{"id":152847,"date":"2022-12-09T13:30:24","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T13:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/rutgers-basketball-drops-heartbreaker-to-no-25-ohio-state\/"},"modified":"2022-12-09T13:30:24","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T13:30:24","slug":"rutgers-basketball-drops-heartbreaker-to-no-25-ohio-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/rutgers-basketball-drops-heartbreaker-to-no-25-ohio-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Rutgers basketball drops heartbreaker to No. 25 Ohio State"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n

Win or lose, Rutgers basketball coach Steve Pikiell typically conducts his postgame press conference with an upbeat disposition.<\/p>\n

Not this time.<\/p>\n

After the Scarlet Knights fell at 25th-ranked Ohio State 67-66 Thursday on a controversial buzzer-beater, a visibly crestfallen Pikiell struggled to find the words.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust tough down the stretch,\u201d he said. Got to give credit to (Chris) Holtmann and Ohio State; they’re tough, they’re physical.”<\/p>\n

\"Rutgers<\/figure>\n

With Rutgers up 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. The Buckeyes made both shots, pulling within one, and then reliable fifth-year guard Caleb McConell got fouled and missed the back end of two freebies. A career 76 percent free-throw shooter, McConnell was 10-for-10 on the season before the final miss.<\/p>\n