PISCATAWAY -- It’s a preseason ritual in college basketball: Every forward tells you how much better his shooting range became in the offseason.

Eugene Omoruyi said that in September.

It’s actually true.

And it gives Rutgers the kind of weapon that will be very tough to defend.

The junior drilled all four of his 3-pointers Sunday, leading the Scarlet Knights’ second straight offensive explosion in a 95-66 rout of Drexel before 4,214 highly entertained fans at the RAC. When the smoke cleared Omoruyi had posted a 24-point, 10-rebound tour de force. And he was fouled eight times, showing just how difficult he was to handle.

“I told you before the season started, I thought he’d be the most improved player," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. "He put that time in over the summer.”

How much time? Six mornings a week Omoruyi took 1,000 shots — 500 mid-range and 500 3-pointers. On Sundays he took 500 free throws and then went to church.

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"Me and my mom and my dad sat down and listed out my goals for this year, and that was the top goal, to shoot the ball and shoot it with confidence," Omoruyi said. "That's what I've been doing."

During his first two seasons, Omoruyi was known for his defense, hustle, passing and finishing ability. But he was 0-for-16 from 3-point range. Now he’s 6-for-7 over two games and the Scarlet Knights’ offense is humming on levels rarely seen in these parts.

"It spaces the floor for my teammates," Omoruyi said. "Teams are going to watch film now and see I can shoot. It will really space the floor out and that's what I like."

His teammates are loving it.

"I told him, trust yourself and keep banging," junior wing Issa Thiam said. "You're a shooter. Keep banging."

Rutgers has scored 90 points in back-to-back wins for the first time since 2005-06 and the first time against Division I foes since 1990-91 — the program's last NCAA Tournament squad.

The last time Rutgers opened a season beating two teams by margins of 25-plus points?

Never.

All told, the Scarlet Knights shot 14 of 26 from 3-point land (53 percent) after connecting on 12 of 20 (60 percent) in the opener against Fairleigh Dickinson. This marked their second-most 3-pointers in a game ever, one behind a Quincy Douby-fueled outburst against Syracuse in 2006.

"It shows we play really well together," said sophomore guard Geo Baker, who tallied 20 points and six assists. "It's not just one or two guys. It's the team game and that's really good for us. We want to make history; that's what we're trying to do, so I'm really happy about it."

Drexel was picked to finish near the bottom of the Colonial Athletic Association this season after going 13-20 overall and 6-12 in the league last winter. The competition ratchets up this week as Rutgers (2-0) will host St. John’s (2-0) Friday in the Gavitt Games.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS

1. Defense needs work

Afterward reporters asked about Rutgers’ shooting but Pikiell steered the discussion to his concern about the defense. Drexel shot 48 percent.

“As these guys know after the game we never really talk about points,” Pikiell said. “It’s our defense, our defense, and we’ve got to get better at that end of the floor.”

Rutgers has played three halves this season and only defended well in one — the second stanza against FDU.

“Sometimes when you score like that you forget about what really matters in basketball, and that’s being tough and rebounding and defending,” Pikiell said. “The offense isn’t going to be there every night.”

Baker confirmed it came up in the locker room.

“He’s on us about it and that’s what we need,” Baker said. “There’s going to be nights when we don’t make shots. We have to be ready to play defense because that’s what’s going to keep us in the big games.”

2. Thiam got cooking

He was quiet Friday, but the streaky 6-foot-10 wing hit three 3-pointers early to stake the Scarlet Knights to a lead they never relinquished. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Notably, he got his shots off fairly quickly; his slow delivery was an issue in the past.

Thiam will be an important guy as the schedule gets tougher because like Omoruyi, he has the potential to be a matchup headache.

“I have the most confidence ever right now,” he said. “Like coach always says, ‘You’ve got to believe in yourself. Don’t be scared.'”

3. Showdown looming

Let the hype begin. St. John’s will bring one of the nation’s most talented backcourts to the RAC, one with three potential pros.

“We know a lot about St. John’s,” Omoruyi said. “That’s been marked on our calendar.”

The student turnout was way down Sunday after they packed the baseline section Friday. Which will it be for game three?

“If they bring the energy we had for the Seton Hall game last year, that will really get us hyped,” Omoruyi said.

The Johnnies’ engine is run by Shamorie Ponds, the preseason Big East Player of the Year. Rutgers edged Ponds and the Red Storm in an exhibition last November.

“It’s a really good test for us,” Baker said. “We want to see where we’re at.”

4. Free throws a concern?

Rutgers shot 15 of 26 from the stripe after hitting just 8 of 17 Friday. That’s 54 percent total. Something to keep an eye on.

5. Pikiell down on new stat

NCAA box scores include plus/minus this year, and Pikiell is not thrilled about it. The rating is designed to show how an individual impacted the score during his time on the floor.

“I don’t really think they’re a fair evaluation at all,” the coach said. “It’s just a thing for you guys to talk about.”

Baker led Rutgers’ plus/minus Sunday with a 27, followed by Omoruyi’s 23 and Peter Kiss and Myles Johnson at 22 apiece. Pikiell conceded that it’s more useful over the long haul of a season that game by game.

“You consider everything,” he said of evaluating players. “I consider what I see in practice, I consider what I see on film. Diving for loose balls, charges, I consider those things a lot more.”

Staff writer Jerry Carino: jcarino@gannettnj.com.