Preview & Keys to the Game: Bucknell at Rutgers (December 23, 2022)

 

photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

Bucknell (7-5) at Rutgers (7-4, 1-1)

After the 81-57 demolition of Wake Forest this past Saturday, Rutgers will prepare for its upcoming showdown with Bucknell at The RAC on Friday, December 23^rd (5 PM, BTN). This will be the 31st ever meeting between Rutgers and Bucknell with the Scarlet Knights leading the series 22-8. The series between the schools dates back to 1941. The last time both teams met on the hardwood was in November 2000 with Rutgers winning 78-48.

Bucknell enters this contest with a NET ranking of 224 and will be a Q4 opponent for Rutgers. This is a game the Scarlet Knights need to win to avoid any catastrophic damage to their tournament resume. Rutgers is currently 4-0 against Q4 opponents so far this season. Rutgers is currently ranked 39 in the NET. Rutgers has done a fantastic job putting away Q4 competition all season long and are beating Q4 ranked teams by an average of 35.5 points.

Statistically, Bucknell is led by their point guard Xander Rice, a new Jersey native and son of Monmouth head coach King Rice. Xander Rice is averaging 15.9 ppg, 4.3 apg, and 1.2 spg. Bucknell has several 3PT shooters with hot hands from deep. As a team, the Bison are shooting a very respectable 40% from 3PT range and are 7th in the nation for 3PT percentage. Xander Rice, Elvin Demonds, and Ian Motta are the trio that take a big bulk of 3PT shots. Bucknell is not a strong defensive team, but they can rebound defensively very well. Bucknell does not force a lot of turnovers on the defensive end and allows their opponents to shoot from deep.

Bucknell's Last Three Games:

12/21 - at Richmond (147, Q3), L 81-71
12/18 - vs Merrimack (357, Q4), W 61-55
12/6 - at LaSalle (307, Q4), L 82-72

KEYS TO THE GAME

No sleepwalking - Rutgers showed everyone every reason why they are still a very good basketball team after the Scarlet Knights crushed Wake Forest 81-57 last week. Rutgers must show up with the same intensity when they play Bucknell and put away the Bison early. Rutgers must play fluid on offense, set screens, create open space to shoot, and drive the lane to draw fouls. On defense, Rutgers must continue to battle in the trenches and do what it does best by forcing turnovers and force bad shots. The RAC must do its part and make the environment loud.

Defend the perimeter - The Bucknell Bison are a dangerous team when shooting from 3PT range. They are shooting a respectable 40% from deep, and are ranked 5th in the country in 3PT percentage. However, Rutgers is one of the best teams in the country in defending the perimeter. Rutgers is ranked within the top 5 in defending against 3PT range. Rutgers must continue to impose its will and make it difficult for Bucknell to shoot from deep.

Force turnovers, score points - Rutgers did a great job forcing Wake Forest to commit 22 turnovers last week. Like Wake Forest, Bucknell is another team that commits a lot of turnovers. If Rutgers can force turnovers it creates scoring opportunities on the fast break. 

Get Cliff involved early - Rutgers has to get Cliff Omoruyi going early in this game. Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell have to feed the ball to Cliff down low to get him going but it won't be entirely on them. Cliff is going to have to find a way to get himself in good position to score. If Cliff can get going early down low, it will draw Bucknell defenders to him and create other open looks for other Rutgers players on the floor.

Finish around the rim - Rutgers did a great job finishing around the rim last week against Wake Forest, which is good because the Scarlet Knights entering that game were poor in finishing layups and shooting from close range. Rutgers needs to convert its layups and make its close shots around the rim. Even if Rutgers does miss an occasional layup or close shot, Rutgers is one of the best teams in the country in grabbing offensive rebounds and possibly creating second chance opportunities.

