College players have until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday to withdraw from the 2022 NBA Draft and retain their college eligibility. 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. We cant do it without you. And yet, just like this team over the past month, McConnell fought back in the play and came through in the end. Now he did this all while shooting 39.7% from the floor. dmFyIHMgPSBkb2N1bWVudC5jcmVhdGVFbGVtZW50KCJzY3JpcHQiKSwgZWwg His impact in many games isnt necessarily fully reflected in the box score. aWdodD0nMCcgc3JjPSdodHRwczovL3d3dy5nb29nbGV0YWdtYW5hZ2VyLmNv Was on the Watch List and a Semifinalist (top 5) for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. 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. He didnt lay down or come out or anything. Cam Spencer (18 points on 6-8 shooting, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) looks fully in the flow of Rutgers schemes. 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. eTpoaWRkZW4nIHdpZHRoPScwJz48L2lmcmFtZT4KPC9ub3NjcmlwdD4KCgo=, PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ncmEtY29udGFpbmVyIGRpc3Ryb19hZCc+CjxkaXYgY2xh You cant replace 114 games of college experience and the intangibles he brings in terms of leadership and basketball IQ. His cousin dropped his head back and revealed a tattoo on his neck. I wouldnt say 100 percent, but definitely healthy," McConnell said. . I love the fact that I can play him at almost any position while our younger guys are figuring out one position. It was a match made in heaven, Briski said. 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. 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. When McConnell got to college, his dad finally confessed. 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. Rutgers won a game in astounding fashion in the midst of a brutal stretch of the season that theyre turning into opportunity. That was until McConnell made up incredible ground and delivered as memorable a block as I can remember for this program. March 2, 2022 6:24 am ET. His 21 steals over a five-game stretch tied him for second most in the Big Ten since 2002-03. As a fourth-year player this past season, McConnell . I just started laughing and shaking my head when he told me, he said. What a spark for @RutgersMBB! The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The third son of high school sweethearts Bryant McConnell and Stefanie Kerlin, McConnell was 2 years old when his parents split. Here is the legendary play by McConnell that might just go down as the highlight of his Rutgers career at least so far. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. c3M9J3ZpZGVvLWFkLXdyYXBwZXInPgo8c2NyaXB0IGFzeW5jIHNyYz0nLy9j Sie suchen nach einem 70413 lego, das Ihren Ansprchen gerecht wird? cyd9KTt2YXIgZj1kLmdldEVsZW1lbnRzQnlUYWdOYW1lKHMpWzBdLAogICAg Get a yearly subscription for $99.95/year or $9.95/month. Play By Play - 1st Half; Time Remaining RU Away Team Score Play Team Indicator Home Team Score PSU Game Score Team Indicator Play; 19:36: TURNOVER by MCCONNELL,CALEB 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Support NJ.com, Brian Fonseca | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, across his stomach in bold, black letters. UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Between them, Caleb McConnell and Paul Mulcahy have played 208 games for Rutgers basketball. 113. Battle's game-winn My Rutgers family helped me grow from a unrefined freshman to the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and I thank you all for that from the bottom of my heart!. 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. And just like that, it became McConnells mantra, too, something he repeated over and over to himself in tough moments on and off the court. The Rutgers guard is averaging a career-high 2.4 steals a game. He is an unbelievable person and has been one of our best all-around players on both sides of the floor. "It was a tough six weeks for me. Rutgers Recruiting: Will Scarlet Knights make surprise push for Bronny James? He kept going at dudes. Rutgers guard Caleb McConnell is down to decision time when it comes to his basketball future. 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. ESPN's projections for Rutgers basketball and their NCAA Tournament outlook? b3ItMjAyMi0yMy1zZWFzb24mYzU9MjAyMjczMzE0MCZjdj0yLjAmY2o9MSZj The summer after, he had surgery to repair his hip injuries. https://rutgerswire.usatoday.com/2023/01/22/rutgers-caleb-mcconnell-is-having-an-impressive-last-dance/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He tallied 4 points on 2-of-5 shooting and added four rebounds, three assists and a block. Big Ten; New York City Sports; Rutgers Scarlet Knights; College Sports; Sports On Thursday, Caleb McConnell was one of 15 players named to the 2023 Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist. The play also sent the RAC faithful into a frenzy the rest of the way that helped propel this team to victory. 