"F******g devastated for our guys": Rutgers HC Steve Pikiell has no-holds-barred reaction to dramatic ending vs Michigan

The Steve Pikiell-coached Rutgers Scarlet Knights were seconds away from recording a famous win over the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night. However, a last-second Nimari Burnett 3-pointer tilted the game in the Wolverines' favor.

Following the game, Pikiell had an emotional reaction to the close loss. Speaking to Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson, he said:

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"Just f******g devastated for our f*****g guys ... Come into this place, play them toe-to-toe the whole time, and then to lose on that play? Just ... ugh."

The Scarlet Knights came into Thursday night's game as significant underdogs against the Wolverines. They had a 14-14 record compared to the Wolverines' 21-6 record. However, all records went out of the window as Rutgers put up a great fight. Dylan Harper was particularly impressive as he racked up 17 points against a resolute Wolverines defense.

In fact, the Wolverines trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half. It was quite the scare for the Big Ten title-chasing Wolverines. While they erased the deficit, Tyson Acuff made two out of three free throws with just over 12 seconds left in the game to seemingly secure the W for Rutgers.

Steve Pikiell and Rutgers' efforts rendered worthless

However, Nimari Burnett had other plans as he sunk a long 3-pointer to secure the win for his side as the buzzer ran out. The nature of the loss saw the mood among the Scarlet Knight players and staff change drastically.

Rutgers lost the game due to their relative inexperience, especially when it comes to seeing out games. They led by as many as 12 points but still couldn't secure the victory over the Wolverines.

Next up for Rutgers is a trip to Purdue to face off against the No. 20 Boilermakers. After is a home game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Steve Pikiell's side needs to win its last two games to end the 2024/25 regular season with a winning record.

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