Identify key players and shut them down - In tonight's preview, we mentioned Xander Rice is one of Bucknell's top players, and it's likely Caleb McConnell will receive the assignment of defending him. If McConnell can shut down Xander Rice, it's going to be a long painful night for Bucknell. Also, Cliff Omoruyi may have a difficult assignment in guarding Andre Screen. Screen is averaging 11.5 ppg and is nabbing 6.2 rpg. Cliff is going to have to get physical in the trenches and out tough Screen.

Keys to the Game: Seton Hall at Rutgers, Garden State Hardwood Classic (December 11, 2022)

 

photo courtesy of Getty Images

Seton Hall (5-4) at Rutgers (6-3, 1-1)

Garden State Hardwood Classic

New Jersey's Most Intense College Hoops Rivalry

Ah, the Garden State Hardwood Classic. The biggest and baddest college basketball rivalry in all of New Jersey. It doesn't get any bigger than this when it comes to college hoops rivalries in New Jersey. It doesn't matter what record the team has or who is playing in the game. This is the game college basketball fans across New Jersey cannot wait to see. Past games have been intense and extremely physical. Just check out some of the articles listed below of previous instances of this rivalry. This is Rutgers versus Seton Hall.

Preview

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Seton Hall Pirates tip-off this Sunday, December 11 at The RAC at 6:30 PM ET, FS1. The Scarlet Knights will look to win this important rivalry game to not only bring the Garden State Hardwood Trophy back to its campus but also to get themselves back on track after suffering a heart-breaking 67-66 loss to the #25 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Scarlet Knights lost to the Buckeyes on a last second desperation shot which should not have counted after Big Ten officials blew two calls. The Big Ten released a statement on Friday, December 9th acknowledging the errors by the officials. (Click here to see the statement by the Big Ten.)

The Scarlet Knights enter tomorrow's contest at 24th in the NET Rankings (as of 10 December) and 27th in the KenPom. The Scarlet Knights, who boast the best homecourt advantage in all of college basketball, are currently 6-0 at The RAC this season. A win against Seton Hall will keep the Scarlet Knights from potentially dropping in the NET Rankings since the Pirates enter the contest as a Q3 opponent. Rutgers currently has one Q3 loss on its resume when the Scarlet Knights suffered a 72-66 setback against the Temple Owls on a neutral floor in late November. Since the return of their two key starters in Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell, the Scarlet Knights have been playing high-level basketball and have produced the one of the nation's most elite defenses. Here is where the Scarlet Knights currently rank in several defensive categories in the country:

• Scoring Defense - 6th
• Forced Turnovers Per Game - 27th
• 3PT % Defense - 2nd
• FG % Defense - 11th
• Steals Per Game - 13th

The Seton Hall Pirates enter Sunday's rivalry contest at 114th in the NET Rankings (as of 10 December) and 64th in the KenPom. Seton Hall lead the all-time series 41-31. Seton Hall is 1-3 against Q1 opponents but suffered a major setback when they lost 60-55 to Siena (Q4 opponent) in late November. The Pirates are coming off a blowout 91-65 road loss to the Kansas Jayhawks but defeated Division II opponent Lincoln (PA) 82-55 this past Wednesday at Walsh Gym. Seton Hall has been hampered with a few key injuries this year with Dre Davis only playing five games, and Tray Jackson missing Wednesday's action. The Pirates are led in scoring by Tyrese Samuel, Dre Davis, and Al-Amir Dawes. Al-Amir Dawes and Jamir Harris take a bulk of the 3PT shots for the Pirates as Dawes is shooting 44% from beyond the arc and Harris is shooting 28 percent. Tyrese Samuel is nabbing 7 rebounds per game. As a whole, the Pirates rank well statistically in the country in free-throw attempts per game (1st), free throws made per game (5th), 3PT% defense (43rd), and FG% defense (83rd). 

