Where is Rutgers projected to land in the 2023 NCAA Tournament?
Let's Talk About the Resume
During the last update, Rutgers was in great standing and only a few games away from becoming a lock for this year's NCAA Tournament but since then the Scarlet Knights have gone 1-3. Rutgers dropped Q1 road decisions to Indiana and Illinois as well as an embarrassing Q3 home loss to Nebraska.
However, Rutgers ended the three-game skid and picked up a big Q2 road win against Wisconsin. Rutgers is currently 17-10 overall, 9-7 in the Big Ten, and in 5th place in the conference standings. The Scarlet Knights are currently ranked 29 in the NET Rankings, a slight drop since the previous update.
Rutgers is now 8-8 against Q1/2 opponents combined. The most impressive Q1 wins for Rutgers on the season are road wins over Purdue and Northwestern as well as home wins over Indiana and Maryland. Michigan State is currently surging in the Big Ten, and as the Spartans continue to win their NET Ranking continues to rise. The Rutgers win over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in early February could become another Q1 win for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers only has one Q1 contest remaining on their schedule as they will travel to State College PA to battle Penn State on February 26.
The Scarlet Knights still remain a rock solid 5-2 against Q2 opponents as they own victories over Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State, Wake Forest, and Wisconsin. It should be noted that of the five Q2 wins by Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights beat Penn State by 20 and Wake Forest by 24. Rutgers has two Q2 games remaining on their schedule, home games against Michigan (2/23) and Northwestern (3/5).
If there is anything that could drag Rutgers resume down and hurt their seeding is the Q3 losses to Nebraska and Temple. Although, Nebraska and Temple are ranked on the higher end of Q3 teams, having at least two Q3 losses on your resume will impact your seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
Rutgers remains a perfect 7-0 against Q4 teams this season. The Scarlet Knights have done a wonderful job handling their business against Q4 opponents as they are beating Q4 teams by 30 points or more in each contest, a metric that definitely boosts their NET Ranking. The only landmine that remains on Rutgers schedule is a March 2 road game against Minnesota.
The Metrics
The metrics are still trending in Rutgers favor as the Scarlet Knights are still playing defense at a very high level. Currently, Rutgers is rated the 4th best team in the land for defensive efficiency; however, Rutgers offensive efficiency has dipped in their last several games as they are rated 128th, according to KenPom.
Rutgers is now 9-0 in the Big Ten when holding opponents under 65 points, but they are a dreadful 0-7 in the conference when opponents score more than 65 points.
Here are the ratings for Rutgers according to several major college basketball metrics heavy web sites:
KenPom - 27
Sagarin - 24
Torvik - 27
Haslametrics - 36
ESPN BPI - 17
The Remaining Schedule
The remaining schedule for Rutgers includes one Q1 road game, two Q2 home games, and one Q4 road game. What was supposed to be lighter schedule Rutgers has turned into a difficult mountain to climb; however, the Scarlet Knights still remain determined to win.
Dropping two road games to Indiana and Illinois was understandable, but the home loss to Nebraska was especially baffling. Rutgers made up for lost ground by stunning Wisconsin 58-57 on the road. The win was especially big for Rutgers because they had won the game without their 2022-23 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Caleb McConnell due to a back spasms injury.
With only four games remaining on the regular season, Rutgers needs to close out the season strong by finishing 3-1 or better to potentially earn a 6-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Bart Torvik projects Rutgers to finish 20-11 overall and 12-8 in the conference
If Rutgers finishes the season 2-2, they will go dancing but will probably end up as an 8/9-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers would finish the regular season at 19-12 overall and 11-9 in the Big Ten.
While finishing the season 1-3 is not ideal, Rutgers would likely still go dancing but would have to sweat it out to see if they will be playing in Dayton or earn a 10-seed, preventing them from playing in the First Four. Rutgers would finish the season 18-13 overall and 10-10 in the Big Ten.
One thing remains certain, the Scarlet Knights' road trip to Minnesota is a game they must win to avoid any potential negative impact to their resume and seeding for the NCAA Tournament. A loss to Minnesota could also be the difference in Rutgers ending up on the left or right side of the bubble.
Rutgers is still not a lock for the NCAA Tournament just yet. Bart Torvik gives Rutgers a 91.5% chance of making it to the NCAA Tournament and earning a 7-seed.
What do the Bracketologists Think About Rutgers?
According to BracketMatrix.com, Rutgers has appeared in 90 brackets and are averaging an 8-seed. Majority of the bracketologists have Rutgers seeded anywhere from a 7/8/9-seed but the highest seed they have been assigned is by Jerry Palm of CBS Sports who currently has them projected as a 10-seed.
Brad Wachtel of Facts and Bracks projects Rutgers to be a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament. He has Rutgers potentially facing 8-seed Duke in Birmingham, AL in the South Region of the bracket. The winner would potentially face 1-seed Alabama or 16-seed UNC Asheville. Brad Wachtel is one the highest and most accurate bracketologists, according to BracketMatrix.com.
Jonathan Warriner of Making the Madness projects Rutgers to be a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament. He has Rutgers matched up against 8-seed Nevada in Des Moines, IA in the Midwest Region of the bracket. The winner would potentially face 1-seed Kansas or 16-seed Samford.
Mike Decourcy of FOX Sports projects Rutgers to be a 7-seed in the NCAA Tournament. He has Rutgers potentially facing 10-seed West Virginia in Sacramento, CA in the West Region of the bracket. The winner would potentially face 2-seed UCLA or 15-seed Eastern Washington. Mike Decourcy is the highest rated bracketologist of all the major sports networks and has been very accurate over the past several years, according to BracketMatrix.com.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi projects Rutgers to be an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament. He has Rutgers potentially facing 9-seed Texas A&M in Birmingham, AL of the Midwest Region of the bracket. The winner would potentially face 1-seed Houston or 16-seed Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Joe Lunardi is one of the most popular bracketologists but is rated lower than other bracketologists, according to BracketMatrix.com.
Other Bracketologists:
JBR Bracketology projects Rutgers to be a 9-seed.
NJ Bracketology projects Rutgers to be an 8-seed.
