Rutgers' Clifford Omoruyi blocked Brice Sensbaugh's shot with nine seconds left, and the Scarlet Knights led by three with seven seconds to go. McConnells return comes at a crucial juncture for Rutgers (5-1), which enters the schedules biggest gauntlet: at Miami Wednesday, followed by Big Ten favorite Indiana at home, at Ohio State, and then home games against rival Seton Hall and Wake Forest. Rutgers men's basketball guard Caleb McConnell was named a semifinalist on Tuesday for the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year. b3ItMjAyMi0yMy1zZWFzb24mYzU9MjAyMjczMzE0MCZjdj0yLjAmY2o9MSZj But quickly, it was like old times two longtime buddies talking through telephones on two sides of the glass. Every bit of it., After notching his first double-double of the season against Clemson, Caleb McConnell had the honor of slapping Rutgers into the next round of the NCAA Tournament on a big bracket at Bankers Life: pic.twitter.com/d6hzq4n3GY. Mens Basketball Game Thread: Rutgers at Minnesota. The latest stats, facts, news and notes on Caleb McConnell of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Thanks for contacting us. LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj But not until he played two possessions on it, including a cross-court sprint into a contested lay-up. Battle's game-winn aWdodD0nMCcgc3JjPSdodHRwczovL3d3dy5nb29nbGV0YWdtYW5hZ2VyLmNv AP. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). It feels like Ive been through one long fight for years., He announced his decision on Twitter in October. I just started laughing and shaking my head when he told me, he said. Here is another angle that shows the authority in which McConnell blocked the ball but also that the play was clearly a clean stop. Rutgers basketball makes a move down in CBS Sports projections from Jerry Palm. 113. His movement looked fine, although he seemed a gear short of his typical explosion. How much had he changed? The senior guard came through on the defensive end to save the game for Rutgers in the upset of No. Afterward, hed put up shots late into the night. AP Top 25 Poll: Rutgers drops out of national rankings once again NJ . Then Pikiell inserted McConnell into the starting lineup, the Scarlet Knights won five of their next six games and eventually squeaked into the tournament, ending a 30-year drought. All the things Ive been through and all the things Ive overcome, then you throw basketball in there and all the things I dealt with in my college career, I never folded, I never gave up on myself, McConnell said. McConnell is coming off his best season yet, as he is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of The year. As McConnell has stepped up offensively, he has frustrated opponents on the other end of the court. Was on the Watch List and a Semifinalist (top 5) for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. He also drew a charge and dished out a point guard-quality assist. 16 Buckeyes, Played in 20 games (eight starts), averaging 5.7 points and career-best 4.3 rebounds with career-high 29 steals, Did not make season debut until Jan. 2 against No. McConnell is a tremendous defensive presence, blending natural athleticism with instincts and intelligence. . 339 in Kenpom, but the Scarlet Knights did make it through an injury-riddled November without taking a Lafayette-type loss. Climbing RU's all-time leader board forcareer steals. Despite the bumps and bruises, McConnell progressed from a freshman reserve who displayed occasional glimpses of his potential to a sophomore starter. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. His cousins story was similar to thousands across the country a good kid, McConnell believed, who got caught in a bad situation and was paying the price for it and he was about to see him for the first time in four years. When Spire Academy, an elite sports performance training and education program in Geneva, Ohio, offered McConnell a chance to transfer there for his senior season, it meant living on his own for the first time 200 miles from his dad and 900 miles from his mom. Through 14 games, the Scarlet Knights senior is averaging a career-high 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. Whenever were in the huddle, hes always saying, Ill guard him. Theres a great feeling as a coach knowing that someone wants to accept the challenge of stopping the best player.. News never stops. The brotherhood, the culture and the friendships we built with each other are going to last forever. Those three three years of eating, sleeping and breathing basketball turned McConnell into a Division I prospect. Jun 01 Just as Rutgers was being read its last rites on the game in what really was a must win to maintain hope for a repeat trip to the NCAA Tournament, McConnell, like the team, came back from the dead to save the day. He has also been a rebounds machine of late, with 32 rebounds so far in 2023. All it takes is perseverance, keeping my head down and keep going.. Feb 20, 2023. Rutgers guard Caleb McConnell grimaces after colliding with a Minnesota player during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Minneapolis. "I was just focused on making it down the floor and making the right plays," he explained. I was like, You know, hes right. I heard it from the crowd. Rutgers Recruiting: Will Scarlet Knights make surprise push for Bronny James? Leaving his mother, brothers, grandparents and friends was tough, but McConnell was committed to getting better. MjI3MzMxNDAiLAogICAgYzc6ICJodHRwczovL3J1dGdlcnMucml2YWxzLmNv He was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of The Year, one of 10 players as a semi-finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of The Year award and was also earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. "Spoke to Steve Pikiell a little bit ago. At least one Big East coach, to Briskis amazement, said he was soft. 9 recruit in Ohio by 247Sports.com, Averaged 13.