Keys to the Game

1. Get the ball to Cliff - Rutgers should have the advantage down low against the Pirates and the Scarlet Knights need to get the ball to Cliff Omoruyi. Let Cliff go to work on Tyrese Samuel and inflict as much damage on Samuel as he can. Cliff needs to produce on the offensive end by drawing fouls, getting good looks, and finishing around the rim.
2. Finish around the rim, no missed opportunities - The Scarlet Knights have had a habit of getting great looks around the rim but sometimes their layups or close shots do not fall, and possessions then turn into wasted opportunities. Rutgers has to do a better job of converting layups into points and finishing around the rim including grabbing offensive rebounds and converting second chance points because everyone knows this is going to be a very physical game. Rutgers ranks 20th in the country in offensive rebounding and Seton Hall is not very good at rebounding defensively. 
3. No easy looks for Hall - The Scarlet Knights need to pack the paint and prevent the Pirates from driving the lane. If the Rutgers can force Seton Hall to shoot from beyond the arc or take long-range jumpers, the Scarlet Knights have a good chance at winning this game. Seton Hall is not particularly great at shooting from deep, and the Scarlet Knights have one of the best perimeter defenses in the country. Force the Pirates into taking poor shots.
4. Drive the lane, draw fouls - Seton Hall fouls a lot and they let their opponents take many trips to the free-throw line. Rutgers needs to drive the lane and draw fouls. If the Scarlet Knights can draw fouls early in the game and put the Pirates into foul trouble early, it's going to be a long day for Seton Hall. Rutgers has improved from the charity stripe this year as they are shooting 70%.
5. Get off to a good start - If Rutgers can get off to a good start and make some buckets early on, it's only going to further pump up an already raucous crowd at The RAC and make it difficult for Seton Hall to handle the rest of the way.

Additional Suggested Readings:

• Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press - "Rutgers-Seton Hall basketball: Garden State Hardwood Classic scouting report, prediction" - Click here to read
• Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press - "Seton Hall at Rutgers: 'the definition of a college basketball atmopshere'" - Click here to read
• Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press - "Rutgers-Seton Hall basketball banquet: Oh, the stories" - Click here to read
• Aaron Breitman of The Scarlet Faithful - "Rutgers faces an emotional test vs. Seton Hall" - Click here to read
• Adam Zagoria of NJ Advance Media - "Seton Hall expecting 'loud, aggressive' environment in 'must-win' game at Rutgers" - Click here to read
• Brian Fonseca of NJ Advance Media - "As Rutgers welcomes Seton Hall back to RAC, Corey Sanders recalls rivalry win that started renaissance" - Click here to read
• Jersey Jumpshot Podcast - "Previewing Seton Hall vs Rutgers and a chat with Fox Sports' John Fanta" - Click to listen here

Keys to the Game: Columbia at Rutgers (November 7, 2022)

 

photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

Columbia at Rutgers

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will tip off tomorrow night at The RAC in their opening game of the 2022-23 season against the Ivy League's Columbia Lions (7 PM ET, BTN+). Columbia leads the all-time series 25-24. The last time both teams faced each other was in 2018 when the Scarlet Knights pulled off a 68-65 victory at The RAC.

Fans, there will be a new-look Rutgers team on the floor tomorrow night, and the Scarlet Knights will rely heavily on the experience of their three captains, Paul Mulcahy, Caleb McConnell, and Cliff Omoruyi; however, this calls for other rotational players to step up and takeover big roles. There are questions that remain including how will this Rutgers team operate offensively without the big production from previous studs Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr.? How will this Rutgers team look defensively? Can Rutgers close out opponents and win down the stretch? Can this Rutgers team prevent themselves from going on long scoring droughts during games? While it's a long season and there is more that remains to be seen, expect Coach Steve Pikiell to test out different rotations, schemes, and game adjustments to have a sense of where his team is early in the season. Coach Pikiell may even use the first game of the season against Columbia as a test for certain rotational players.

Last season, Columbia finished 4-22 overall, 1-13 in Ivy League play with a final NET ranking of 351. Not much has changed in the off season for the Lions, but coach Jim Engles expects his team to be improved. Heading into this game, Columbia will be a Q4 opponent for the Scarlet Knights, and this is a game they are heavily favored to win.