801 Bracketology projects Rutgers to be an 8-seed.
Delphi Bracketology projects Rutgers to be an 8-seed.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have two big conference games coming up this week
Just when you thought Rutgers (12-5, 4-2) has already played some of their most difficult Big Ten competition this season, the Scarlet Knights are about to embark on another brutal stretch of games. The Scarlet Knights host the dangerous Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday, January 15 and then travel to East Lansing to battle the surging Michigan State Spartans on Thursday, January 19. This week's two-game stretch is going to be critical because winning at least one of these games will keep the Scarlet Knights above .500 in the conference and in position to contend for a Big Ten regular season title.
All season long Rutgers has shown everyone they have togetherness as a team, the ability to play with toughness and physicality, and the unrelenting ability to overcome adversity. These qualities have made this year's Rutgers team one of the best in the Big Ten Conference.
Not only does this team play connected as a unit, but the Scarlet Knights have had several key players step up in specific roles this season that have helped them win games. The nation now knows about Cam Spencer after the Loyola-Maryland transfer drilled two game winning shots. During the offseason, there were questions about who will step up to take the big shot this season when needed. That question has been answered.
Since joining Rutgers this year, Spencer is leading the team in scoring with 13.5 ppg; leading the team in steals with 2.5 spg; and second in assists with 3.6 apg. Spencer is also shooting an incredible 48.2% from deep, and 97.2% from the free-throw line.
Aundre Hyatt has significantly developed and improved his game during the course of the season. Hyatt has accepted his role as the 6th man coming off the bench for the Scarlet Knights, and he has had his most productive season yet. He has provided significant minutes coming off the bench as well, and is now averaging 24.8 minutes per game. Hyatt is third in scoring for Rutgers and is averaging 10.1 ppg. Hyatt is also shooting a career high 32% from beyond the arc, 76% from the free-throw line, and 4.5 rpg.
Mawot Mag has been a massive contributor to Rutgers this season as the third year junior is playing more minutes than he ever has before in his collegiate career (24.0 mpg). The suffocating defender is now averaging 5.2 rebounds per game and 1.1 steals per game. Mag's offensive production has been a big boost as he is averaging 7.2 ppg and 73.5% from the free-throw line.
All three mentioned players have been a pleasant surprise and a joy to watch on the basketball court this year. All-Preseason Big Ten player Cliff Omoruyi, Paul Mulcahy, and big Ten DPOY Caleb McConnell have been the anchors guiding this team with their profound leadership. In lieu of all the positives, there are five things Rutgers fans will need to look for and expect from this team in the two big games coming up this week in order for the Scarlet Knights to have continued success.
FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK
1. Look for Rutgers to continue to free up Cam Spencer for the big shot. Most of the Big Ten games this season have been meat grinders for Rutgers, with the exception of the Indiana and Maryland blowouts. Rutgers has continuously relied on Spencer to bail the team out with the big game winning shots as he did against Purdue and Northwestern. It should be no surprise that Rutgers' next two games will probably come down to the last possession. Ohio State and Michigan State are both scrappy teams that will be difficult matchups for the Scarlet Knights. Each possession will be just as important as the next. If the game comes down to the wire and Rutgers needs a lift, don't be surprised if the Scarlet Knights create plays to free up Spencer to take the shot.
2. Paul Mulchay needs to continue to take charge. Rutgers is at its best when Paul Mulcahy is at his best. Mulcahy will need to avoid any mental breakdowns this week. Ohio State and Michigan State will try to fluster Paul Mulcahy and lure him into breaking down mentally. In the game against Northwestern last week, Mulcahy's emotions shows and his frustration with the officials were not held back. Mulcahy was also whistled for technical fouls for flopping. Paul Mulcahy has done an incredible job all season showing maturity and keeping his emotions in check, and this needs to continue. Mulcahy is a veteran on this team, and he has to do what he does best: floor general. Mulcahy has to continue making crafty passes and dissect each team's defense. Mulcahy is elusive as any other player when he backs down other defenders offensively.
3. Cliff Omoruyi needs to be more involved offensively. Cliff Omoruyi has been somewhat invisible the last three games, but that is not entirely his fault. The Big Ten knows Omoruyi is a key player for Rutgers and is held in high regard as one of the best centers in the conference. With that being said, Northwestern, Iowa, and Maryland have game planned well in defending Omoruyi and eliminating many chances for him to get quality touches on the ball. Omoyuri only tallied 4 points against Northwestern; 9 points against Iowa; and 4 points against Maryland. If Rutgers is going to win against Ohio State and Michigan State, Omoruyi must find ways to get involved offensively, whether it's creating space off the ball for good looks at the basket or crashing the boards for second chance points. Omoruyi has done a phenomenal job rebounding the ball all season, and he averaged 11.5 rpg in the last three games.
4. Valuable minutes off the bench will be important. Rutgers will need to rely on key players coming off the bench to provide valuable minutes. Freshman Derek Simpson and Aundre Hyatt have been intricate for Rutgers when coming off the bench and have actually provided a much needed boost to the team both offensively and defensively. In the win against Maryland, Simpson logged 18 minutes, scored 6 points, forced 1 steal, and made both free-throws from the foul line. Hyatt logged 26 minutes in the win against Northwestern and also scored 10 points, grabbed 3 boards, went 2-of-3 from deep, 1 block, and 1 steal. If Rutgers can get this type of production out of its bench against Ohio State and Michigan State, the Scarlet Knights should win these games.
5. Rutgers will increase its defensive pressure. Rutgers already boasts one of the nation's most elite defense by holding opponents to only 56.5 ppg (4th); holding opponents to shooting 37.% from the field (6th); holding opponents to 27.8% from 3PT range (10th); creating 10.1 steals per game (10th); and forcing 17 turnovers per game (29th). Expect the Scarlet Knights to ratchet up the pressure defensively on Ohio State and Michigan State. Steve Pikiell has gone to a full-court press throughout many games this year, and it has flustered the Scarlet Knights' opponents. In the second half of the 1st meeting between Rutgers and Ohio State, it was quite evident the full-court press by the Scarlet Knights slowed down the Buckeyes' offensively and forced them into making turnovers.
