He was rewarded with the honor of moving Rutgers name to the next stage of the bracket. Im with this kid every day. Ron Harper Jr. spent a good portion of his childhood in the city where his famous father, five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., grew up. Gambling problem? Big Ten; New York City Sports; Rutgers Scarlet Knights; College Sports; Sports By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Sign up for the Rutgers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the win for the Gophers. With McConnell's return, Rutgers Basketball now has two open scholarships remaining. 8/10 Indiana, Earned All-Met Player of the Week (Dec. 6), Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, First Rutgers player to win conference Defensive Player of the Year award since Hamady Ndiaye in 2009-10, Also named Named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and to Big Ten All-Defensive Team. Rutgers guard Caleb McConnell is not expected to play in Thursday night's meeting with Michigan due to the back injury he suffered during pregame warmups ahead of Saturday's win over Wisconsin . The Scarlet Knights senior being recognized for his elite defensive efforts this season. Simpson, a point guard out of Lenape High School, finished with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting Saturday and brought the crowd to its feet with a thunderous breakaway dunk. Dave Briski, head coach at Spire Academy, watched from the stands as McConnell, then a junior at Dunbar High, dominated his opponents. Rutgers led 70-60 before Garcia scored the next four points and Battle hit consecutives 3s to pull the Golden Gophers to 73-70 with 22 seconds left, and Jaden Henley's putback cut the deficit to 73-72. b3ItMjAyMi0yMy1zZWFzb24mYzU9MjAyMjczMzE0MCZjdj0yLjAmY2o9MSZj Nobody wanted him. Of course, he was ultimately named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. 13 Michigan State and No. 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. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Imh0dHBzOi8vc2Iuc2NvcmVjYXJkcmVzZWFyY2guY29tL3A/YzE9MiZjMj03 We miss having you out there. Simply put, it changed the game. Yesterday afternoon, senior guard Caleb McConnell of the Rutgers men's basketball team was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Along with all that, McConnell also racked up a couple of different postseason honors. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Im so grateful to have been blessed with this group of teammates. N'Diaye did so in the Big East following the 2009-2010 season and McConnell . It was his way of getting me better. Here is the legendary play by McConnell that might just go down as the highlight of his Rutgers career at least so far. Mens Basketball Game Thread: Rutgers at Minnesota. A mistake. ZyAtLT4KCgo=, Enjoying TheKnightReport? Neither do we. 16 Ohio State (four), No. MUNSTER SECTIONAL. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You cant replace 114 games of college experience and the intangibles he brings in terms of leadership and basketball IQ. UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Between them, Caleb McConnell and Paul Mulcahy have played 208 games for Rutgers basketball. 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.. Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell and guard Caleb McConnell (22) are a "match made in heaven," McConnell's high school coach said.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Averaged 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds with 26 steals and 32 assists, Led team in 3-point percentage (35.7%) and was second in team in steals, Among Big Ten freshman, ranked fifth in steals, Scored in double-figures six times, five of those coming against Big Ten foes, including a career-best 25 points at Illinois (Feb. 9), Averaged 11.8 points over the final four games of the season, A 247Sports and Rivals three-star prospect who attended SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, helping the team to a 22-6 record in 2017-18 under head coach Dave Briski, Averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals-per-game as a senior, Scored 30 points with seven assists against Our Savior Lutheran (N.Y.), Ranked the No. Scored in double-figures four times in a five-game span (Clemson, Purdue, Seton Hall, Maine), 16 points versus Clemson was new career-high, Also set career-highs in rebounds (12, Seton Hall), assists (9, UMass) and steals (6, UMass), Had four steals in each of wins over No. Get a yearly subscription for $99.95/year or $9.95/month. Battles game-winning shot capped a 15-4 run in the final 1:15 