PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell got exactly the kind of performance he insists on from his reserves.Ive never been a starter guy, Pikiell said after Rutgers defeated Niagara 78-65 on Sunday in the Scarlet Knight Showcase. I like the finishers. Thats important to me. The way I coach, you gotta be ready.Nigel Johnson led the reserves, equaling a career high with 20 points in helping Rutgers go 4-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Knights bench outscored Niagara 42-3.Other non-starter contributors were Mike Williams (12 points), CJ Gettys (eight points and eight rebounds), Eugene Omoruyi (six points, four rebounds and two assists) and Candido Sanders (four blocks).With Rutgers trailing 42-41, Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 14:32 remaining for the third and final lead change. The Knights scored 16 straight for a 57-42 lead, and opened their biggest advantage at 70-51.After we went on that run we created a little distance in our lead, Johnson said. I felt like we did a good job closing the game and that was what we were focused on.Matt Scott had 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Purple Eagles, who are 0-4 for the first time since starting with six straight losses in the 1989-90 season. Kahlil Dukes had 12 points and Marvin Prochet 11.If youre around (Scott) every day, you just watch how hes blossoming, Niagara coach Chris Casey said. Its fun to watch. Hes blossoming as a player, as a person, as a student. His work ethic is off the charts.BIG PICTURENiagara: The Purple Eagles held a 65-44 advantage in bench points in the first three games. The Eagles blocked nine shots, which equaled their combined total in the first three games.Rutgers: Pikiell became the first Scarlet Knights mens coach to begin his tenure 4-0 and Rutgers defense has been a major reason. Rutgers has allowed an average of 61.7 points per game and opponents are shooting 36.3 percent (84 of 231) against the Knights. Rutgers blocked 11 Purple Eagles shots. Rutgers has won four straight for the first time since 2012-13 when it won five in a row in December.PURPLE POSITIVESCollins felt his young team did some things out of character during Rutgers decisive run, but was still happy with the way it continues to battle. I thought our guys competed extremely hard, I thought we did some very good things in the game, and weve got to use this to build on, move forward onto the next game.DOWNPLAYING STARTEntering Sundays game, the record of Rutgers first four opponents was a combined 2-9. To Pikiells credit, he is not getting carried away with his start. Asked the significance of 4-0, the coach said Nothing. We have to start working for the next game, these guys know we have a long week ahead of us.TECHNICALITIESThere were four technical fouls called, three on Rutgers with two of them on point guard Corey Sanders, who was ejected with 7:01 left.WELCOME TO NJThe Purple Hawks made their first appearance at Rutgers. Niagara won the only other meeting between the two, 73-61, on Dec. 18, 1969.UP NEXTNiagara: After three straight on the road, the Purple Eagles have their first home game since opening-night when they host Drexel on Wednesday.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights host North Texas Wednesday and will attempt to start 5-0 for the first time since 2000-01, when they opened the season with six straight home games. Wholesale Shoes Black Friday . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. China Shoes Black Friday . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/ .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. Shoes Black Friday Deals 2020 . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Cheap Shoes Black Friday . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.Rising Pune Supergiants severely dented Delhi Daredevils playoff hopes, with a nine-wicket win via Duckworth-Lewis in a rain-affected IPL clash. Adam Zampa again starred for Pune, taking 3-21 two games after his stunning 6-19 in a four-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad.Supergiants seamer Ashok Dinda (3-20) too was impressive with three wickets as Delhi managed only 121-6 - helped by Chris Morris (38no off 20 balls) taking 22 from the final over.Pune got off to a stirring start in reply, scoring 30 from the first three overs, and although Usman Khawaja (19 off 13) fell soon after, they were well ahead of the rate required when rain intervened twice in their run-chase.The second stoppage came with Pune 76-1 after 11 overs and no further play was possible, meaning the Supergiants, who cant qualify for the playoffs, at least move off the bottom of the table, while Delhi stay sixth, slipping further adrift of the top four.MS Dhonis decision to bowl first after winning the toss was rewarded when Dinda trapped the dangerous Quinton de Kock lbw in the third over - Delhi sluggishly only managing four runs from the first three.Karun Nair hit back-to-back boundaries in the fifth over to help his sides cause, before Dinda added a second victim in Shreyas Iyer.Nair steadilyy accumulated 41 from 43 balls, but batsmen continued to struggle at the other end - Zampa removing Sanju Samson (10) stumped and Rishabh Pant to a top-edged slog, before accounting for Nair too, albeit to a questionable lbw decision in the 14th over.dddddddddddd. MS Dhoni was rewarded when he won the toss and decided Rising Pune Supergiants should bowl first JP Duminy (14) fell in the penultimate over to Dinda, but Morris final-over assault - two fours and two sixes smashed from the last four balls - at least gave Delhi something to bowl at.Punes start with the bat was in stark contrast to Delhis, Khawaja smashing three fours off Zaheer Khan in the third over.He fell to Morris four balls later, but Ajinkya Rahane (42no off 36) and George Bailey (8no) cruised along despite the rain breaks and Pune eventually secured a well-deserved win.Catch more IPL action on Wednesday as play-off hunting Royal Challengers Bangalore play struggling Kings XI Punjab. That clash is live on Sky Sports 2 from 3pm. ' ' '