Weekly Big Ten Power Rankings (games played thru January 8)
1. Purdue Boilermakers, (15-1, 3-1) - Purdue recovered after their loss to Rutgers and went on the road to beat Ohio State and Penn State. Next Opponents: 1/13, Nebraska. Previous Week - 1
2. Michigan State Spartans, (11-4, 3-1) - Michigan State is red hot right now. They crushed Nebraska by 18 and stymied Michigan at home. Next Opponents: 1/10, at Wisconsin; 1/13, at Illinois. Previous Week - 6
3. Rutgers Scarlet Knights, (11-5, 3-2) - Rutgers had a very impressive week despite losing at home to Iowa, the Scarlet Knights knocked off #1 Purdue and blew out Maryland. Next Opponents: 1/11, at Northwestern; 1/15, Ohio State. Previous Week - 3
4. Northwestern Wildcats, (12-3, 3-1) - Northwestern is surging right now. They lost to Ohio State earlier in the week but recovered with big wins over Illinois and Indiana. Don't blink now but the Wildcats are atop the Big Ten right now. Next Opponents: 1/11, Rutgers; 1/15, at Michigan. Previous Week - 11
5. Ohio State Buckeyes, (10-5, 2-2) - Ohio State looked very impressive in their win at Northwestern, but blew a chance at knocking off Purdue and then were outplayed by a struggling Maryland team. Next Opponents: 1/12, Minnesota; 1/15, at Rutgers. Previous Week - 2
6. Wisconsin Badgers, (11-3, 3-1) - The Badgers split two conference games this week. They slipped past bottom dweller Minnesota and lost by double-digits to Illinois. Badgers have not looked impressive lately but stay atop the Big Ten standings. Next Opponents: 1/10, Michigan State; 1/14, at Indiana. Previous Week - 5
7. Michigan Wolverines, (9-6, 3-1) - The Wolverines had an impressive blowout win over a struggling Maryland team and knocked off Penn State, but felt short against their rivals Michigan State. Next Opponent: 1/12, at Iowa; 1/15, Northwestern. Previous Week - 9
8. Penn State Nittany Lions, (11-5, 2-3) - The Nittany Lions had a tough week. They started off with a big win over Iowa, but lost on the road against Michigan and a neutral floor meeting with Purdue. They have a chance on Wednesday to pick up a big win. Next Opponents: 1/11, Indiana. Previous Week - 4
9. Iowa Hawkeyes, (10-6, 2-3) - The Hawkeyes were on the verge of collapse until they punched Indiana in the mouth for their first Big Ten win of the season and then walked into The RAC to overwhelm Rutgers. Next Opponents: 1/12, Michigan; 1/15, Maryland. Previous Week - 13
10. Illinois Fighting Illini, (10-5, 1-3) - The Illini were thoroughly outplayed by Northwestern earlier in the week but they made up for it with a nice 10 point win over Wisconsin. Next Opponents: 1/10, at Nebraska; 1/13, Michigan State. Previous Week - 7
11. Maryland Terrapins, (11-5, 2-3) - Maryland was blown out by Michigan and Rutgers earlier this week, but they made up for it with a big win over Ohio State. Next Opponents: 1/15, at Iowa. Previous Week - 10
12. Indiana Hoosiers, (10-5, 1-3) - Indiana is in a world of trouble right now. They lost to Northwestern and Iowa. They are injury plagued at the moment and are sitting near the bottom of the Big Ten. Next Opponents: 1/11, at Penn State; 1/14, Wisconsin. Previous Week - 8
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers, (9-7, 2-3) - Nebraska got waxed by Michigan State this week, and topped Minnesota in OT. Next Opponents: 1/10, Illinois; 1/13, at Purdue. Previous Week - 12
14. Minnesota Golden Gophers, (6-8, 0-4) - The Gophers are still searching for their first Big Ten win of the season. They fell short against Nebraska and Wisconsin this past week. Next Opponent: 1/12, at Ohio State. Previous Week - 14
Rutgers Hoops Insider appears on College Hoops Chat with Jim Maisano
Check out Rutgers Hoops Insider appearing on College Hoops Chat with Jim Maisano (January 2, 2023) by clicking here. Jim Maisano is the host of College Hoops Chat, and has a passion for college basketball. Jim has been doing WVOX (1460 AM) radio shows since 1996 and now Jim hosts College Hoops Chat every Monday from 8 PM to 9 PM on WVOX 1460 AM. You can listen to all of the College Hoops Chat episodes by visiting collegehoopschat.com.
Please add College Hoops Chat on Twitter @CollHoopsChat -or- contact at CollegeHoopsChat@gmail.com.
The January 2, 2023 episode (Season 3/Episode 13) of College Hoops Chat features discussion from guests covering UConn's hot start, Providence Friars & the Big East, Iona Gaels winning again, and Rutgers & the Big Ten.
NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents (thru games Dec 23)
Here are the NET Rankings of Rutgers' opponents for games played through December 23rd. There are plenty of opportunities for Rutgers to improve its resume for the NCAA Tournament when the Scarlet Knights return to Big Ten play starting January 2nd. There are several games Rutgers must win and avoid a loss which could cause potential damage to their resume, including games against Coppin State and Minnesota. For the time being, Rutgers is in very good shape and find themselves currently ranked 27 in the NET. As of now, Rutgers only has two remaining Q1 home games, while they have eight remaining Q1 road games. For a complete listing of the NET Rankings please click here.
Let's take a look at where Rutgers' opponents currently rank compared to where they ranked at the start of the season, per KenPom
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 12 games into their 2022-23 campaign and a lot has already changed. Let's take a look at where Rutgers' opponents currently rank compared to where they ranked at the beginning of the season, per KenPom.
Games Already Played
Nov. 7, Columbia, W 75-35 (start of season 316, now 340) -24 Nov. 10, Sacred Heart, W 88-50 (start of season 304, now 317) -13 Nov. 12, UMass-Lowell, W 73-65 (start of season 170, now 116) +54 Nov. 18, vs Temple, L 72-66 (start of season 92, now 133) -41 Nov. 22, Rider, W 76-46 (start of season 186, now 216) -30 Nov. 26, Central Conn. State, W 83-49 (start of season 333, now 338) -5 Nov. 30, at Miami, L 68-61 (start of season 42, now 39) +3 Dec. 3, Indiana, W 63-48 (start of season 12, now 19) -7 Dec. 8, at Ohio State, L 67-66 (start of season 32, now 15) +17 Dec. 11, Seton Hall, L 45-43 (start of season 48, now 64) -16 Dec. 17, Wake Forest, W 81-57 (start of season 80, now 83) -3 Dec. 23, Bucknell, W 85-50 (start of season 283, now 243) +40 Future Opponents Dec. 30, Coppin State (start of season 315, now 290) +25 Jan. 2, at Purdue (start of season 25, now 7) +18 Jan. 5, Maryland (start of season 56, now 23) +32 Jan. 8, Iowa (start of season 23, now 37) -14 Jan. 11, at Northwestern (start of season 70, now 45) +25 Jan. 15, Ohio State (start of season 32, now 15) +17 Jan. 19, at Michigan State (start of season 31, now 43) -12 Jan. 24, Penn State (start of season 46, now 34) +12 Jan. 29, at Iowa (start of season 23, now 37) -14 Feb. 1, Minnesota (start of season 109, now 196) -87 Feb. 4, vs Michigan State (start of season 31, now 43) -12 Feb. 7, at Indiana (start of season 12, now 19) -7 Feb. 11, at Illinois (start of season 33, now 31) +2 Feb. 14, Nebraska (start of season 108, now 89) +19 Feb. 18, at Wisconsin (start of season 55, now 35) +20 Feb. 23, Michigan (start of season 26, now 48) -22 Feb. 26, at Penn State (start of season 46, now 34) +12 Mar. 2, at Minnesota (start of season 109, now 196) -87 Mar. 5, Northwestern (start of season 70, now 45) +25
The biggest negative mover in the KenPom is Minnesota. The Golden Gophers started the season at 109 and are now ranked 196. The biggest positive mover in the KenPom is UMass-Lowell. The River Hawks started the season at 170 and are now ranked 116. The average for opponents in the remaining Big Ten slate is 54.
