PISCATAWAY -- Deshawn Freeman grabbed the loose ball, waited for the second to run off the clock, and then flung it high into the student section. The Rutgers bench cleared in jubilation as -- finally -- this team was rewarded for its effort with a hard-earned victory.
The Scarlet Knights defeated Illinois in their final home game, 62-59, and it was Freeman who made the improbable but game-winning shot, a 3-pointer with just seven seconds left.
For Freeman, it was just his sixth 3-pointer of the season, and it was from NBA range. It is doubtful that head coach Steve Pikiell would have drawn it up that way, but with the shot clock running down and the score tied, point guard Corey Sanders didn't have a better option.