for Minnesotas only lead of the game. Freshmen Derek Simpson and Antwone Woolfolk, who will be needed in Big Ten competition, have gotten valuable time and shown growth this month. Written off, lost and bewildered. McConnell was the kind of prospect they wanted a tough kid with lots of upside who loved basketball. JAMISON BATTLE WITH A BUZZER BEATER FOR @GopherMBB (via @CBBonFOX) pic.twitter.com/NPEFUfaxDa. AP Top 25 Poll: Rutgers drops out of national rankings once again NJ . Z3RtX2F1dGg9JysnS2hINmhlQ3BvV0pVSG5xVnpkRWE3dycrCiAgICAgICAg McConnell made the 15-minute walk from his moms Jacksonville apartment to the courts and he spent hours in pickup games, a majority of which against grown men. Players didnt call fouls because there were none allowed. Rutgers men's basketball's fifth-year captain Caleb McConnell has been named to the 2023 Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist, consisting of 10 of the top defenders in the country. To see him causing havoc in the Big Ten for the last four years, its just awesome. Visit ESPN for the play-by-play of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers NCAAM basketball game on 3 March 2023 . The brotherhood, the culture and the friendships we built with each other are going to last forever. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 0:05. We cant do it without you. McConnell announced the decision to declare for the 2022 NBA Draft on March 28th with a post on Instagram that read as follows: These last four years were amazing! 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 kept going at dudes. JyZndG1fcHJldmlldz0nKydlbnYtMScrJyZndG1fY29va2llc193aW49eCc7 bD0nK2w6Jyc7ai5hc3luYz10cnVlO2ouc3JjPQogICAgICAgICdodHRwczov I really fell in love with the game, with competing and learning new stuff, McConnell said. He was finally healthy heading into his junior season, but a month and a half before he was scheduled to return to school, a freak accident in a pickup game left him with two slipped disks in his back. In his final year as a Scarlet Knight, McConnell is having an unforgettable last dance and helping Rutgers earn national headlines. He scored just 4 points, but had 4 rebounds, 4 steals and the all-important blocked shot. Rutgers plays at Indiana on Wednesday night, another bubble team in terms of NCAA Tournament projections. Caleb McConnell was fouled . McConnell is coming off his best season yet, as he is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of The year. His impact in many games isnt necessarily fully reflected in the box score. Its a real morale booster to see Caleb on the floor," sophomore guard Jalen Miller said. Zi5wYXJlbnROb2RlLmluc2VydEJlZm9yZShqLGYpOwogICAgICAgIHdpbmRv Rutgers men's basketball guard Caleb McConnell was named a semifinalist on Tuesday for the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year. Had streak of four games of over four+ steals to key wins over No. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). It will be the final home game of fifth-year senior Caleb McConnells career as he runs out of collegiate eligibility after this season. 5 takeaways as the standout guard returned from a knee injury 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. Was the new setting going to make things weird? Caleb has given up so much because he believes what hell achieve in the end.. "Certainly for the first time these guys being on this stage, they were locked in from the beginning," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. His movement looked fine, although he seemed a gear short of his typical explosion. Caleb McConnell UNBREAKABLE Rutgers MBB LLA . McConnell embraced the physicality and the competition, quickly going from the skinny kid everyone wanted guarding them to their first choice when picking teams. McConnell likely has a pro career ahead of him, here or abroad, and hell face it the same way he got to where he is now with an insatiable appetite for basketball, a chip on his shoulder, and a belief in himself fueled by those in his corner and the sacrifices he made along the way. 113. Laser Tattoo Removal clinics in Taipei City at the best price. The kids a dog.. Pikiell actually got Sellers his first college coaching job. to be the Big Tens defensive player of the year. Baker scored the final five points for Rutgers after the Scarlet Knights built an 11-point lead and nearly gave it all away. 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. The Scarlet Knights close out the regular season on the weekend at home against Penn State. Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Caleb McConnell (22) waits to enter the game during the first half against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils at Jersey Mike's Arena. A three-star recruit, he had nowhere to go. Caleb McConnell began playing basketball around eight years old, and his passion for the game has led him to plenty of success. Baker was sensational. Then came the texts and calls from teammates that all carried the same message: We really need you this year. 70413 lego - Der TOP-Favorit unserer Produkttester. There were many big plays, including Geo Bakers clutch drive with the game on the line to draw the foul and knock down the pair of free throws. Hes not going to let anything bother him and hes not going to make any excuses about it. 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. Rutgers basketball makes a move down in CBS Sports projections from Jerry Palm. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Slot to Rutgers Scarlet Knights Newsletter. Its paid off immensely: McConnell leads the Big Ten in steals (2.1 per game), provided game-changing defensive performances in numerous wins -- including upsets of Big Ten title contenders Purdue and Michigan State -- and is in the thick of the race for the award with a month left in the regular season. In fact, it was a voice from the crowd that helped him shake off some rust. Sign up for the Rutgers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The Scarlet Knights will have to work to earn a bid to the tournament. As expected, rusty. All McConnell needed was a chance, and Rutgers was the one that gave it to him. https://rutgerswire.usatoday.com/2023/01/22/rutgers-caleb-mcconnell-is-having-an-impressive-last-dance/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Im unbreakable because no matter what happens, Im still going to keep going and overcome all the challenges, all the injuries, all the setbacks, all the doubts. ICAgIGo9ZC5jcmVhdGVFbGVtZW50KHMpLGRsPWwhPSdkYXRhTGF5ZXInPycm Rutgers is the last team in the NCAA Tournament? aWQ9J2RzX2RlZmF1bHRfYW5jaG9yJz48L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK, Certain Data by Sportradar and Stats Perform, PCEtLSBCZWdpbiBjb21TY29yZSBUYWcgLS0+Cgo8c2NyaXB0PgogIHZhciBf It would be a fitting award to conclude an arduous college basketball career that few believed was possible. "And as a competitor, Ive got to rise to the occasion.. Not too bad. Find doctors, specialized in Cosmetology and compare prices, costs and reviews. After being spurned by just about every Big Ten school, McConnell is now a key member of Rutgers basketball renaissance who, with eight games remaining in his senior season, is a top candidate for the conferences Defender of the Year award. Neither do we. Despite the bumps and bruises, McConnell progressed from a freshman reserve who displayed occasional glimpses of his potential to a sophomore starter. Rutgers guard Caleb McConnell is down to decision time when it comes to his basketball future. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. cG9XSlVIbnFWemRFYTd3JmFtcDtndG1fcHJldmlldz1lbnYtMSZhbXA7Z3Rt That is the minimum expectation from him across March, when Rutgers will play two more regular-season games . IHMuYXN5bmMgPSB0cnVlOwogICAgLy8gbG9hZGluZyB0aGUgZXZlcmdyZWVu Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Eventually, the outdoor courts in Jacksonville and Dayton became his home. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Rutgers Wrestling: Coach Scott Goodale gives early lineup preview, Rutgers Football: 5 things to watch during training camp. Not too bad. That aspect of the game has been a mainstay and strength during the Pikiell era as McConnell has personified the type of player that has developed and excelled under the head coach's direction. In Indianapolis, they defeated Clemson for their first March Madness win in 38 years. We've received your submission. McConnell, who led the conference with 70 steals last season, decided for one last ride with his beloved Scarlet Knights after working out with several NBA teams this offseason. 28,939. The Rutgers guard is averaging a career-high 2.4 steals a game. 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. Caleb McConnell is a semifinalist for Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year. The Jacksonville native has seen his playing time rise and has shown that he can be a veteran leader. pic . It will be fascinating to see how his hot hand translates to the upcoming spike in competition. He has been more involved offensively and is taking advantage of his opportunities. cyd9KTt2YXIgZj1kLmdldEVsZW1lbnRzQnlUYWdOYW1lKHMpWzBdLAogICAg 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I was like, lets just relax and let it come to me.. Over the last five years, Caleb McConnell has been a steady presence in the Rutgers lineup. McConnell will give it everything he has, carried by the unbreakable mindset that got him here, sharing all the fruits of his labor with those who backed him up along the way. 19). With two games left in the regular season, Rutgers very much controls their NCAA Tournament destiny. Count them out at your own risk. 