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 23rd (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.
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 alsoto 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
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.
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.
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.
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%.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
The 2023 KenPom Ratings were released just over a week ago, and we have the ratings for each of the Scarlet Knights' opponents this coming season
The 2022-23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's college basketball season is only 14 days away, and the Ken Pomeroy Ratings were recently released for the upcoming season. This is the time of year college basketball fanatics and data analysts start crunching numbers and making predictions for the upcoming season. In the words of creator Ken Pomeroy, “[t]he purpose of this system is to show how strong a team would be if it played tonight, independent of injuries or emotional factors.” Without going too far down the rabbit hole, his ranking system incorporates statistics like shooting percentage, margin of victory, and strength of schedule, ultimately calculating offensive, defensive, and overall “efficiency” numbers for all teams in Division I. For a detailed description of Ken Pomeroy's ratings, visit kenpom.com.
This year's KenPom Ratings have rated the Scarlet Knights at 50. Ole Miss (SEC) comes in at 49 and Cincinnati (American) follows Rutgers at 51. The latest KenPom Ratings project Rutgers to finish 19-12 overall, 10-10 in the Big Ten.
Here are the KenPom Ratings for each team on the Scarlet Knights' schedule:
The 2021-22 Rutgers men's basketball team provided its fans with a roller coaster ride of a season for the ages!
RHI provides a complete recap and breakdown of the 2021-22 Rutgers men's basketball season
When the final buzzer sounded last Tuesday evening in Dayton OH, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' 2021-22 season had come to a screeching halt. Rutgers battled for over three hours with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a double-overtime thriller, which has been regarded as one of the best games of the 2022 NCAA Tournament and dubbed an instant "classic". In the end, Rutgers lost 89-87 in heartbreaking fashion. So many times this season, Rutgers has had games decided by the last possession, and unfortunately, Notre Dame scored the go-ahead bucket to win the game with 1.9 seconds left in the second overtime. Both teams played with passion, heart, and grit. It was as fun of a college basketball game as you will ever see. It was also the last time Rutgers fans would see Geo Baker play in a Scarlet Knights uniform, and likely to be the last time fans would see Ron Harper Jr. and Caleb McConnell in a Scarlet Knights uniform as well.
The Regular Season
Before the 2021-22 college basketball season tipped off for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Coach Steve Pikiell was interviewed by various media outlets, and he said that this was his "best team" that he has ever had. Almost immediately, he put his team on notice and expectations were high across the fan base. Rutgers was returning most of its experienced players and had several new faces on the bench. Rutgers' core, consisting of Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., and Caleb McConnell, were each expected to have big seasons and to lead the Scarlet Knights to somewhat of a steady journey through the regular season to the postseason.
With one of the weaker non-conference schedules in the country (overall rated 297 by the NET Rankings), Rutgers fans expected the Scarlet Knights to plow through most of their opponents and to enter the Big Ten regular season with a good overall record. However, the Scarlet Knights immediately got off to shaky ground and needed overtime to surpass the Patriot League's Lehigh Mountain Hawks (13-19; 10-8) in their first game of the season. The slow start to the season continued for the Scarlet Knights as they struggled but eventually were able to put away the Northeast Conference's Merrimack Warriors (14-16; 10-8) and New Jersey foe NJIT Highlanders (11-18; 6-12) [of the Atlantic East]. Despite a 3-0 start, fans and analysts across college basketball were scratching their heads and were wondering what was going on with the Scarlet Knights? After all, this team was returning its core players with lots of experience. The Scarlet Knights should not be struggling to defeat Lehigh, Merrimack, and NJIT. Slow starts and sloppy play for the Scarlet Knights against their first three opponents had fans worried that maybe this was not Coach Pikiell's best team, and could be an indication that the Scarlet Knights could lose to an opponent they should beat.
The worst case scenario actually unfolded in Rutgers' next three games. Rutgers lost on the road to the DePaul Blue Demons (15-16; 6-14) in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. In what may be considered one of the worst losses of the Steve Pikiell era, the Scarlet Knights lost to the Lafayette Leopards (10-20; 7-11) at The RAC in front of a sold-out crowd. To add insult to injury, the Scarlet Knights blew a 17 point lead on the road and lost to the Massachusetts Minutemen (15-17; 7-11). After losing three games in a row to lesser opponents (without Geo Baker), the media, analysts, and fans started writing off Rutgers and believed this to be a truly lost season for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers' NET ranking plummeted to #217, and many felt there was almost no way for Rutgers to get out of such a deep hole. Despite the three losses, Steve Pikiell told the media and the fans, "We'll be fine". No one believed him.
As Rutgers stood 3-3 overall, fans were desperate to see the Scarlet Knights win, and find their way out of a major slump. Rutgers was able to follow-up the three horrific losses with a decisive home victory over the Clemson Tigers (17-16; 8-12) in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. There was still little hope amongst the fan base, but some felt that the win over Clemson helped restore the feeling that the Scarlet Knights could turn their season around. However, Rutgers ran into eventual Big Ten regular season champ the Illinois Fighting Illini (23-10; 15-5) and were blown out by 35 points in Champaign. The media, analysts, and fans officially wrote off the Scarlet Knights in one of their worst showings in conference play in years.
