Geo Baker had 25 points, six rebounds and five assists as Rutgers overcame an 18-point deficit and beat Northwestern 77-73 in overtime Sunday night to improve to 16-0 at home this season.
Baker hit a step-back 3-pointer from the right wing to tie the game at 66 with 1:15 left in regulation and send the game to overtime, where Rutgers (17-7, 8-5 Big Ten) led for the first time. Baker scored 16 points in the second half and seven in overtime.
Northwestern (6-16, 1-11) has lost seven in a row and 12 of 13.
The Wildcats jumped to a 10-point lead less than four minutes in and made it 21-7 on a second-chance layup by Pete Nance with 10:52 left in the first half. The lead ballooned to 18 a couple of minutes later on back-to-back Miller Kopp 3-pointers, assisted by Robbie Beran, forcing Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell to take a timeout with 8:08 left.
From there, Rutgers chipped away at the lead, cutting it to 38-27 at halftime.
Northwestern led by 16 early in the second half. Rutgers didn’t cut it to single digits until Caleb McConnell hit a jumper from the right wing to make it 63-54 with 6:11 to go. The Scarlet Knights came storming back from there.
Boo Buie had 19 points and Kopp 16 for Northwestern.
Akwasi Yeboah had 13 points and Ron Harper Jr. added 10 for Rutgers, which is seeking its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1991 after being picked to finish 12th in the 14-team conference.
The Scarlet Knights, however, could use a signature road win to boost their NCAA Tournament resume. Their only road win came at Nebraska.
Rutgers’ Jacob Young returned after serving a one-game suspension for a driving while intoxicated arrest. Young, who averages 8.5 points, scored two on 1-of-5 shooting.
Northwestern was 11 of 23 from 3-point range, well above its season average of 32%. Rutgers was 4 of 20 on 3s, missing its first 10 before Baker hit one about three minutes into the second half.