Marquette University
Rutgers
Matthews Perfect In 81-76 Win Over Rutgers
1/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2009
Box Score | MU-RU Box Score (PDF) 
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Wesley Matthews scored 23 points, hitting all 10 of his shots, to help No. 18 Marquette beat Rutgers 81-76 on Wednesday night.
Jerel McNeal added 16 points and Dominic James had 15 for the Golden Eagles (14-2), who won their sixth straight in starting 3-0 in the Big East for the first time since joining the conference in 2005.
Mike Rosario scored 22 to lead Rutgers (9-7, 0-3), which dropped its fourth straight. The freshman helped the Scarlet Knights' rally as Rutgers sliced a 21-point deficit to two with 37 seconds remaining. Corey Chandler added 19 points and seven rebounds for the Knights.
Marquette opened its largest lead at 57-36 with 12:21 remaining before Rutgers put on a furious charge and got within 73-71. But Lazar Hayward, who had 10 points, and McNeal each made two free throws to increase the advantage to 77-71 with 25.2 left.