What happened next, a roller coaster ride no one could have predicted. After the no-show loss to Illinois in early December. Somehow, this Rutgers team was able to string together some wins and build confidence. After losing by 35 points to Illinois, Rutgers responded and silenced critics with an historic upset of the then-ranked #1 Purdue Boilermakers (29-7; 14-6), ruining the Boilermakers' only #1 AP Poll ranking in school history. It was the first time that Rutgers had ever beaten a team ranked #1 in the country. Ron Harper Jr. will forever be remembered by Rutgers fans for his last second near mid-court heave that sent The RAC into a frenzy. (See the video below as called on the radio by Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson.)
After the incredible historic victory over the Boilermakers, Rutgers traveled to Newark to battle the Seton Hall Pirates (21-11; 11-8) in their annual Garden State Hardwood Classic rivalry. Although Rutgers lost, the Scarlet Knights showed toughness and grit, and that there was no quit in this team.
COVID issues followed after the game with Seton Hall, and Rutgers was forced to take a temporary pause. COVID forced Rutgers to cancel their non-conference match with the Rider Broncs (14-19; 8-12), but the Scarlet Knights were able to re-schedule their contests with the Maine Black Bears (6-23; 3-15) and the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (8-24; 5-13) so they would not be canceled. After the pause, Rutgers resumed play and demolished Maine and Central Connecticut State. Rutgers had looked like a totally different team. The COVID pause may have provided time for the team to reflect and work on things that were troubling the team at the start of the season. The blowout wins over the Black Bears and the Blue Devils were what fans wanted at the start of the season. It appeared as if the Scarlet Knights had turned the corner. The wins against Maine and Central Connecticut State carried over in their next two games as the Scarlet Knights dominated Big Ten foes Michigan Wolverines (19-14; 11-9) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-22; 4-16). Rutgers' win over Michigan was their first ever win in program history against the Wolverines. Surprisingly, Rutgers is 1-14 all-time against Michigan. After the four-game winning streak, Rutgers improved its NET Ranking to #126. But, there was only a glimmer of hope the Scarlet Knights would be dancing in March. In order for the Scarlet Knights to dream about dancing in March, college hoops analysts believed several opportunities lay ahead and Rutgers had to seize them.
With a four-game winning streak on the line, Rutgers traveled to Happy Valley to take on their rival the Penn State Nittany Lions (14-17; 7-13). Rutgers delivered a head scratching no-show performance and were blown out by Penn State. This was viewed by many as a major opportunity blown by the Scarlet Knights. However, despite to the loss to Penn State, Rutgers responded with emphatic blowout win on the road over the Maryland Terrapins (15-17; 7-13).
In what may have been one of Rutgers' best defensive performances ever, the Scarlet Knights defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes (26-10; 12-8) and held them to 46 points. The Hawkeyes entered the game with one of the nation's most prolific high up-tempo offenses in college basketball, averaging well over 85 points per game. Rutgers was able to force Iowa to play ugly basketball and held the Hawkeyes to a dismal 27% shooting from the field; 54% shooting from the free-throw line; and 22% shooting from beyond the arc. Rutgers nabbed 7 steals in the game and outrebounded Iowa by 11 boards. Caleb McConnell held Keegan Murray, one of the nation's best players, to 13 points, which was 7 points below his average. The win over Iowa rejuvenated the Rutgers fan base and emotions began to run high again in Piscataway. College basketball analysts took notice of the win and fans began to believe in this team, again.
With the big win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, Rutgers was in solid position within the Big Ten standings with an 11-6 overall record and 5-2 conference record. The next set of four games were games many analysts felt were very critical for Rutgers and games they could win. This was a true test for Rutgers to see if they can get into the NCAA conversation and stay atop the Big Ten standings. However, things would not go Rutgers' way and they dropped three out of the four contests, including close losses to the Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-17; 4-16) and the Northwestern Wildcats (15-16; 7-13) and a disappointing non-competitive loss at home to the Maryland Terrapins. The Scarlet Knights were able sniff out a close win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers during this four-game stretch. Rutgers was 12-9 overall and 6-5 in the conference. And once again, analysts and disappointed fans began writing off the Scarlet Knights.
Although the Scarlet Knights lost three out of four since their big win over the Hawkeyes, it was attributed to the second half of the game against Northwestern that sparked an improbable run that would soon follow. Even though the Scarlet Knights lost to Northwestern, this team proved they were not done fighting. Coach Pikiell made adjustments defensively and offensively in the second half, which led to success for Rutgers in the game. The Scarlet Knights were able to erase a 24 point deficit to the Wildcats, and force overtime. Ultimately in the end, the Wildcats prevailed with the win but Rutgers learned a lot about themselves after the game. The Scarlet Knights knew what they had to do to win games when the daunting gauntlet approached in February. No one gave Rutgers a fighting chance in February, and many believed Rutgers was left for dead.
The Michigan State Spartans (23-13; 11-9) were the first opponent on the February gauntlet. The Spartans entered the game ranked 13th in the country. With their backs against the wall, Rutgers knew it was do-or-die and this game was a must-win. The Scarlet Knights delivered an unbelievable performance at The RAC, and the Scarlet Knights throttled Michigan State by 21 points. It was the second year in a row the Scarlet Knights had blasted Michigan State by 20+ points. Rutgers simply applied from they learned in the second half of the Northwestern game in the game against Michigan State, and the Spartans had no answer. Rutgers played great defense and had one of their best shooting nights of the season at 62% for the game. Rutgers hammered Michigan State on the boards, forced 15 turnovers, and grabbed 7 steals. (See the highlights of the game below.)
Riding high off the win against Michigan State, Rutgers next faced the #16 Ohio State Buckeyes (20-12; 12-8). Rutgers has not had much success against Ohio State in recent years, and Chris Holtmann entered the game with a 4-1 record at The RAC. The game was a back-and-forth affair until the Buckeyes stretched their lead to eight with just under four minutes to go. With 3:48 remaining in the game, Geo Baker and Caleb McConnell sparked one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory to help Rutgers pull out a gutsy win. Geo Baker took over the game scoring 8 of the last 10 points for the Scarlet Knights and delivering an assist down-low to big man Cliff Omoruyi. Caleb McConnell also came up with the block of the year by racing down the court and stuffing Ohio State's Malaki Branham. McConnell's block was the key play of the comeback victory. Had Branham made the easy layup, Ohio State could have extended their lead to 6 with 2:30 remaining in the game. McConnell was able to make the block, pass the ball to Paul Mulcahy, who distributed the ball to Geo Baker, who sunk a jumper to bring Rutgers within 2 points. Rutgers played incredible team defense down the stretch and kept the Buckeyes off the scoreboard. The Scarlet Knights were able to pull off the big upset. (Watch the sequence of events below.)
