You saw the energy he brings," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. Neither do we. 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. Minnesota faces Wisconsin at home on Sunday while Rutgers plays host to Northwestern to wrap up their regular seasons. Simply put, it changed the game. When he missed eight games to start the 2020-21 season the first missed games of his college career it gnawed at McConnell. I was just focused on making it down the floor and making the right plays," he explained. 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. From top to bottom I think were good," McConnell said when asked to compare it to last year's NCAA qualifier. Hes not soft. His cousin dropped his head back and revealed a tattoo on his neck. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Slot to Rutgers Scarlet Knights Newsletter. . JAMISON BATTLE WITH A BUZZER BEATER FOR @GopherMBB (via @CBBonFOX) pic.twitter.com/NPEFUfaxDa. 16 Ohio State, Had key chase-down block on breakaway layup attempt to spark 10-0 run to close out win over No. Even though McConnell broke his foot just before Pikiell was scheduled to fly out and watch him play, Pikiell made the trip to Ohio anyway. bCk7CiAgfSkoKTsKPC9zY3JpcHQ+Cgo8bm9zY3JpcHQ+CiAgPGltZyBzcmM9 ICAgIGo9ZC5jcmVhdGVFbGVtZW50KHMpLGRsPWwhPSdkYXRhTGF5ZXInPycm Get a yearly subscription for $99.95/year or $9.95/month. bmV3cyUyRmNhbGViLW1jY29ubmVsbC1yZXR1cm5pbmctdG8tcnV0Z2Vycy1m Then came the texts and calls from teammates that all carried the same message: We really need you this year. The Scarlet Knights close out the regular season on the weekend at home against Penn State. Meanwhile, McConnell developed and grew as a player. d2luZG93Ll9kaWRBc3luY0luamVjdEdvb2dsZVRhZ01hbmFnZXIpIHJldHVy ESPN's projections for Rutgers basketball and their NCAA Tournament outlook? It will be the final home game of fifth-year senior Caleb McConnells career as he runs out of collegiate eligibility after this season. All the things Ive been through and all the things Ive overcome, then you throw basketball in there and all the things I dealt with in my college career, I never folded, I never gave up on myself, McConnell said. The more Briski learned about him, the more there was to like. One phrase can describe senior guard Caleb McConnell's four-year career as a member of the Scarlet Knights (18-12, 12-8): tough as nails.. Climbing RU's all-time leader board forcareer steals. On an evening that has suddenly become crucial for its NCAA Tournament hopes, Rutgers will honor its veteran players with its annual Senior Day festivities ahead of their regular season finale against Northwestern at Jersey Mikes Arena on Sunday. bS9uZXdzL2NhbGViLW1jY29ubmVsbC1yZXR1cm5pbmctdG8tcnV0Z2Vycy1m How much had he changed? PISCATAWAY A huge cheer arose from the 5,000 denizens of Jersey Mikes Arena five minutes into Saturdays game, when Caleb McConnell rose from the bench and checked in at the scorers table. Rutgers' Geo Baker, left, Ron Harper Jr., middle, and Caleb McConnell walk off the court after the team's loss to Notre Dame in a First Four game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament . Im with this kid every day. AP. Rutgers falls to Minnesota at the buzzer, Scarlet Knights suffer gut-punch. 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!. During the 2022-203 campaign, Rutgers has been one of the best teams in the Big Ten, as McConnell has continued to improve . Thank you to the fans, the University and all who played a part in providing me this opportunity to play at Rutgers. The sacrifices, the surgery, the waiting were worth it for that moment, McConnell said. Former Rutgers star Jason McCourty joins Good Morning Football following NFL retirement. 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. He battled through countless injuries and college coaches who doubted him a skinny high school player many believed was too soft for high-major hoops. McConnell's rebounding average of 5.5 per game is just 0.2 higher than last season. moving Rutgers name to the next stage of the bracket. #1. INCREDIBLE BLOCK BY @caleb_mcco . Caleb McConnell began playing basketball around eight years old, and his passion for the game has led him to plenty of success. Rutgers guard Caleb McConnell is not expected to play in Thursday night's meeting with Michigan due to the back injury he suffered during pregame warmups ahead of Saturday's win over Wisconsin . Pikiell actually got Sellers his first college coaching job. It was their own fault and the play started with a blown coverage. Please update it here. The Scarlet Knights senior being recognized for his elite defensive efforts this . I was like, lets just relax and let it come to me.. McConnells has a decorated resume through 60 career starts and 114 games played. 