Tariq Francis hits winner, scores career-high 34 to rally Rutgers past Penn 70-69
AP
Dec 20, 2025
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Tariq Francis scored a career-high 34 points and hit a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining as Rutgers Scarlet Knights rallied past Pennsylvania Quakers 70-69 on Saturday night.
After a missed Rutgers free throw, Bryce Dortch secured the rebound and quickly pushed the ball upcourt. Francis took the pass near midcourt, dribbled to the arc and drilled a long 3-pointer right before the horn, setting off a celebration in Jersey Mike’s Arena.
Rutgers (6-6) overcame a poor shooting night by living at the foul line and forcing late turnovers. The Scarlet Knights shot 3 of 20 (15%) from 3-point range but attempted 31 free throws, converting 21. Francis went 15 of 19 at the line and scored nearly half of Rutgers’ points.
Pennsylvania (6-5) led 33-29 at halftime and appeared in control late, stretching the margin to 66-59 on Cam Thrower’s pullup jumper with 2:24 remaining. Rutgers answered with a steady parade to the line, cutting the deficit to two in the final minute.
The Quakers briefly regained the edge when TJ Power made a free throw with 23 seconds left to make it 69-67, but he missed multiple attempts down the stretch, leaving the game open.
Power led Penn with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Dalton Scantlebury had 13 points off the bench, while Michael Zanoni scored 12 and Thrower 11. Penn shot 43% from the field but struggled to close it out at the line.
Rutgers shot 41% overall.
Rutgers hosts Delaware State on Dec. 29
Penn ends a two-game road trip against George Mason on Dec. 28.
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1st Half
PENN
Quakers
33
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
29
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Scarlet Knights gains possession)
19:47
+2
Denis Badalau makes two point jump shot
0-2
19:33
TJ Power misses three point jump shot
19:31
Quakers offensive rebound
19:27
+2
TJ Power makes two point jump shot
2-2
18:59
Augustus Gerhart personal foul (Scarlet Knights draws the foul)
18:45
Dylan Grant misses two point layup
18:43
TJ Power defensive rebound
18:38
Cam Thrower misses three point jump shot
18:36
Cam Thrower offensive rebound
18:32
+3
Michael Zanoni makes three point jump shot (Cam Thrower assists)
5-2
18:10
Harun Zrno misses three point jump shot
18:08
TJ Power defensive rebound
17:42
Michael Zanoni misses three point jump shot
17:40
Quakers offensive rebound
17:32
+3
TJ Power makes three point jump shot (AJ Levine assists)
8-2
17:07
Emmanuel Ogbole misses two point layup
17:05
Cam Thrower defensive rebound
16:53
Emmanuel Ogbole shooting foul (Cam Thrower draws the foul)
16:53
+1
Cam Thrower makes regular free throw 1 of 2
9-2
16:53
+1
Cam Thrower makes regular free throw 2 of 2
10-2
16:29
Harun Zrno misses three point jump shot
16:27
TJ Power defensive rebound
16:21
Cam Thrower turnover (out of bounds)
16:13
Cam Thrower personal foul (Scarlet Knights draws the foul)
16:06
+2
Tariq Francis makes two point jump shot
10-4
15:59
+2
TJ Power makes two point layup
12-4
15:30
+2
Tariq Francis makes two point layup
12-6
15:16
TV timeout
14:58
Cam Thrower misses three point jump shot
14:56
Bryce Dortch defensive rebound
14:26
Denis Badalau misses three point jump shot
14:24
Jay Jones defensive rebound
14:10
TJ Power misses two point jump shot
14:08
Augustus Gerhart offensive rebound
14:05
Bryce Dortch blocks Augustus Gerhart's two point layup
14:03
Denis Badalau defensive rebound
13:39
Lucas Lueth shooting foul (Lino Mark draws the foul)
13:39
+1
Lino Mark makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-7
13:39
+1
Lino Mark makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-8
13:17
Bryce Dortch blocks Dalton Scantlebury's two point jump shot
13:15
Bryce Dortch defensive rebound
13:05
Tariq Francis misses three point jump shot
13:03
Bryce Dortch offensive rebound
12:45
Tariq Francis misses three point jump shot
12:43
Dalton Scantlebury defensive rebound
12:19
Michael Zanoni misses three point jump shot
12:17
Lucas Lueth offensive rebound
12:12
TJ Power misses three point jump shot
12:10
Bryce Dortch defensive rebound
11:47
+2
Tariq Francis makes two point jump shot
12-10
11:20
+2
Michael Zanoni makes two point jump shot (TJ Power assists)
14-10
11:03
+2
Tariq Francis makes two point jump shot
14-12
10:48
+2
Dalton Scantlebury makes two point layup (Lucas Lueth assists)
16-12
10:30
Lucas Lueth shooting foul (Tariq Francis draws the foul)
10:30
TV timeout
10:30
Tariq Francis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:30
+1
Tariq Francis makes regular free throw 2 of 2
16-13
10:20
TJ Power turnover (back court violation)
10:14
TJ Power blocks Jamichael Davis's two point layup
10:12
Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
9:55
Lino Mark misses three point jump shot
9:53
TJ Power defensive rebound
9:29
+2
Dalton Scantlebury makes two point dunk (Michael Zanoni assists)
18-13
9:10
Darren Buchanan Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:08
Emmanuel Ogbole offensive rebound
9:05
+2
Emmanuel Ogbole makes two point layup
18-15
8:38
Michael Zanoni misses two point jump shot
8:36
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
8:26
Lino Mark misses two point layup
8:24
Michael Zanoni defensive rebound
8:20
+2
Jay Jones makes two point layup
20-15
8:20
Jamichael Davis shooting foul (Jay Jones draws the foul)
8:20
+1
Jay Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 1
21-15
8:07
Jamichael Davis misses three point jump shot
8:05
Dalton Scantlebury defensive rebound
7:43
Michael Zanoni misses three point jump shot
7:41
Dalton Scantlebury offensive rebound
7:29
Niklas Polonowski misses three point jump shot
7:27
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
7:15
+2
Tariq Francis makes two point layup
21-17
7:15
AJ Levine shooting foul (Tariq Francis draws the foul)
7:15
TV timeout
7:15
+1
Tariq Francis makes regular free throw 1 of 1
21-18
6:57
Tariq Francis shooting foul (Cam Thrower draws the foul)
6:57
+1
Cam Thrower makes regular free throw 1 of 2
22-18
6:57
+1
Cam Thrower makes regular free throw 2 of 2
23-18
6:33
Jamichael Davis misses three point jump shot
6:31
Alex Massung defensive rebound
6:12
Dylan Grant personal foul (TJ Power draws the foul)
5:59
Augustus Gerhart misses two point layup
5:57
Jamichael Davis defensive rebound
5:52
Tariq Francis misses two point jump shot
5:50
Augustus Gerhart defensive rebound
5:44
TJ Power misses three point jump shot
5:42
Augustus Gerhart offensive rebound
5:25
+3
TJ Power makes three point jump shot (Cam Thrower assists)
26-18
5:03
Lino Mark misses two point jump shot
5:01
Augustus Gerhart defensive rebound
4:45
Bryce Dortch blocks Augustus Gerhart's two point layup
4:43
Bryce Dortch defensive rebound
4:24
TJ Power blocks Bryce Dortch's two point layup
4:22
TJ Power defensive rebound
4:06
Cam Thrower misses three point jump shot
4:04
Harun Zrno defensive rebound
3:59
+3
Harun Zrno makes three point jump shot (Jamichael Davis assists)