Following the big win over Ohio State, Rutgers made the trek to Madison to take on a hot team in the Wisconsin Badgers (25-8; 15-5). Rutgers had never won at the Kohl Center before, and the Scarlet Knights needed a road victory to get their name in the tournament conversation. In another back-and-forth affair, the Scarlet Knights were able to pull off a stunning upset and keep their tournament hopes alive. Caleb McConnell limited Wisconsin's star player Johnny Davis to 11 points, well under his scoring average of 19 points per game. Four Rutgers players were able to score in double-digits as Ron Harper Jr. led the way with 21 points.
Rutgers traveled back to Piscataway to host the Illinois Fighting Illini, and this time around fortunes changed. The Scarlet Knights imposed their will on the eventual Big Ten regular season champs, and punched them right in the mouth. The Scarlet Knights avenged the brutal 35 point loss in December by beating the Fighting Illini by 11 points. The Scarlet Knights crushed the Fighting Illini on the boards by 18 and force the Illini to shoot 26 percent from beyond the arc. At one point, the Scarlet Knights led by as many as 23 points.
Rutgers was back in the tournament discussion after pulling off an historic run by becoming the first unranked team in college basketball history to defeat four ranked teams in a row. Rutgers improved their NET ranking to 74 and were declared the National Team of the Week by ESPN and NCAA's Andy Katz. By mid-February, Rutgers had the best record in the country at 5-1 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25. Rutgers also had the third best record against Quadrant 1 teams in the NET Rankings.
Rutgers was one of the hottest teams in the country, and became a team no one wanted to play. It took a trip to Mackey Arena, one of the toughest atmospheres in all of college basketball, for Rutgers' four-game winning streak to come to an end. Rutgers put up a valiant effort against the Purdue Boilermakers in their second meeting of the season but in the end fell by 12 points. Although Rutgers lost the game, the Scarlet Knights did have one of their more efficient offensive performances of the season.
Rutgers followed the loss at Purdue with a limp performance in Ann Arbor against the Michigan Wolverines who were able to capitalize and pull away from the Scarlet Knights to seal a decisive win. The win for Michigan helped boost their tournament chances while Rutgers was placed squarely on the tournament bubble. A sense of panic started settling in amongst the fan base as Rutgers needed to pick up a couple more marquee wins to secure an NCAA Tournament bid.
The Wisconsin Badgers traveled to The RAC with revenge on their minds after the Scarlet Knights upset them on their home floor. The Badgers executed their game plan and were able to pull away from Rutgers in the closing seconds of the game. The loss to Wisconsin was just Rutgers third loss at The RAC the entire season. Rutgers was now in the midst of a three-game skid.
Rutgers would now enter the final critical phase of the season where analysts believed the Scarlet Knights had to win their final two games of the regular season if they wanted any shot at dancing in March. Just like the last two previous seasons, Rutgers found themselves in familiar territory with their backs against the wall. The Scarlet Knights had the Indiana Hoosiers (21-14; 9-11) and the Penn State Nittany Lions remaining on the docket. The Scarlet Knights delivered and won with in epic performance at Assembly Hall to knock off the Indiana Hoosiers with another last second heroic shot by Ron Harper Jr. With the win over Indiana, Rutgers has now won five straight games against the Hoosiers and are 6-1 against Indiana since the 2018-19 season. (See the video below of Ron Harper Jr.'s last second shot to seal the win against Indiana).
Following the stunning win over the Indiana Hoosiers, the Scarlet Knights prepared for their second meeting with their rival the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions hammered the Scarlet Knights in their first meeting but Rutgers would not allow this to happen again, especially at The RAC. Rutgers jumped out to a large lead and led by as many as 15 points in the second half. However, the Nittany Lions would not go away and kept chipping away at Rutgers lead. Penn State's Seth Lundy hit some critical shots down the stretch in the final minutes of the game to bring the Nittany Lions within 1 point. The final two plays of the game nearly gave Rutgers fans a heart attack as Paul Mulcahy turned the ball over from an inbounds pass play, and Penn State was given one last chance to win the game. Sam Sessoms put up a last second heave and his shot was off the mark. Rutgers prevailed with the victory. Most importantly, the Scarlet Knights were able to secure an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers completed a nearly impossible mission after a dreadful start to the season.
Rutgers finished the regular season with an overall record of 18-12 and 12-8 in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights finished in fourth place in the Big Ten standings, their best finish in program history since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The fourth place finish also gave Rutgers its first-ever double-bye for the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Rutgers' 12 wins in Big Ten play was the most conference wins in program history since joining the conference. What appeared to be a season flying off the rails for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights turned into a roller coaster ride of a season.
Big Ten Tournament
Although their time in the Big Ten Tournament was short-lived, Rutgers made their first-ever appearance as a 4-seed. Rutgers failed to upend the red hot Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes were 12-2 in their last 14 games of the regular season, and won 6 of their last 7 games heading into the game against Rutgers. In their second meeting of the year, Rutgers got off to a fast start and led by as many as 10 points in the contest, but the Hawkeyes would go quietly. The Hawkeyes deployed a zone defense that stifled Rutgers' offense and Keegan Murray hit some huge shots to allow the Hawkeyes to come back and eventually take the lead for good. The Hawkeyes led by as many as 18 points, shot almost 50% from the field, and converted 25 of 27 free-throw attempts. Rutgers' defense could not slow down Iowa and committed 24 fouls in the game.
March Madness
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights were on edge with the fan base biting its finger nails eagerly waiting to hear their name to be called on Selection Sunday. Many bracketologists and analysts across the country had either placed Rutgers in the Field of 68, On the Bubble, or One of the Last Four Teams Out. Within 10 minutes of CBS' coverage of Selection Sunday, the Scarlet Knights were announced as an 11-seed in the Field of 68. They were set to play the 11-seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish (24-11; 15-5) in Dayton OH in the one of the First Four games. The winner would play the 6-seed Alabama Crimson Tide (19-14; 9-9). This is the first time since the 1970s Rutgers would earn back-to-back bids for the NCAA Tournament. (Note: The 2019-20 season was canceled due to the COVID pandemic. Rutgers would have earned a bid to the 2020 NCAA Tournament, thus ultimately marking this season as what would have been its third year in a row dancing in March.)
