.5 seconds left to tie it at 76–76 and force overtime.
In the extra session, Oregon briefly took an 81–78 lead, but Francis answered with a diving layup to pull Rutgers within one. Moments later, Darren Buchanan Jr. buried a corner three to put Rutgers back in front 83–81 with 2:35 to play, then followed it with a thunderous dunk to extend the lead again.
Francis later pushed the margin to five, though Oregon's Nate Bittle answered with a three to keep it tight. Francis and Buchanan combined for 11 of Rutgers' 12 overtime points, with Francis scoring six and Buchanan adding five.
Rutgers came up with one final defensive stop in the closing seconds, secured the rebound, and sealed the win at the free throw line, finishing the night 30-of-34 at the stripe.
Francis led all scorers with 30 points, while Rutgers placed four players in double figures overall. The Scarlet Knights' resilience, late execution, and clutch shot-making proved decisive in the overtime victory.
Rutgers placed four players in double figures, as Davis and Lino Mark each added 13 points, complementing Francis' scoring outburst. The Scarlet Knights dominated bench production, outscoring Oregon 58–10, and capitalized on mistakes by scoring 26 points off turnovers.
Despite Oregon's interior presence and late shooting, Rutgers' discipline and depth proved decisive. The win moves the Scarlet Knights to 8–7 overall and 1–3 in Big Ten play, providing a confidence boost as conference action continues. RU returns to action at Illinois at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday on the Big Ten Network.
