NEW YORK — Myles Mack didn’t come off the bench at all last year when he led St. Anthony to an undefeated season and a mythical national championship under Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley.
And he started the first 10 games of his freshman season at Rutgers.
But the 5-foot-9 point guard came off the bench Saturday against Stony Brook, scoring a game- and season-high 22 points in Rutgers’ 67-58 victory at Madison Square Garden.
And now he may be placed in that role for the foreseeable future.
“He responded pretty well,” Rutgers coach Mike Rice said. “I told him, ‘You’re on the bench again next game.’ He said, ‘Argh, are you kidding me?’
“He certainly has the gift of scoring the basketball and tonight he was on display.”
Mack admitted it was a slight blow to his ego to watch the opening minutes from the bench, but said he was able to see what the team needed and then provide it. He made 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and finished with just one assist but had three steals.
“We just needed to get out in transition more often because that’s how we play,” Mack said. “Run some of the sets all the way through and get some of the players that needed the ball, get the ball to them.
“That’s what I saw from the bench.”
While Mack was a pleasant surprise off the bench, junior forward Dane Miller followed up his best game of the season with a perplexing 0-point, 5-block, 3-rebound, 4-turnover, 5-foul performance that had Rice scratching his head.
Asked what the issue was, Rice said, “Not sure. That’s how puzzling the young man can be. He can dominate one game and then kind of take a step back the next.”
Mack suggested it could be a “confidence” issue with Miller.
“He needs to raise his confidence level higher and I think he’ll be fine,” Mack said.
“When he turns the ball over he gets down on himself. We gotta pick him up and keep his head up.”
Miller was coming off a big night against Monmouth Dec. 12 when he had 13 points, 11 rebounds, 7 blocks and 4 steals in an 81-66 win.
“I feel like Dane is one of our best pieces offensively and defensively,” said sophomore Austin Johnson, who had 9 points and 4 rebounds. “We need Dane to be productive every night.”
After hosting NJIT Thursday, the Scarlet Knights have a brutal set of games beginning with Mike Rosario’s return to the RAC with Florida (Dec. 29).
Rice hopes to get freshman wing Malick Kone (knee) back for that game.
Rutgers big man Kadeem Jack, who has been out since October with a broken bone in his right foot, will get an X-ray Monday, but team sources told SNY.tv said he’s not expected back for another 3-4 weeks.
The Knights will need all hands on deck — including a motivated Miller and a healthy Jack — for the bulk of the Big East schedule.
After the Florida game, Rutgers opens Big East play at USF (Jan. 1) before returning home to host West Virginia (Jan. 4) and defending national champ UConn (Jan. 7). From there, they go to Pitt (Jan. 11) and to West Virginia (Jan. 14).
“One thing I know, like Myles scores, I know Kadeem rebounds and blocks shots,” Rice said. “That’s for sure.”
Photo: NJ.com