Analysts and fans across the college basketball spectrum felt that the matchup with Notre Dame was the perfect opportunity for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to grab a tournament win, and that their seeding provided them an avenue to possibly reach the Sweet 16. Jay Bilas, of ESPN, said Rutgers was one of the more undervalued teams in the tournament and Rutgers could win potential matchups against vulnerable opponents like the 6-seed Alabama Crimson Tide and the 3-seed Texas Tech Red Raiders (27-9; 12-6).
However, the Fighting Irish came well prepared for the Scarlet Knights when they met in Dayton. Mike Brey, head coach of the Fighting Irish, and his staff scouted Rutgers well and spread the floor offensively for Paul Atkinson to do his damage on Cliff Omoruyi in the paint. Aaron Breitman, writer and managing editor for On The Banks, described the Notre Dame-Rutgers game as strange because fans witnessed these two teams playing strikingly different styles that they normally do not play. A few things of note as to why the game was strikingly bizarre and different from any other game Rutgers has played this year:
Caleb McConnell, the 2021-22 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, had an electrifying night scoring a team high 23 points on 8 of 9 shooting. McConnell is not known for his scoring prowess.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, were limited to 6 made three-point shots.
The Fighting Irish scored 58 points in the paint. Not their greatest strength.
Rutgers prides itself on defense, and the defense was just not there for the game.
Typically, Rutgers wins when Ron Harper Jr. scores more than 20+ points in a game. Harper Jr. scored 22 points, and Rutgers lost.
Both teams shot an alarming 50% from the field.
Both teams were dismal from the free-throw line. Notre Dame shot 56% and Rutgers shot 66%.
Even though Rutgers lost to Notre Dame in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament, the Scarlet Knights never went down without a fight. Rutgers and Notre Dame exchanged leads constantly throughout the game. Rutgers led by as many as 8 points in the game. The double-overtime thriller was deemed as "the best basketball game of the 2022 NCAA Tournament". If this is indeed the last game for Caleb McConnell in a Rutgers uniform, he truly saved his best performance for last. This would be the last time Rutgers fans would see Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. suit up in a Rutgers uniform.
The End of an Era
Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., and Caleb McConnell will leave Rutgers with a legacy unmatched. This trio of players gambled on playing for Steve Pikiell at a time when Rutgers was the worst rated Power 5 college basketball program in the country.
Plagued by the Mike Rice Scandal and the failure to win games under Eddie Jordan, Rutgers looked for new leadership to take over the dwindling Big Ten basketball program. In 2016, newly hired athletic director Pat Hobbs turned to Steve Pikiell to become Rutgers men's basketball's head coach.
Coach Pikiell had the reputation of being a competitor and a rebuilder. History speaks for itself in regard to Coach Pikiell. Coach Pikiell previously played college basketball under Jim Calhoun. He previously served as an assistant coach at Yale, Central Connecticut State, and George Washington (most notably, he was an asst. under Karl Hobbs, who is now his current assistant at Rutgers) before receiving his first head coach job at Stony Brook.
Before arriving on The Banks, Coach Pikiell led the Stony Brook Seawolves, of the America East Conference, from 2005-2016. Coach Pikiell inherited a team that was still in its early years of Division I basketball, had poor training facilities, and typically remained at the bottom of its conference. Under Steve Pikiell's vision and the patience of the Stony Brook athletic administration, Coach Pikiell was able to turn the program from bottom feeders to winners. In his first seven seasons at Stony Brook, the Sea Wolves went 55-140 overall and 32-84 in the America East. But success was observed by the fourth season when the Sea Wolves had their first winning season in Division I as they finished 16-14 overall and 8-8 in their conference. By his fifth season at the helm, the Stony Brook Sea Wolves would go onto to win at least 22 or more games per season with a three trips to the NIT and one trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The same type of rebuilding success many witnessed at Stony Brook, is the same type of rebuilding success we are witnessing at Rutgers. Once a hapless program since the early 90's, Rutgers has risen to respectability across the Big Ten Conference and college basketball. Rutgers is no longer a destination players avoid, rather it has become a destination for players who want to compete in the best conference in the country and to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. Steve Pikiell has proven he has been able to win by resurrecting one of the worst Power 5 college basketball programs in the country. Legendary college basketball coach Jim Calhoun once said to AD Pat Hobbs, "He's not going to work miracles, but he's going to get Rutgers back to where they think they belong and where I think they belong."
Steve Pikiell has reinvigorated a dying fan base, and now Rutgers has one of the best homecourt advantages in the country. (Check out this video of some of the loudest moments at Rutgers under Coach Pikiell by clicking here). Since 2019, under Steve Pikiell, Rutgers is an astonishing 42-8 at The RAC. This has become a place no college basketball opponent wants to play at. How has Steve Pikiell been able to accomplish this?
Coach Pikiell has been successful at Rutgers because he has mastered the art of recruiting under the radar talent and finding players that fit the system he has implemented. But most importantly, Coach Pikiell has underappreciated skill of player development. Coach Pikiell typically recruits players that are willing to learn and develop, play unselfish team-oriented basketball, and work hard in the gym. Coach Pikiell is not the typical coach that goes after highly touted five-star players or prolific scorers. As we have seen over the years, Coach Pikiell has typically recruited tough, hard-nosed physical defensive style players.
(photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)
In 2016, Steve Pikiell took a gamble on recruiting two/three-star recruit Geo Baker, who held other offers from Kansas State, Drexel, Penn, and Rice, to become the next driving force behind Rutgers basketball. When Geo baker committed to Rutgers in the summer of 2016, almost immediately Steve Pikiell and his staff went to work on Geo Baker helping him transcend into one of the best point guards in Rutgers basketball history. Geo Baker came to Rutgers when no one else would and bought into Steve Pikiell's vision. Year after year, Geo Baker's game improved and he eventually became the face of Rutgers basketball. Under Geo Baker's leadership, he was able to help his teammates win games and achieve the impossible...Rutgers' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1991 and back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1970s. Geo Baker was a clutch player that delivered incredible performances over his five year career at Rutgers. At the end of Geo Baker's career he was selected twice to the All Big Ten Conference Third-Team (2020, 2022). He became a true ambassador of Rutgers basketball, and proof that under-recruited and overlooked players can thrive at the highest level of college basketball. (Check out our article as we paid tribute to Geo Baker by clicking here and please view Jack Bisasha's tribute to Geo Baker in the links provided below).