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. He has also been a rebounds machine of late, with 32 rebounds so far in 2023. McConnell played his entire senior season with a sports hernia and a painful hip injury, and it took a broken foot to get McConnell off of the court for good. The award comes days after the Scarlet Knights' (18-12, 12-8) season finale win over Penn State.. McConnell, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, earned the prestigious award with 67 total steals this season, 20 more than second-place Hakim Hart. Those three three years of eating, sleeping and breathing basketball turned McConnell into a Division I prospect. As Rutgers looks to make a tournament run, McConnell will be critical. moving Rutgers name to the next stage of the bracket. dmVyc2lvbgogICAgcy5zcmMgPSAiaHR0cHM6Ly9zLnlpbWcuY29tL2N4L3Z6 What a spark for @RutgersMBB! He woke his dad at 6 a.m. every morning for rides to workouts with a personal trainer. Thank you to my family for making me the man I am today and supporting me through every up and down. How much had he changed? Rutgers Basketball got some good news today as wing player intends to withdraw his name from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to college for one last season with the Scarlet Knights. After watching his son dominate players his age in one-on-one games, Bryant McConnell paid older kids to go all out against his son on the court. Watching the play several times, it jumps out as symbolic of this season for Rutgers mens basketball. I love the fact that I can play him at almost any position while our younger guys are figuring out one position. The summer after, he had surgery to repair his hip injuries. Rutgers basketball has seen a slide in the latest analytics updates from KenPom. Cam Spencer (18 points on 6-8 shooting, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) looks fully in the flow of Rutgers schemes. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the . "Caleb has been the ultimate ambassador for our program on and off the court. The Scarlet Knights will look to earn as many automatic qualifier spots to the NCAA Tournament that they can this weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Rutgers basketball makes a move down in CBS Sports projections from Jerry Palm. Kristian Dyer. 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. As a fourth-year player this past season, McConnell . Tip time is 7:15 p.m. Im looking forward to these next couple of games because I know the competition is going to get better," he said. "Ive been out these last six weeks and had just three or four practices. Rutgers' Clifford Omoruyi blocked Brice Sensbaugh's shot with nine seconds left, and the Scarlet Knights led by three with seven seconds to go. 25 Ohio State a 67-66 victory over Rutgers on Thursday night. Sitting at 16-12 (10-8 Big Ten), the Scarlet Knights have the potential to book a tournament berth if they split their remaining regular season games and get at least one win in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Then, you factor in his rebounds and his assists, he does a lot of things for us that equate to winning. I have seen the students and the fans at Jersey Mikes Arena create what is now the best home court advantage in all of college basketball. He announced his decision with an Instagram video on June 1st calling Rutgers Nation from his hometown in Florida. Hammond Morton (8-15) vs. Hammond Central (23-1) Munster (23-2) at Lake Central (16-8) CROWN POINT SECT Please check your email for a confirmation. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 16 Ohio State 66-64 behind a 10-0 run in the final 3:48 of the game. McConnell was the star of the historic win, scoring 13 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and playing his trademark defense. Y29tc2NvcmUgPSBfY29tc2NvcmUgfHwgW107CiAgX2NvbXNjb3JlLnB1c2go Instead, Geo Baker hit a step back jumper to cut the lead to 64-62 at the two minute mark. Battle was 7 of 15 from the floor and 6-of-13 shooting from long range. Join us to discuss the action as it happens live! Support NJ.com, Brian Fonseca | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, across his stomach in bold, black letters. Golden Gophers forward Jameson Battle hit a game-winning buzzer-beater as the horn sounded to give Minnesota the 75-74 victory. Thats another thing he had to be strong for, his mother said. 16 Ohio State, Had key chase-down block on breakaway layup attempt to spark 10-0 run to close out win over No. (Photos courtesy of the McConnell family). 