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a junior at Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar High before transferring to SPIRE, A 2016-2017 Associated Press Southwest All-District II honoree, Competed on the AAU circuit for C2K Elite, Son of Bryant McConnell and Stefanie Meade, Signed with Scarlet Knights over reported offers from West Virginia, Wichita State, UMass, St. Bonaventure, Temple, Missouri State, Wright State, Akron and Kent State. He was by no means a flashy recruit and was the third-highest recruit out of 4 in Rutgers' 2018 class.. Now, McConnell has recently been crowned the Big . The Rutgers guard is averaging a career-high 2.4 steals a game. The summer before his freshman season, McConnell recovered from surgery on the broken foot. VE0tTUY2UFhYQycpOwo8L3NjcmlwdD4KPG5vc2NyaXB0Pgo8aWZyYW1lIGhl Dont be surprised of the Blue Devils (0-7) remain on Rutgers schedule going forward. There are no statistics available for this player. The sacrifices, the surgery, the waiting were worth it for that moment, McConnell said. GET TKR PREMIUM FREE FOR 30 DAYS CLICK HERE FOR MORE. McConnell logged more than 10 points during each of his last three games started. Your account has an invalid email address. IHMuYXN5bmMgPSB0cnVlOwogICAgLy8gbG9hZGluZyB0aGUgZXZlcmdyZWVu He kept going at dudes. I appreciate the fans being patient with me and cheering me on and having my back.. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. If you look at our games, hes taking the best player and cutting their points in half. PSBkb2N1bWVudC5nZXRFbGVtZW50c0J5VGFnTmFtZSgic2NyaXB0IilbMF07 We miss having you out there. MARCH. to be the Big Tens defensive player of the year. Dave Briski, head coach at Spire Academy, watched from the stands as McConnell, then a junior at Dunbar High, dominated his opponents. MINNEAPOLIS (AP)Jamison Battle hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer and finished with 20 points as Minnesota beat Rutgers 75-74 on Thursday night to snap a 12-game losing streak. moving Rutgers name to the next stage of the bracket. All rights reserved (About Us). As he waited in the prison, Caleb McConnell didnt know what to expect. It was his way of getting me better. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, News never stops. Kaleb Johnson leaving Rutgers football to join the Florida Gators in the SEC, Antwann Hill Jr. discusses Rutgers football offer and where things stand with Ohio State, Rutgers basketball dominates and somehow loses at Minnesota, CBS Sports Jerry Palm has Rutgers basketball in the First Four. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. There is still the option to withdraw up until June 13th, as per the NBA rules, but that would not allow them to retain their college eligibility. When he reached eighth grade, his parents decided that a permanent move to Dayton to be with his father would be the best path toward a future in basketball. He came into Rutgers as part of the 2018 recruiting class with Harper Jr., who already hired an agent and will not return to use his final year of college eligibility at Rutgers. Rutgers is the last team in the NCAA Tournament? With latest Big Ten loss, Rutgers basketball continues KenPom slide, Elijah King, a three-star edge, opens up on Rutgers football offer and his spring visit to Ohio State, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "It was a tough six weeks for me. In fact, it was a voice from the crowd that helped him shake off some rust. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the . pic.twitter.com/TI9R6uK2z3. Coaches and scouts said he was too skinny, which meant he would get pushed around by bigger players. In his final year as a Scarlet Knight, McConnell is having an unforgettable last dance and helping Rutgers earn national headlines. He did that every day. His father, a former college athlete and a decent playground hoops player in his own right, often joined his son and rarely went easy on him. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the win for the Gophers. Odds & lines subject to change. Led Big Ten in steals, setting new career-high in steals with 70 on the season. Here is the legendary play by McConnell that might just go down as the highlight of his Rutgers career at least so far. Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. UNBREAKABLE.. Battle made three 3s and Dawson Garcia scored four points during the stretch. And there were nagging injuries a bad back, jammed fingers, sore shoulders, bruised ribs along the way. What a spark for @RutgersMBB! UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Between them, Caleb McConnell and Paul Mulcahy have played 208 games for Rutgers basketball. McConnell was a great locker room presence, able to flip a switch from the relentless player he was on the court to a unifying force off of it. Legendarypic.twitter.com/T5jWZ81x4c, Matt Sugam (@MattSugam) February 10, 2022. It will be the final home game of fifth-year senior Caleb McConnell's career as he runs out of collegiate eligibility after this season. All rights reserved (About Us). "We've been trying to let these guys know we need more from them with me and Paul out, and theyve been bringing it," McConnell said. Pikiell and his staff loved what they saw on tape. Rutgers basketball has seen a slide in the latest analytics updates from KenPom. "I made a pass to Cliff (Omoruyi) and he didnt see it coming; I was forcing things, and then I hear someone say, Caleb, just let it come to you! After that I kind of relaxed. cG9XSlVIbnFWemRFYTd3JmFtcDtndG1fcHJldmlldz1lbnYtMSZhbXA7Z3Rt Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell reacts during Rutgers' loss to Minnesota on March 2. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. . Hes always got something lingering, but just doesnt care. Not too bad. Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He followed it up with the best summer of his college career and entered his senior year with a specific goal: to be the Big Tens defensive player of the year. (Photos courtesy of the McConnell family). I have so much love for them, and I wouldnt be where I am without them. He tallied 4 points on 2-of-5 shooting and added four rebounds, three assists and a block. 0:49. As expected, rusty. Led by a dynamic backcourt, Miami owns a 10-point win over Providence and suffered an 18-point loss to Maryland. So how did McConnell look? On Wednesday night, Rutgers mens basketball completed an improbable comeback to knock off No. dCc6CiAgICAgICAgbmV3IERhdGUoKS5nZXRUaW1lKCksZXZlbnQ6J2d0bS5q Of course, he was ultimately named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He was a key member of the 2019-20 team that would have snapped Rutgers then 29-year NCAA Tournament drought had it not been for the coronavirus pandemic. The Scarlet Knights senior being recognized for his elite defensive efforts this . caleb mcconnell rutgers tattoogeorgia foraging laws. JyZndG1fcHJldmlldz0nKydlbnYtMScrJyZndG1fY29va2llc193aW49eCc7 His 21 steals over a five-game stretch tied him for second most in the Big Ten since 2002-03. "Certainly for the first time these guys being on this stage, they were locked in from the beginning," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. bjsKICAgICAgICB3W2xdPXdbbF18fFtdO3dbbF0ucHVzaCh7J2d0bS5zdGFy McConnell had 12 points (5-11 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 0-1 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal over 32 minutes during Sunday's 59-56 win over Penn State. We cant do it without you. The kids a dog.. The Scarlet Knights will have to work to earn a bid to the tournament. McConnell made the heroic play with four fouls and put himself on the line physically as well to make the game saving block. He has been more involved offensively and is taking advantage of his opportunities. He announced his decision with an Instagram video on June 1st "calling Rutgers Nation" from his hometown in Florida. Contact him atjcarino@gannettnj.com. https://rutgerswire.usatoday.com/2023/01/22/rutgers-caleb-mcconnell-is-having-an-impressive-last-dance/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Former Rutgers star Jason McCourty joins Good Morning Football following NFL retirement. They were wonderful co-parents who remain good friends to this day, but the physical distance between them was tough on their sons. Nobody wanted him. They have a 4-3 record against Quad 1 opponents and have won back to back games against ranked foes for the first time since 2008. It was just a no-brainer, McConnell said. The Buckeyes still led 64-60 with 2:33 to play when they threw the deep pass from their own baseline coming out of a timeout to find Malaki Branham wide open just past midcourt. After tearful conversations with his father and Pikiell, McConnell elected to have surgery, take a medical redshirt and miss an entire basketball season for the first time in his life. It was not a seamless transition. He is the only Big Ten player to make the semifinalist cut. 33: 26: 2:03: Foul on Antwone . The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Its great to have him it gives me a lift.. Rutgers Basketball got some good news today as wing player Caleb McConnell intends to withdraw his name from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to college for one last season with the Scarlet Knights. The McConnell boys split their time between them, attending school in Florida, with summers in Ohio. That roar became an eruption a minute later, when McConnell converted his first touch into a bucket an eight-foot running floater from the baseline.