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 Henleys putback cut the deficit to 73-72. Rutgers' Clifford Omoruyi blocked Brice Sensbaugh's shot with nine seconds left, and the Scarlet Knights led by three with seven seconds to go. Every bit of it., After notching his first double-double of the season against Clemson, Caleb McConnell had the honor of slapping Rutgers into the next round of the NCAA Tournament on a big bracket at Bankers Life: pic.twitter.com/d6hzq4n3GY. INCREDIBLE BLOCK BY @caleb_mcco . Through 14 games, the Scarlet Knights senior is averaging a career-high 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. Verified. Iowa State kicks senior guard off team: 'Said something I Daniel Jones needs to see big picture in Giants negotiations, Red-hot Jon Rahm no match for wind-swept Bay Hill: 'F--king hard', Unprecedented turnaround sets this team up to be MLB's greatest show, The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. #1. Through six games he's been Rutgers' best all-around player this season. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, News never stops. Follow. During the 2022-203 campaign, Rutgers has been one of the best teams in the Big Ten, as McConnell has continued to improve his game. A mistake. In 2018, McConnell was a three-star prospect that was the 73rd-ranked shooting guard in the country. Caleb McConnell (22) Guard - Caleb McConnell is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the only individual award given to a RU player since joining . That label of this soft, skinny kid, I think it pissed him off, quite frankly.. The senior guard has dominated low-major foes just like he did at Loyola-Maryland. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Im proud as hell of what hes accomplished, but I cant say Im surprised, Briski said. Rutgers Basketball got some good news today as wing player Caleb McConnell intends to withdraw his name from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to college for one last season with the Scarlet Knights. Former Rutgers star Jason McCourty joins Good Morning Football following NFL retirement. Y29tc2NvcmUgPSBfY29tc2NvcmUgfHwgW107CiAgX2NvbXNjb3JlLnB1c2go Here is another angle that shows the authority in which McConnell blocked the ball but also that the play was clearly a clean stop. With latest Big Ten loss, Rutgers basketball continues KenPom slide, Elijah King, a three-star edge, opens up on Rutgers football offer and his spring visit to Ohio State, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. As expected, rusty. Big Ten and Big East programs that once had shown interest hesitated to take him. . Count them out at your own risk. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Latest on Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Caleb McConnell including biography, career, awards and more on ESPN 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. 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. Written off, lost and bewildered. In fact, it was a voice from the crowd that helped him shake off some rust. Sophomore guard Jalen Miller has been a defensive specialist to this point, but he broke out on the offensive end Saturday, scoring a career-high six points on 2-3 shooting to go with three rebounds. The Hurricanes, who made the NCAA Tournaments Elite Eight last season, are 5-1 thus far with a Kenpom ranking of 50 (Rutgers is 34). Rutgers was carried by a stellar night from senior . to be the Big Tens defensive player of the year. "Hes got to get his timing back, but he causes major disruptions. 71 posts. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Season-saving. 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. Having him on the floor automatically improves Rutgers on both ends, especially when it comes to defense. PSBkb2N1bWVudC5nZXRFbGVtZW50c0J5VGFnTmFtZSgic2NyaXB0IilbMF07 The more Briski learned about him, the more there was to like. Rutgers Wrestling: Coach Scott Goodale gives early lineup preview, Rutgers Football: 5 things to watch during training camp. Caleb McConnell is a semifinalist for Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year. AP Top 25 Poll: Rutgers drops out of national rankings once again NJ . Starter at guard in 21 of 31 games played, averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds with 25 steals, Shot 41.1 percent from the field and team-best 79.2 percent from the free throw line, Against Big Ten competition, averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds with 13 steals while shooting 80 percent from the free throw line, Scored in double-figures 10 times, leading team in scoring four times, Scored season-high 