Rutgers Upsets Clemson, Gets First NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Win Since '83

Clemson forward Aamir Simms turned the ball over during a crucial possession and Rutgers made him pay for it.

Rutgers flipped brackets upside down on Friday when it upset Clemson 60–56 to win its first NCAA men's basketball tournament game in 38 years. 

The Scarlet Knights, who hadn't made a March Madness appearance since 1991, defeated the seventh-seeded Tigers as a 10th seed to move on to the Round of 32 in a thriller. 

Four Rutgers players scored double digits in the long-awaited win. Senior Jacob Young, senior Geo Baker and junior Caleb McConnell all had 13 points in the win. Guard Ron Harper Jr. contributed 10 points despite only shooting three-for-14 from the field. 

Clemson senior Aamir Simms had a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards in the losing effort to lead all scorers and rebounders. The Tigers had a chance to rally at the end of the game, but Simms made a fatal error that left Rutgers a wide-open opportunity for a dagger. 

With 40 seconds to go, Clemson had the ball down 58–56 and Simms traveled while trying to work down low to turn it over. Rutgers senior Geo Baker made them pay with a layup at the rim after a broken play on the following possession to extend the lead and seal it for his team.

No. 10 Rutgers upsets No. 7 Clemson to advance to the Round of 32 🔥

It's their first NCAA tournament win in 38 years pic.twitter.com/RYGp06m3Bs

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 20, 2021

Rutgers will face second-seeded Houston on Sunday in the Round of 32 to try and advance to their first Sweet Sixteen since 1979.

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