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. The senior guard has dominated low-major foes just like he did at Loyola-Maryland. He was previously selected to the watchlist last month. The reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is pulling his name out of the NBA Draft pool and is returning to Rutgers for his final season . Mulcahy remains sidelined indefinitely by left shoulder injury; Pikiell said he's been cleared to practice but not for contact. I think hes the best and the most versatile defender in the league, Pikiell said. When he missed eight games to start the 2020-21 season the first missed games of his college career it gnawed at McConnell. Battle's game-winn I was just focused on making it down the floor and making the right plays," he explained. Caleb McConnell is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the only individual award given to a RU player since joining the conference in 2014. Clifford Omoruyi scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Rutgers (18-12, 10-9). PSBkb2N1bWVudC5nZXRFbGVtZW50c0J5VGFnTmFtZSgic2NyaXB0IilbMF07 According to a former coach, he is also toughest damn dude in the Big Ten.. The caption read: Proverbs 3:5-6. Still, McConnells basketball future was cloudy as the end of his senior season approached. McConnell's has a decorated resume through 60 career starts . Theyve been down and out more times than I can count. The summer before his freshman season, McConnell recovered from surgery on the broken foot. INCREDIBLE BLOCK BY @caleb_mcco . bmV3cyUyRmNhbGViLW1jY29ubmVsbC1yZXR1cm5pbmctdG8tcnV0Z2Vycy1m In fact, it was a voice from the crowd that helped him shake off some rust. Hes not soft. When visiting his dad in the summer, the routine was the same: hours spent at outdoor courts and in the local recreation center, where his aunt organized a basketball camp. Thank you to Coach Pikiell for believing in me and recruiting a kid from Jacksonville, Florida, and Dayton, Ohio to play at Rutgers when few people believed in me. McConnell has posted a 42.0 field percentage after only shooting 39.7 percent from the field last season. Dont be surprised of the Blue Devils (0-7) remain on Rutgers schedule going forward. Battle made three 3s and Dawson Garcia scored four points during the stretch. 10 Iowa as he recovered from a back injury, Scored 12 points with 3 assists and four rebounds versus Ohio State (Jan. 9), Posted season-highs with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in win over Minnesota (Feb. 4). Thanks for contacting us. I just started laughing and shaking my head when he told me, he said. Rutgers mens basketball guard Caleb McConnell was named a semifinalist on Tuesday for the Naismith Mens Defensive Player of the Year. He has 2.3 assists a game. The senior guard came through on the defensive end to save the game for Rutgers in the upset of No. 12 Illinois (four). McConnell's rebounding average of 5.5 per game is just 0.2 higher than last season. c191Y2ZyPTAiIC8+Cjwvbm9zY3JpcHQ+CjwhLS0gRW5kIGNvbVNjb3JlIFRh But the other three scholarship Scarlet Knights who are . Im proud as hell of what hes accomplished, but I cant say Im surprised, Briski said. College players have until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday to withdraw from the 2022 NBA Draft and retain their college eligibility. He didnt lay down or come out or anything. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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. It was a match made in heaven, Briski said. Contact him atjcarino@gannettnj.com. Credit Solution Experts Incorporated offers quality business credit building services, which includes an easy step-by-step system designed for helping clients build their business credit effortlessly. There would be no more fitting award for Caleb McConnell than Defensive Player of the Year in the Big Ten., Pretty damn close to every Big Ten school called about him or came to see him, and no one pulled the trigger. I couldnt imagine not having graduated high school and youve already had to adjust a couple of times, missing your family because of something you wanted so bad, something that you believed in so bad for yourself.

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