KEYS TO THE GAME

1. No sluggish starts - Rutgers has to get off to a fast start by scoring points and forcing turnovers early on. Rutgers has to look for good shots by pounding the paint and driving the lane. The Scarlet Knights must avoid forcing bad shots and unnecessary turnovers. If the Scarlet Knights can get off to a fast start and build a comfortable lead, it should help themselves build confidence. You do not want a lowly rated team like Columbia hanging around for 40 minutes. 
2. Shut down De La Rosa and Murphy - Columbia returns two quality players on their roster, Rubio De La Rosa and Liam Murphy, both who averaged more than 12 ppg. It is expected De La Rosa and Murphy will get most of the looks for the Lions and take most of their shots. Rutgers must shut them down early by not allowing good looks and turn up the pressure to force turnovers. If Rutgers can shut down De La Rosa and Murphy, it will be a long night for Columbia.
3. Feed the beast - It's pretty simple. Feed Cliff Omoruyi the ball and let him go to work down low. Omoruyi led the nation in dunks last season and he has improved his mid-range jumper in the off-season. Fans should expect Omoruyi to dominate in this game.
4. Rebound! Rebound! Rebound! - Rutgers needs to get down in the trenches and win the battle of the boards. If Rutgers can win the battle of the boards it will limit Columbia's second chance opportunities.
5. Spencer and Simpson - Cam Spencer and Derek Simpson are likely to see significant minutes in tomorrow's game, and if both players can get going offensively and heat up, Rutgers should run away from Columbia comfortably.

2022-23 keys to the season and predictions

 

photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics

The 2022-23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights college basketball season starts on Monday!

Check out RHI's 2022-23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights season preview

Ahh, the college basketball season is upon us, and that means the 2022-23 season tips off next week for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (vs Columbia, Monday, November 7th at 7 PM ET, BTN+). The Scarlet Knights will be looking to replicate the success they had last season and hope they can earn their third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, something this program has never achieved. But without their big playmakers Geo Baker (graduated) and Ron Harper Jr. (NBA), both who have moved on from the program, can the Scarlet Knights find ways to score down the stretch, make clutch shots in pressure situations, and win big games?

The Scarlet Knights return three key players including preseason All-Big Ten player Cliff Omoruyi, arguably one of the best centers in the conference and maybe in college basketball, assist leader Paul Mulcahy, and 2021-22 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Caleb McConnell. Behind their top three players Rutgers also returns key contributors including Aundre Hyatt, Mawot Mag, Jalen Miller, Dean Reiber, and Oskar Palmquist. In the offseason, Coach Steve Pikiell and his staff were able to nab one of the Patriot League's top scorers Cam Spencer (Loyola) from the transfer portal and recruit three quality high school players in Derek Simpson, Antonio Chol, and Antwone Woolfolk.

Many analysts across college basketball believe the Big Ten is wide open this season, and the Scarlet Knights appear to be one of the most experienced in the conference. The Scarlet Knights will try to use their experience to their advantage when taking on the Big Ten's best. But the key for the Scarlet Knights to have success this season will have to be contributions from everyone on the team. Each player is going to have step up and take over new roles to fill the void left by Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr.

It should be noted the Big Ten media selected the Scarlet Knights to finish 8th in the conference this season.

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL SEASON

• Take care of business early - Rutgers has to get off to a fast, good start to the early part of the season. Their first three opponents (Columbia, Sacred Heart, and UMass-Lowell) are likely to be Q4 opponents, and Rutgers has to shut them down quickly and keep them out of the game. Rutgers must avoid any early losses, especially to low-rated teams. Last year, Rutgers' season was on life support after suffering three early non-conference losses in a row to DePaul, UMass, and Lafayette. Not only did they suffer those three terrible losses, but the Scarlet Knights needed overtime to overcome Lehigh and a second half run to pull away from Merrimack at the beginning of last season. Rutgers must avoid a sluggish start to the season and take care of business early. If they can get off to a good start, the Scarlet Knights should be ready for their first real test of the season will be on November 18th when they face off against Temple at the Mohegan Sun.

