Kadeem Jack finished with 20 points and made the game-winning bucket in the final minute to lead the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to a 68-65 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores as part of Barclays Center Classic.
Jack also hauled in eight rebounds for Rutgers (3-2), while Myles Mack tallied 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals. Mike Williams and Junior Etou netted 11 and 10 points, respectively.
For Vanderbilt (4-1), Damian Jones had 23 points, Luke Kornet chipped in 14 points, James Siakam came off the bench to score 10 and Wade Baldwin IV handed out nine assists.
Although Vanderbilt outshot Rutgers from the field in the first half, 50 percent to 36.7 percent, the score was tied at intermission, 31-31. Rutgers had six more shot attempts in the opening 20 minutes and outscored the Commodores from 3-point range, 15-9.
Rutgers pulled away by eight points with under three minutes to play only for Vanderbilt to rip off eight straight to tie the score with 1:14 remaining. With 42 seconds left, Jack made the game-winning layup, and the Commodores had a missed shot and a turnover on their final two possessions.
Rutgers won both the rebounding (38-32) and the turnover (14-8) battles.
The Scarlet Knights will face the winner of the Virginia/La Salle game in the championship on Saturday, while Vanderbilt will take on the loser.
[SportsNetwork.com]
