Maryland 60
Rutgers 50
Things hadn't gone as planned for Myles Mack in his Rutgers career, there was no reason to believe Senior night would be any different. Entering the university as part of Mike Rice's heralded, nationally ranked recruiting class, Mack hadn't lost a high school basketball game his senior season. The St. Anthony's program he would leave behind had gone 33-0, rated as the number 1 team in the nation by USA Today.
As of 3/3/15 Myles Mack has now lost 76 total games in a Rutgers uniform, let that number sink in for a moment. Rutgers, with at least two games remaining this season, has averaged 19 losses a year during Myles tenure as a Scarlet Knight. Have you heard the young man complain to the media once?
Losing wouldn't be enough for these seniors during their years at Rutgers, the basketball God's decided to throw in a national controversy. The program would be ripped apart by the local and national media, as if being a perennial loser wasn't enough. The departure of Mike Rice, the head coach both players committed to play for, gave Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack the opportunity to abandon ship.
Both would refuse to turn their back on the program, keeping quiet, even as members of the media stalked their every move throughout the Rutgers campus. Myles had to have known what he was getting into when he first committed to the Scarlet Knights. This was going to be a rebuilding project, one that would hopefully be complete by his senior season. Jersey boy stays in state, turns around the basketball program. The story had been written before, there was never a happy ending. Some would be dismissed from the team, some would transfer.
There's snow and freezing rain coming down, a top 10 team is coming to visit. Rutgers is riding a 12 game losing streak that began January 14th down in Maryland, following an upset win over fourth ranked Wisconsin at the RAC. Most Rutgers fans are either complaining about the state of the team or the state of the facilities, welcome to senior night.
Rutgers would trail Maryland for most of the evening, both new to the B1G; one towards the top, one at the bottom. Mack would be matched up against a freshman, living a dream season, a year he himself deserved to have at least once during his time at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights would go on a run, the RAC would get loud. This is how it was supposed to be during his career at Rutgers, arena rocking, in a tight game with a top 10 team. For a brief moment, everything would fall into place. Mack would block a Trimble jump shot before tying the game at 45 with a three.
There would be no happy ending. The stars wouldn't align, they rarely did during Myles Mack's college career. After tying the game Myles would miss a deep three on the next Rutgers possession. Rutgers would go cold as Dez Wells took over for Maryland, including an ESPN SportsCenter top 10 dunk.
Most of us, including the Mack's would arrive late (guilty) because of the freezing rain, missing the seniors being honored. Myles parents would attend every game, never sitting together. On a night honoring their son they would miss the pregame ceremonies, caught in the weather with the rest of us. Rutgers would choose not to rearrange their schedule, knowing many fans, including the parents of their star senior would not arrive on time.
As the game slipped away Rutgers fans would begin to file out of the arena, as they often did during losses. Turning their backs on maybe the only person who hadn't turned his on their beloved program the last 4 years. The school would honor Myles, along with his parents and family members after the game, when many fans had already exited the arena.
RU fans are always concerned with keeping talent in state, whether it's basketball or football. A top Jersey boy stayed in state, stuck with the program through it's toughest hours and will graduate from the University. Losing is hard on everyone, just imagine how much harder it would be if all you knew was winning prior.
With the RAC mostly empty Myles would hang around on the floor speaking with different people, smiling and taking pictures. No signs of anger that it hadn't gone his way, no disdain for a fan base or university that never truly appreciated him enough. He did what he had done for four years, carried himself with class; smiled and said the right thing... just as he was raised to.
Myles Mack will finish his Rutgers career top 10 in steals (2nd), FT% (3), assists (4th), 3 pointers (4th), and scoring (7th)
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