• Avoid bad losses - We talked about how important it is for Rutgers to get off to a good start immediately at the start of the season but the Scarlet Knights must avoid any bad losses throughout the season. Last year, the Scarlet Knights' season was littered with many quality wins but with many bad losses. The NCAA Tournament Committee will likely not be as kind as they were to Rutgers last season if the Scarlet Knights suffer any bad losses. This means the Scarlet Knights should finish no worse than 9-2 in the non-conference portion of the schedule but without any Q3 or Q4 losses. Rutgers must also beat the teams they are expected to beat (Northwestern, Nebraska, and Minnesota).

• Avoid injuries - Rutgers must avoid the injury bug. Over the course of the last couple of seasons, Rutgers fans have witnessed the Scarlet Knights without key players for big games, and sometimes the results were not in their favor. Rutgers will already likely be without Caleb McConnell for Rutgers' opening game against Columbia. Rutgers has to stay healthy throughout the season and will need contributions from everyone on the team.

• Play smart basketball from the jump - All too often we have seen the Scarlet Knights get off to slow starts against their opponents, and force bad shots or go through long stretches in games where they are ice cold from the field. Rutgers has to work hard for good looks and take good shots. Drive the ball down low for high percentage shots and pound the paint to draw fouls to get to the line. This year's team does not look like the type of team that is built to come from behind by many points. Rutgers relied all too often on Herculean efforts from Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. to rally the team from behind large deficits to win games. Playing smart basketball also means, they must avoid committing too many fouls and getting into foul trouble. If Cliff Omoruyi gets into foul trouble early, who is going to step up and fill his role? Also, playing smart basketball means avoiding unnecessary turnovers. Last season, Rutgers committed way too many turnovers allowing other teams opportunities to score points and go on runs.

• Use The RAC to your advantage - Rutgers boasts an incredible home record of 42-8 since the 2019 season making it very difficult for its opponents to win against the Scarlet Knights at The RAC. Many of the games have already been listed as sold out and the fans are going to be in a frenzy because they believe in this team. Rutgers has to feed off the energy of the crowd and deliver a knockout punch to its opponents that take on the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway. The RAC is truly one of the most underrated college basketball homecourt advantages in the country.

If Rutgers can accomplish these five keys throughout the season, the Scarlet Knights should expect to be dancing in March once again. Despite analysts across the college hoops world saying the Big Ten will be down this season, that still doesn't mean the Big Ten will not be tough. The Big Ten will always be a grind, and will always have highly-rated quality basketball teams. Rutgers will have to be ready to battle each and every night to prove it is a contender in the conference and can make the dreams of another NCAA Tournament. Rutgers should finish in the top of half of the conference once again. PROJECTION: Rutgers finishes 21-10 overall, 12-8 in conference; earns 10-seed bid to the NCAA Tournament.

ADDITIONAL RUTGERS SEASON PREVIEWS:

• Aaron Breitman (The Scarlet Faithful) - "Rutgers men's basketball season preview & predictions" - Click here to read
• Aaron Breitman (The Scarlet Faithful) - The Scarlet Faithful Podcast, Episode 33, Rutgers men's basketball preview with Jerry Carino - Click here to listen
• Brian Fonseca (NJ Advance Media) - "Rutgers basketball season preview: New-look Scarlet Knights pursue historic NCAA Tournament 3-peat" - Click here to read
• Bobby Deren (Scarlet Nation) - Scarlet Nation Podcast, Episode 109, What did we learn in Rutgers hoops' exhibition win? - Click here to listen
• Declan Walsh (Sports Illustrated) - "How Rutgers reemerged as having one of college basketball's greatest venues" - Click here to read

Keys to the Game: Penn State at Rutgers (March 6, 2022)

 

(photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)

Penn State (12-15; 7-12) at Rutgers (17-12; 11-8)

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will host the Penn State Nittany Lions at The RAC on Sunday, March 6th (12 PM ET, BTN) in what appears to be its most important game of the regular season. The Scarlet Knights have a lot to play for on Sunday, including a possible at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament; seeding in the Big Ten tournament; and for Baker, Harper, and McConnell to win one last time at The RAC. It is going to be a day full of emotion as Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., and Caleb McConnell will play at The RAC one last time. This trio has had incredible careers at Rutgers, and nothing would be more suitable than to beat Penn State and cement a berth into the NCAA Tournament. 