12 Illinois (four). Big Ten and Big East programs that once had shown interest hesitated to take him. Last season, McConnell led the Big Ten in steals with 2.2 per game. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Watching the play several times, it jumps out as symbolic of this season for Rutgers mens basketball. And he was tougher than Briski could have imagined. Battle made three 3s and Dawson Garcia scored four points during the stretch. There were the attributes obvious to everyone some sharp shooting, an ability to drive to the rim, dynamic playmaking, a willingness to pass the ball but Briski was impressed by something else. That is the furthest thing from his mind. 11.3k Followers, 1,244 Following, 71 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Caleb McConnell (@calebmcco) calebmcco. So how did McConnell look? 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 Henley's putback cut the deficit to 73-72. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. As this team proved once again highlighted by the block from the rafters by Caleb McConnell, Rutgers is very much alive as the calendar turns to mid-February. The McConnell boys split their time between them, attending school in Florida, with summers in Ohio. 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. It would be a fitting award to conclude an arduous college basketball career that few believed was possible. Rutgers guard Caleb McConnell grimaces after colliding with a Minnesota player during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Minneapolis. 5 takeaways as the standout guard returned from a knee injury Rutgers basketball makes a move down in CBS Sports projections from Jerry Palm. Rutgers Basketball got some good news today as wing player intends to withdraw his name from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to college for one last season with the Scarlet Knights. As a fourth-year player this past season, McConnell . Box Score MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Scarlet Knights took a tough loss in Minneapolis on Thursday night. He is averaging 6.5 points per game, 5.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds. Rutgers targeted by Penn State fans' vulgar, racist language during comeback win Unfortunately, in the article, Nj.com writes about the BYU-Duke volleyball game: "[R]acial slurs and threats were directed at a Black player on Duke's team during a match in Utah on Aug. 26." The BYU investigation revealed these slurs and threats did not occur. Battle was 7 of 15 from the floor and 6-of-13 shooting from long range. Theres not much to be drawn from beating up on an opponent ranked No. Caleb McConnell made the second of two free throws for Rutgers with 5.8 seconds left before Battle stole the win for the Gophers. Rutgers basketball makes a move down in CBS Sports projections from Jerry Palm. c191Y2ZyPTAiIC8+Cjwvbm9zY3JpcHQ+CjwhLS0gRW5kIGNvbVNjb3JlIFRh The freshman had 19 points in the game and was a problem for the Scarlet Knights all night. "And since we have such a different dynamic (in terms of personnel fit), I think this is actually a better team.. He scored just 4 points, but had 4 rebounds, 4 steals and the all-important blocked shot. That was until McConnell made up incredible ground and delivered as memorable a block as I can remember for this program. With less than two full weeks left in January, he has 16 steals this month, including a season-high four on January eighth. Along with all that, McConnell also racked up a couple of different postseason honors. 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. On Wednesday night, Rutgers mens basketball completed an improbable comeback to knock off No. 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. He announced his decision with an Instagram video on June 1st "calling Rutgers Nation" from his hometown in Florida. McConnell isn't the only Scarlet Knight with Dayton roots. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. aWdodD0nMCcgc3JjPSdodHRwczovL3d3dy5nb29nbGV0YWdtYW5hZ2VyLmNv Kristian Dyer. I appreciate the fans being patient with me and cheering me on and having my back.. The brotherhood, the culture and the friendships we built with each other are going to last forever. caleb mcconnell rutgers tattoogeorgia foraging laws.