Daily Home News - February 9, 2005
As we saw with Damon Santiago's game winning shot against Pitt, buzzer beaters are even more satisfying when seasoned with added excitement such as a 20 point comeback. Sometimes, however, the extra seasoning doesn't depend on things that may or may not happen, the matchup itself provides its own added excitement. Rivalry games are a case in point. Back when I first got involved in Rutgers basketball in the mid 1960s, the rivalry game was against Princeton. More recently, inside or outside of conference, it's with Seton Hall. A buzzer beater win in a rivalry game almost seems too good to be true, but sometimes even extra sauce is added by something special, say, for example, a controversial call. Of all those elements, only the rivalry was assured for the February 8, 2005 Rutgers - Seton Hall game at the RAC. Both teams were struggling, especially the Scarlet Knights who had lost five straight, also the number of consecutive losses at the hands of their instate rivals. Only a few weeks earlier, the Pirates had embarrassed Rutgers 74-58.
Daily Home News - February 9, 2005
In spite of, or perhaps because of, it being a rivalry game, much of the contest was far from classic basketball. Bill Handleman of the Daily Home News called most of the game, especially the first twenty minutes "a monument to bad basketball." Early in the first half Rutgers had the better of what scoring took place and led 20-8 with eight minutes to go. Nothing good happened for the Knights for the remainder of the period, however, as they managed only six points, but still led 26-22 in a game where neither team was able to sustain any offense. The scoring didn't improve much early in the second half, but Seton Hall mustered enough offense to take their first lead at 33-32 with 13:52 left. That was followed by ten minutes of what Jerry Carino, also in the Home News, called "bricked shots, lousy-looking free throws and errant passes" which "plagued both sides." At point it seemed like the game would be known for poor play rather than anything else, but basketball sometimes saves its best for last.
John Allen of Seton Hall got the fireworks started with a long jumper that gave the Pirates their biggest lead at 43-40 with under four minutes left. Quincy Douby of Rutgers quickly responded with a long three points shot from the left side to tie the game with 3:17 to go. On the next Seton Hall possession, Douby's aggressive offense carried over to his defense as he stole the ball and was fouled by the Pirates Donald Copeland. The Rutgers sophomore hit both shots to put Rutgers up by two. After some back and forth, Rutgers still led 50-48, but Copeland hit a long three of his own to give Seton Hall a one point advantage with just 42 seconds left. Douby was far from done, however, hitting a running jumper with only 27 seconds remaining. Seton Hall went to John Allen on their last possession and although it appeared he got away with a walk, his 10 foot bank shot put the Pirates ahead by one with 16 seconds left. Rutgers came down needing one for a tie and two for a win and Knights guard Jules Wiggan was fouled with only 6.5 seconds on the clock. Wiggan made one, missed one and the game went to overtime.
Record - February 9, 2005
Rutgers took the lead early in the overtime when Douby banked in a ten foot runner. The Knights maintained their lead for most of the five minute overtime period, but Kelly Whitney hit a shot with just 14 seconds left to tie the game at 61-61. Rutgers brought the ball up the court looking for Douby to take the last shot. Quincy put up an off balance shot from the left side of the key which missed and the game was headed to a second overtime. Or was it? In the excitement few people realized referee Les Jones had blown his whistle right after Douby released the ball, calling a foul on Copland of Seton Hall. With no time left on the clock and no players on the line, Douby missed the first, but hit the second to give the Knights a one point win and spark no end of controversy about the call. Seton Hall and its fans were adamant that no foul was committed while Rutgers was ecstatic to have won the game, ending both losing streaks at five. Perhaps Rutgers Coach Gary Waters probably put it best by simply calling it "divine justice."
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