Denis Badalau scores 19 points in the first half and Rutgers goes on to beat Maine 72-60

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Denis Badalau scored all 19 of his points in the first half, Dylan Grant had 10 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double and Rutgers beat Maine 72-60 on Monday night.

Rutgers opened the game on a 15-2 run, with seven straight points from Badalau, and led throughout. Badalau scored 19 of Rutgers’ 37 first-half points after making 4 of 5 from 3-point range, while Maine went 4 of 11.

Tariq Francis scored five points in Rutgers’ 10-0 run to begin the second half for a 47-30 lead. The Scarlet Knights added a 7-0 run for a 17-point lead with 10:43 remaining.

Francis finished with 12 points, and Darren Buchanan Jr. added 10 off the bench for Rutgers (2-0), which opened the season with a 28-point victory over Rider.

Isaac Bonilla scored 12 points, Bashir N’Galang added 11 and TJ Biel had 10 for Maine (0-3), which has lost to George Washington and Stony Brook. Freshman Ace Flagg, the twin brother of Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper, scored six.

Rutgers turned 18 Maine turnovers into 25 points.