Baker’s perseverance helps 10th-seeded Rutgers snap 38-year NCAA Tournament drought

INDIANAPOLIS – Geo Baker couldn’t help but get one final glimpse of the moment. 

The Rutgers senior guard was there when the Scarlet Knights fought through 3-15 and 7-13 records in Big Ten play. He can remember watching the NCAA Tournament from his dorm room, waiting for the opportunity to play on that stage.

It’s the reason why he had to run back out from the locker room to soak in what had just happened: A 60-56 win for the Scarlet Knights over Clemson in the tournament’s opening round.

The Rutgers faithful who came 724 miles from New Jersey to Bankers Life Fieldhouse chanted his name as a smile came across his face.

He had dreamed that he could play a part in ending the Scarlet Knights’ 38-year winless drought in March.

Mission accomplished.

“These guys from New Jersey can tell you that I had the year ‘1991’ written on my shoes  since my sophomore year,” said Baker, referencing the last time Rutgers went dancing. “It’s been our goal since we got here. I just always knew that this night would happen.”

He was one of three players who scored 13 points for the Knights. His final five points were probably the biggest of the evening as they ended deciding the game.

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His step-back 3-pointer with 3:48 to play broke a 55-55 tie and his layup with 11 seconds of a deflection sealed the win. In the Rutgers media notes, he’s labeled as being “known for late-game heroics and his step-back jump shot.”

Seems fitting.

“He’s done that throughout his whole career,” said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. “He’s very confident and we’re very confident in him, too. When he has the ball in his hands, good things can happen.”

Want to know how good Baker was on Saturday night? Even when it looked like he was going to make a bad play, he found a way to turn it into a good one. A game-deciding one, at that.

The final possession was intended to be a pass to junior guard Ron Harper, Jr. However, the pass was deflected but Baker stuck with the play to put the final touches on the program’s first NCAA Tourney win since 1983.

“I definitely tried to be a little flashy there and throw a no-look to Ron,” Baker said with a laugh. “They read it, tipped it but I just stayed with the play and got a layup. Our mentality is never to give up on a play.”

Rutgers had pushed the lead to 50-39 with 9:29 to play and looked as if it might coast to the finish line. But Clemson went on a 16-5 run over the final stretch of the game to tie things at 55-55. That’s when the Rutgers defense picked up the intensity.

Clemson’s final field goal of the game came at the 4:12 mark. There were plenty of lead changes along the way.

“It made it March,” Baker said. “This has been everything I hoped for, everything all of these guys hoped for. They just finished strong.”

Rutgers looked primed to make the NCAA Tournament last year before COVID-19 caused the event’s cancellation. But the program’s fans never lost faith. Just look at the group that traveled to Indianapolis.

To hear how loud they were throughout the full 40 minutes made the moment so much more special for everyone involved.

“I know they’ve been waiting a lot longer than me,” Baker said. “They’ve been waiting to experience those emotions, too. It’s been tough on everybody. This just makes it so much better.”

Rutgers will face No. 2 Houston (25-3) on Sunday, a program that is led by Kelvin Sampson, who Pikiell called a “Hall of Fame-caliber coach.” The Knights have only won multiple games in the tournament once in school history: back to 1976 when Rutgers advanced to the Final Four.

But don’t label the Knights as a “cinderella.” Where they’re at right now is where they expected to be all season long.

“We just feel like this has been meant to be,” Baker said. “We feel like we’re a special unit. We know we should be here.” 

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Baker’s perseverance helps 10th-seeded Rutgers snap 38-year NCAA Tournament drought