If all goes to plan, and the Scarlet Knights win, they would finish with a conference record of 12-8, which would be their best finish since joining the Big Ten. There is potential for Rutgers to finish fourth place in the conference, but Rutgers can finish no worse than sixth. Before the season started, analysts and writers in college basketball projected Rutgers to finish in eighth place. 

Tomorrow's game is an absolute must-win for the Scarlet Knights because they have to avoid a Q3 loss, which would seriously damage their chances of making the NCAA Tournament. Micah Shrewsbury will have his players ready to battle tomorrow, and he hopes to spoil the Scarlet Knights season. 

KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Rebound! Rebound! Rebound! - Last time these two met, Penn State was plus-8 on the boards. The Nittany Lions outrebounded Rutgers 41-33. The Nittany Lions were able to get 13 offensive rebounds which led to many second chance points. John Harrar (6) and Greg Lee (12) combined for 18 rebounds in their last meeting. Rutgers is going to have to get aggressive and physical with rebounding. Cliff Omoruyi and Ron Harper Jr. are going to have to physical in the trenches and fight for every rebound as well as every loose ball.
2. No slow starts - Rutgers cannot afford to get off to a slow start. Last time these two met, Rutgers started very slow and Penn State went on a run to stretch their lead from 6-4 to 18-6. Rutgers was never able to catch up and they trailed 27-19 at halftime. Rutgers tried to battle back in the second half, but they fell apart around the 8 minute mark and Penn State pulled away to win by 17. Rutgers needs to dictate the tempo of the game and work for good looks to take good shots. Rutgers must avoid forcing any shots if it isn't a good look. 
3. Defend the perimeter - Penn State is not a great three point shooting team, but they will look for Seth Lundy, Sam Sessoms, and Dallion Johnson are their best shooters from deep. If anyone of them heats up, Rutgers could be in for some serious trouble. Rutgers has to continue to defend the perimeter and play swarming defense. Look for John Harrar to set a high action ball screen to setup a shot from deep from one of the three players mentioned above. Rutgers must avoid the high screen. 
4. Pound the rock - Ron Harper Jr. and Paul Mulcahy are at their best when they drive the lane and pound the rock. If they can continue to attack the rim, score points, and draw fouls, Rutgers will be successful. Both players are good free-throw shooters. Also, look for Rutgers' guards Geo Baker and Paul Mulcahy to feed the rock to Cliff Omoruyi down low. 
5. Find your playmakers - If Rutgers wants to win this game on Sunday, they have to find their playmakers. On offense, Rutgers has to find a way to get the ball in the hands of Ron Harper Jr., Geo Baker, and Cliff Omoruyi. On defense, look for Caleb McConnell to disrupt Penn State's offense by forcing turnovers and steals. If Rutgers can force turnovers and steals, they must move the ball quick in transition to catch Penn State off guard. 
6. Keep your composure, stay disciplined - Paul Mulcahy has been playing a bit wild lately, and he was recently ejected from the game against Indiana. Mulcahy has to play smart basketball and keep his composure. Penn State is going to try and frustrate him, and he cannot allow himself to get frustrated. Mulcahy also has to take good shots and make good passes. In his last several games, Mulcahy made mistakes he normally does not make. He committed several unforced turnovers with bad passes and several bad offensive fouls. Rutgers loves to play physical defense but they will have to stay disciplined. They commit fouls. A lot of fouls. They are going to have to keep their playmakers out of foul trouble at all costs.