On the surface, the question seems preposterous: Can Dylan Grant, who has played just 37 of a possible 605 minutes so far, save the Rutgers basketball season?
With the Scarlet Knights in desperation mode as 20th-ranked Purdue visits Thursday (6 p.m., Fox Sports 1) and 22nd-ranked UCLA comes in Monday, it’s time to find out.
The freshman forward made the most of his 16-minute appearance in Monday’s loss to Wisconsin, posting eight points, three offensive rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal. Most important: Rutgers rebounded and defended better with him on the floor. Those have been problem areas for the Scarlet Knights, who are 8-7 overall, 1-3 in the Big Ten and still lacking a Quad 1 victory.
“Obviously he’s talented,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. “His ability to block shots, you saw that, he got in a stance today, he finished plays. He’s got a lot – he just has to become more consistent in everything he does.”
The 6-foot-7 combo forward from Canada has spent the season as the 11th man on a squad with a 10-man rotation, seeing extended time only when both of Rutgers’ centers fouled out in November’s loss to Texas A&M. He showed flashes of impressive versatility in the preseason, hitting a 3-pointer in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage – a feat he repeated against Wisconsin.
But his most telling sequence against the Badgers came when he grabbed two offensive rebounds and dove to the floor to claim a loose ball. That’s the type of moxie this group of Scarlet Knights has lacked – and was the calling card for Pikiell’s best Rutgers teams in the past.
“I’m just sticking my nose in there, playing hard,” Grant said. “Pike always tells us to win the 50/50 balls and be the first one on the floor, so that’s what was going through my head.”
It’s fair to wonder why it took so long for Grant to break into the rotation. Pikiell’s comments after Wisconsin offered some insight. He lauded the two practices leading up to the game as Grant’s best of the season.
“I’m proud of him,” Pikiell said. “When you haven’t played much and you jump into the Wisconsin game and are ready to go and give us some great minutes – hopefully now he continues to do what he did the last couple of days; he doesn’t go on vacation now after playing well. He just needs to keep stringing it together – that is where confidence is built. If he keeps doing that, he’ll get his opportunities.”
Confidence is something Grant says he’s been working on. He certainly seemed assertive and decisive against Wisconsin – even as doubt appears to be creeping in for some of his teammates as Rutgers struggles to string wins together.
“I’m playing with more confidence,” Grant said. “I feel like I can’t go out there timid. I have to go out there and just get it.”
Postgrad guard Tyson Acuff, who also earned a larger role after scoring 17 against Wisconsin, said he’s impressed with Grant’s attitude after biding his time.
“I love when young guys come right into a game and not be arrogant, listen to what the older guys are saying, and is still able to play his game,” Acuff said. “He’s like a sponge.”
Basketball is matchup-based, of course. Against backcourt-heavy Purdue, which is one of the Big Ten’s weakest rebounding teams, a long, mobile, versatile scrapper like Grant could help tilt the scales.
“We have plenty of pieces on this team, energy guys,” Grant said.
Is he the piece that’s been missing? After his effort against Wisconsin, it’s time to find out.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
