Denis Badalau scores 19 points in the first half and Rutgers goes on to beat Maine 72-60
AP
Nov 10, 2025
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Denis Badalau scored all 19 of his points in the first half, Dylan Grant had 10 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double and Rutgers Scarlet Knights beat Maine Black Bears 72-60 on Monday night.
Rutgers opened the game on a 15-2 run, with seven straight points from Badalau, and led throughout. Badalau scored 19 of Rutgers’ 37 first-half points after making 4 of 5 from 3-point range, while Maine went 4 of 11.
Tariq Francis scored five points in Rutgers’ 10-0 run to begin the second half for a 47-30 lead. The Scarlet Knights added a 7-0 run for a 17-point lead with 10:43 remaining.
Francis finished with 12 points, and Darren Buchanan Jr. added 10 off the bench for Rutgers (2-0), which opened the season with a 28-point victory over Rider.
Isaac Bonilla scored 12 points, Bashir N’Galang added 11 and TJ Biel had 10 for Maine (0-3), which has lost to George Washington and Stony Brook. Freshman Ace Flagg, the twin brother of Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper, scored six.
Rutgers turned 18 Maine turnovers into 25 points.
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1st Half
ME
Black Bears
30
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
37
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Scarlet Knights gains possession)
19:37
+2
Emmanuel Ogbole makes two point dunk (Tariq Francis assists)
0-2
19:10
+2
TJ Biel makes two point jump shot (Keelan Steele assists)
2-2
18:46
+2
Emmanuel Ogbole makes two point dunk (Dylan Grant assists)
2-4
18:22
TJ Biel turnover (traveling)
18:06
+3
Denis Badalau makes three point jump shot (Tariq Francis assists)
2-7
17:49
TJ Biel turnover (Tariq Francis steals)
17:38
Keelan Steele blocks Emmanuel Ogbole's two point layup
17:36
Emmanuel Ogbole offensive rebound
17:29
Jamichael Davis misses three point jump shot
17:27
Denis Badalau offensive rebound
17:21
+2
Denis Badalau makes two point layup
2-9
16:59
Logan Carey offensive foul
16:59
Logan Carey turnover (offensive foul)
16:39
Caleb Crawford personal foul
16:26
+2
Denis Badalau makes two point layup
2-11
15:57
Jump ball. TJ Biel vs. Jamichael Davis (TJ Biel gains possession)
15:57
TV timeout
15:52
Logan Carey misses two point jump shot
15:50
Keelan Steele offensive rebound
15:47
TJ Biel offensive foul
15:47
TJ Biel turnover (offensive foul)
15:37
Tariq Francis misses three point jump shot
15:35
Logan Carey defensive rebound
15:27
Jamichael Davis shooting foul
15:12
Yanis Bamba misses three point jump shot
15:10
Scarlet Knights defensive rebound
14:45
Jamichael Davis misses two point layup
14:43
Jamichael Davis offensive rebound
14:28
Bashir N'Galang personal foul (Dylan Grant draws the foul)
14:26
Tariq Francis misses two point jump shot
14:24
Ace Flagg defensive rebound
14:13
Ace Flagg misses three point jump shot
14:11
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
14:02
Logan Carey shooting foul (Tariq Francis draws the foul)
14:02
+1
Tariq Francis makes regular free throw 1 of 2
2-12
14:02
+1
Tariq Francis makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-13
13:55
Bashir N'Galang turnover (Jamichael Davis steals)
13:53
Bashir N'Galang shooting foul (Jamichael Davis draws the foul)
13:53
+1
Jamichael Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2
2-14
13:53
+1
Jamichael Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-15
13:32
+2
Yanis Bamba makes two point jump shot
4-15
13:13
+2
Darren Buchanan Jr. makes two point jump shot
4-17
12:45
+2
Mekhi Gray makes two point layup
6-17
12:28
Tariq Francis turnover (Mekhi Gray steals)
12:08
Yanis Bamba misses two point layup
12:06
Baye Fall defensive rebound
11:43
Jamichael Davis misses two point layup
11:42
Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
11:42
TV timeout
11:39
+3
Harun Zrno makes three point jump shot (Darren Buchanan Jr. assists)
6-20
11:39
Ace Flagg shooting foul (Harun Zrno draws the foul)
11:39
Harun Zrno misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:39
Ace Flagg defensive rebound
11:10
Baye Fall blocks Mekhi Gray's two point jump shot
11:08
Baye Fall defensive rebound
10:46
Chris Nwuli misses two point jump shot
10:44
Mekhi Gray defensive rebound
10:37
Caleb Crawford misses three point jump shot
10:35
Chris Nwuli defensive rebound
10:23
Baye Fall misses two point jump shot
10:21
TJ Biel defensive rebound
10:13
TJ Biel misses three point jump shot
10:11
Isaac Bonilla offensive rebound
10:05
Ace Flagg turnover (Baye Fall steals)
10:00
+2
Darren Buchanan Jr. makes two point layup
6-22
9:43
+3
Isaac Bonilla makes three point jump shot (Mekhi Gray assists)
9-22
9:21
Tariq Francis misses three point jump shot
9:19
Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
9:12
Chris Nwuli turnover (TJ Biel steals)
9:04
+3
Caleb Crawford makes three point jump shot (TJ Biel assists)
12-22
8:53
Harun Zrno turnover (Isaac Bonilla steals)
8:53
Harun Zrno personal foul (Isaac Bonilla draws the foul)
8:38
+3
Isaac Bonilla makes three point jump shot (Yanis Bamba assists)
15-22
8:16
+3
Denis Badalau makes three point jump shot (Emmanuel Ogbole assists)
15-25
8:04
Caleb Crawford turnover (Harun Zrno steals)
7:47
Keelan Steele blocks Harun Zrno's two point layup
7:47
Yanis Bamba defensive rebound
7:25
TJ Biel misses three point jump shot
7:23
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
7:16
+3
Denis Badalau makes three point jump shot (Darren Buchanan Jr. assists)