In 2017, Steve Pikiell, Brandin Knight, and Karl Hobbs hit the recruiting trail hard in the search to fill several voids left by PG Corey Sanders departing and declaring for the NBA Draft, and the graduations of G Mike Williams, F Deshawn Freeman, and F Candido Sa. Pikiell turned his recruiting efforts to finding hidden gems in Caleb McConnell and Ron Harper Jr. Caleb McConnell, rated a three-star per 247 Sports, held other offers from Wichita State, Kent State, and Massachusetts, but ultimately in the end he chose Rutgers in the Spring of 2018. Surprisingly at the time Ron Harper Jr. was recruited, he was rated 'no stars' by all of the recruiting media sites that tracked high school recruits. Harper Jr. held offers from Radford, Liberty, Nebraska, and Georgia State, but the Don Bosco Prep graduate decided to stay in New Jersey and committed to the Scarlet Knights in August 2017. (please read the article by Jerry Carino covering Ron Harper Jr.'s recruitment to Rutgers by clicking here).
Over the course of the past four years of McConnell's and Harper Jr.'s careers, these two helped provide a major boost to a Rutgers program trying to make its staple in the Big Ten by committing themselves to playing unselfish basketball and dedication towards working hard in the gym. Fans will always have many moments and memories to share in regards to McConnell and Harper Jr. but they will always be remembered for helping Rutgers ascend to respectability in the Big Ten. McConnell and Harper Jr. were both major contributors towards helping Rutgers earn its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1991 as well as helping Rutgers earn back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths.
(photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)
Caleb McConnell may very well be the best defensive player in Rutgers basketball history and he was the first to earn the 2021-22 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award as well as becoming a semifinalist for the 2021-22 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Caleb McConnell came up big many times in huge games with countless defensive stops, including steals and blocks. No other defensive stop was as big as the one he made in the game against Ohio State this season, in which McConnell sprinted the length of the floor to deny Malaki Branham an easy layup which could have extended Ohio State's lead in the closing stretch of the game. The block by McConnell was the play that ignited a furious comeback by Rutgers to win the game. Caleb McConnell was a warrior who put his body on the line and he never quit. Every game McConnell always put in his best effort. In what will likely be his last game in a Rutgers uniform, McConnell delivered the performance of his career as he scored 23 points, registered one block and one steal, grabbed 11 rebounds, made 2 assists, and shot nearly perfect from the field. (Please read our tribute to Caleb McConnell by clicking here.)
(photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)
Ron Harper Jr. will more than likely go down as one of the greatest Rutgers basketball players in history. His development over the course of the past four years has been remarkable, and like Geo Baker, Harper Jr. was a clutch player that delivered big play after big play and had the uncanny ability to hit big shots with a game on the line. Harper Jr. will always be remembered for his last second heave that beat previously ranked #1 Purdue but when his jersey hangs from the rafters in Piscataway, Ron Harper Jr. was one of the pioneers that helped Rutgers rise from the pits of hell to the top four in the Big Ten standings. Ron Harper Jr. finished the 2021-22 season with the highest scoring average of his career at 15.8 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game, 40% three-point shooting, nearly 80% shooting at the free-throw line, and 1.9 assists per game. Harper Jr. was selected to the All Big Ten Second-Team (2022) and Third-Team (2021) as well as Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press (2022). (Please click here to read our tribute to Ron Harper Jr. by clicking here.)
This trio will always be remembered as the transformational group that turned around a terrible dwindling Rutgers basketball program. They will truly leave Rutgers in a better place than when they first arrived on The Banks. They are the ones that saved Rutgers basketball.
Additional Links & Coverage
Please take some time to check out some of the links below for additional coverage, including articles and podcasts of Rutgers men's basketball. Aaron Breitman, managing editor of On The Banks (OTB), is one of my favorite analysts and writers that covers Rutgers Athletics. Take a listen to his most recent podcast with fellow OTB contributor Dave White. This is a fun podcast episode where Aaron and Dave recap the Rutgers men's basketball 2021-22 season. Also, check out Asbury Park Press beat writer Jerry Carino's articles and coverage of Rutgers men's hoops. Take a second to check out the 'senior spotlight' articles by Jack Bisasha, writer for The Daily Targum. Jack does a great job reflecting on this year's Rutgers men's basketball's seniors. Take a step back to the 2020 to enjoy a piece written by Keith Sargent of NJ Advance Media and the inside story of how Steve Pikiell was hired to fix Rutgers men's basketball. Finally, check out the podcast by NJ Advance Media. Steve Politi raises some good questions while James Kratch and Brian Fonseca try to provide answers.
Aaron Breitman & Dave White, On The Banks - "On The Banks Podcast Episode #133: Rutgers men's basketball season recap" - (Click here to listen)
Aaron Breitman, On The Banks - "The 2021-2022 Rutgers men's basketball season was..." - (Click here to read)
Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press - "Rutgers basketball: 5 offseason priorities" - (Click here to read)
Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press - "In epic Rutgers loss to Notre Dame, Caleb McConnell went out a warrior" - (Click here to read)
James Kratch, NJ Advance Media - "Rutgers Rant Podcast: Rutgers lost a March Madness classic. What's next?" - (Click here to listen)
Jack Bisasha, The Daily Targum - "Senior Spotlight: Luke Nathan and Ralph Gonzales-Agee" - (Click here to read)
Jack Bisasha, The Daily Targum - "Senior Spotlight: Caleb McConnell" - (Click here to read)
Jack Bisasha, The Daily Targum - "Senior Spotlight: Ron Harper Jr." - (Click here to read)
Jack Bisasha, The Daily Targum - "Senior Spotlight: Geo Baker" - (Click here to read)
Keith Sargent, NJ Advance Media - "We did the deal on a handshake' over coffee and eggs | The inside story of how Rutgers hired Steve Pikiell to rebuild its men's basketball program" - (Click here to read)
Brian Fonseca, NJ Advance Media - "Unbreakable: How Rutgers' Caleb McConnell went from 'soft' and skinny to the 'toughest damn dude in the Big Ten' - (Click here to read)
Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press - "Rutgers basketball: Ron Harper Jr. and the art of recruiting overlooked talent" - (Click here to read)
