Win or lose, Rutgers basketball coach Steve Pikiell typically conducts his postgame press conference with an upbeat disposition. Not this time. After the Scarlet Knights fell at 25th-ranked Ohio State 67-66 on a last-second buzzer-beater amid controversy, a visibly crestfallen Pikiell struggled to find the words. With Rutgers three points in the final seconds, Pikiell instructed his players to foul and force Ohio State to the free-throw line. The foul occurred with 5.8 seconds left, and after the Buckeyes made both shots, Rutgers’ most reliable player — fifth-year guard Caleb McConell — got fouled and missed the back end of his freebies. With the Scarlet Knights up two, they forced Ohio State to the sidelines and appeared to have a stop before reserve guard Tanner Holden took a desperation pass and buried a long triple at the buzzer. It looked like the Buckeyes may have stepped out of bounds on…
Continue Reading: Rutgers basketball drops controversial heartbreaker to No. 25 Ohio State