20 points on 8-8 shooting with a career-high five assists in win at Nebraska (Jan. 3), Had first career double-double with 10 points and career-high 12 rebounds in win over Minnesota (Jan. 19). He has been more involved offensively and is taking advantage of his opportunities. Your account has an invalid email address. Up 10 points on the Big Ten's last-place team with 1:15 remaining, with a third straight NCAA Tournament berth nearly locked up, the Scarlet Knights suffered an epic . Thank you to my family for making me the man I am today and supporting me through every up and down. I got to play for my brothers.. McConnells return comes at a crucial juncture for Rutgers (5-1), which enters the schedules biggest gauntlet: at Miami Wednesday, followed by Big Ten favorite Indiana at home, at Ohio State, and then home games against rival Seton Hall and Wake Forest. Neither do we. As he waited in the prison, Caleb McConnell didnt know what to expect. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Theyve been down and out more times than I can count. Even by Rutgers basketball's historically painful standards, Thursday's loss at Minnesota ranks among the most infamous. ZyAtLT4KCgo=, Enjoying TheKnightReport? Gambling problem? 16 Ohio State 66-64 behind a 10-0 run in the final 3:48 of the game. 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. They just didnt trust their eyes I guess, I dont know. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the . COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Tanner Holden made a 3-pointer as time expired to give No. January 22, 2023 7:47 pm ET. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. VE0tTUY2UFhYQycpOwo8L3NjcmlwdD4KPG5vc2NyaXB0Pgo8aWZyYW1lIGhl Hes not soft. He doesnt want anybody to know something is hurting. MINNEAPOLIS (AP)Jamison Battle hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer and finished with 20 points as Minnesota beat Rutgers 75-74 on Thursday night to snap a 12-game losing streak. The kids fearless, man. Last season, McConnell led the Big Ten in steals with 2.2 per game. INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL SEMI-FINAL'S FRIDAY. photo: Creative Commons / Gage Skidmore https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2./deed.en. It was his way of getting me better. From top to bottom I think were good," McConnell said when asked to compare it to last year's NCAA qualifier. His senior year in high school, the question about him was, Are you soft? and now, he might be the toughest damn dude in the Big Ten, which might be the toughest conference in the country. Game speed is different than practice; you cant simulate any type of game speed. Nobody wanted him. A return to Rutgers would be big for the program as head coach Steve Pikiell is looking to retool after losing Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr., both of whom were instrumental in the programs resurgence. In fact, it was a voice from the crowd that helped him shake off some rust. On The Banks Rutgers Athletics Oral History Project, Men's Basketball Loses 75-74 to Minnesota on Thursday Night, Caleb McConnell Named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist, Mens Basketball Pulls Off Biggest Comeback Since 1996 at PSU, Men's Basketball Heads to Penn State for Sunday Night Matchup, Men's Basketball Falls to Michigan Thursday. The summer before his freshman season, McConnell recovered from surgery on the broken foot. Men's Basketball Will have a story up soon, but you'll hear first: Pikiell said he is not expecting Caleb McConnell to be available on Thursday against Michigan due to the back injury he sustained during warmups for the Wisconsin game. McConnells first sport was football, just like his older brothers Bryant and Jordan, but he found another love when he was around 8 and his mom signed him up to play basketball. What would they talk about? If you look at our games, hes taking the best player and cutting their points in half. My friends would ask what I was doing or to hang out and Id tell them to meet me at the park. He was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last year and has been even better during the 2022-2023 campaign. He adjusted the brace a few times, short-ironed a couple of shots, but did a lot of the dirty-work as usual deflecting balls, altering shots, setting screens, making the extra pass. "Caleb has been the ultimate ambassador for our program on and off the court. 22 on the court for the first time this season. It feels like Ive been through one long fight for years., He announced his decision on Twitter in October. Its unlikely the Scarlet Knights will return to the NCAA Tournament this season, but McConnell has another year of eligibility, so he can return and make another run if he wants.

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