Put the questions to rest. Repel doubt. End the debate.

Rutgers basketball did what everyone asked for on Saturday – they beat Purdue on the road, with the chips stacked – and the Scarlet Knights should have their name called up for selection on Sunday for the first time since 1991.

They dominated 71-68 in overtime.

It happened in the most sparkling way imaginable.

Rutgers goalkeeper Geo Baker made a 15-foot turn with 15 seconds left to give the Scarlet Knights a point advantage.

Purdue’s Eric Hunter was fouled at the other end with 2.7 left ticks, made the first and missed the second, forcing the extra session.

Then Baker took over. The junior finished with 19 points on 8 shots on 14 and added six rebounds and three assists.

Rutgers (20-11 overall, 11-9 Big Ten) posted his first conference winning season since he reached 14-4 in Atlantic 10 in 1991 – last year the Scarlet Knights made the great dance. The Scarlet Knights will face Michigan in game 8-9 of the Big Ten tournament at noon on Thursday.

Purdue (16-15, 9-10) was swept by Rutgers for the first time. The Boilermakers had beaten the Scarlet Knights by an average of 28 points in their last three games at Mackey Arena.

THREE REFLECTIONS

1. The dream is realized. It took a break from the basketball gods in the form of a missed free throw, which Rutgers certainly won after years of punches. Bottom line: The Scarlet Knights ran an NCAA tournament campaign during a season that most people thought would end in NIT. What coaching work by Steve Pikiell; how is he not a finalist of the Naismith Coach of the Year?

2. Geo Baker, take a bow. He was the first to believe Pikiell’s message. He had already saved three games this season with last-minute heroics. And of course, he hit the hit of the year against Purdue. He will have a special place in the athletic tradition of Rutgers. This adds to the legend that Baker was the 414th rookie in his class. Pikiell certainly did it his way.

3. No jitters. After four consecutive banana peel starts on the road, the Scarlet Knights got the start they needed. We thank the most experienced player on the team, Akwasi Yeboah, for finding the net early and setting the tone. The Mackey Arena is widely recognized as one of the toughest road sites in the Big Ten. If Rutgers can win there, he can win anywhere in the next few weeks.

THREE QUOTES

(From the post-match radio interview with Jerry Recco and Joe Boylan)

1. Steve Pikiell: “This league being as good as it is, and of course we had the toughest schedule in the country on the final stretch, we stayed the course. Proud of these guys. Proud of the sacrifices they made. Proud of their journey to elevate Rutgers basketball. These guys deserve all the credit. “

2. Geo Baker on the backward step: “I’m really trying to unbalance guys. Looking back, it’s about creating space and trying to get the defender out of rhythm. Today it was falling. Look, I don’t know how I did it; I’m tired right now. I just tried to find the energy to win. “

3. Baker at the time: “It’s a great group of guys. Everyone was sacrificing. We made every winning game and we went out in the lead. The emotions right now – if you’ve seen our locker room right now, it’s absolutely crazy. “

Jerry Carino has been covering the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and college basketball since 2003. He is one of the 25 best voters in the Associated Press. Contact him at [email protected].