Rutgers NCAA Tournament resume vs the other bubble teams

 

(photo courtesy of Michael Conroy of NJ Advance Media)

How does Rutgers tournament resume stack up against the other bubble teams?

As Selection Sunday nears, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have one of the most interesting tournament resumes in the country. There are positive and there are negatives. Let's compare the Scarlet Knights' resume to the rest of the bubble teams. (Note: All information is current as of 12 March. Seeding projection is based on BracketMatrix.com.)

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (18-13; 12-8)

• Latest Seed Projection: 12 (Last Four In)
• NET Rankings: 78
• KenPom Rankings: 75
• Sagarin Ratings: 59
• NET SOS: 33
• Home Record: 14-3
• Away Record: 4-9 (includes two Q1 wins)
• Neutral Record: 0-1 (includes Q1 loss)
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 6-6
• Q2: 3-4
• Q3: 4-2
• Q4: 5-1
• Best Wins: Purdue, 12/9; Michigan, 1/4; Maryland, 1/15; Iowa, 1/19; Michigan State, 2/5; Ohio State, 2/9; Wisconsin, 2/12; Illinois, 2/16; Indiana, 3/2
• Bad Losses (Q3/Q4): Lafayette, 11/22; Massachusetts, 11/27
• Interesting note: Rutgers has beaten all of its opponents in the Top 40 of the NET Rankings and Rutgers has wins against eight teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament. This is better than any team considered to be on the Bubble. Rutgers is 8-6 against Top 40 NET teams.

BUBBLE TEAMS -

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (22-10; 15-5)

• Latest Seed Projection: 12 (Last Four In)
• NET Rankings: 52
• KenPom Rankings: 53
• Sagarin Ratings: 53
• NET SOS: 66
• Home Record: 14-1
• Away Record: 7-5
• Neutral Record: 0-4
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 2-7
• Q2: 2-2
• Q3: 11-1
• Q4: 6-0
• Best Wins: Kentucky, 12/11; North Carolina, 1/5; Miami, 2/2; Clemson, 2/12
• Bad Losses: Boston College, 12/3
• Interesting note: Notre Dame is 0-4 on neutral courts to Q1/Q2 teams with losses to St. Mary's, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and Indiana. Notre Dame is a combined 4-9 against Q1/Q2 teams. Notre is also 2-7 against Top 40 NET teams. Notre Dame played in a very lackluster ACC this year. Duke and UNC are the only two AP ranked teams in the ACC out of 15 teams.

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (18-13; 8-11)

• Latest Seed Projection: 12 (Last Four In)
• NET Rankings: 40
• KenPom Rankings: 60
• Sagarin Ratings: 42
• NET SOS: 36
• Home Record: 13-5
• Away Record: 4-6
• Neutral Record: 1-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 5-8
• Q2: 4-3
• Q3: 4-2
• Q4: 5-0
• Best Wins: Ohio State, 11/18; Virginia Tech, 11/26; Oklahoma State, 12/5; Marquette, 12/18; Creighton, 1/15; Creighton, 1/29; Connecticut, 2/11
• Bad Losses: DePaul, 2/5; Butler, 3/9
• Interesting note: Xavier has lost eight out of their last ten games including two Q3 losses to DePaul and Butler. Seton Hall, Villanova, St. John's, and Providence swept the Xavier this season. Xavier is 3-7 against the Top 40 NET teams.

SOUTHERN METHODIST MUSTANGS (23-7; 13-4)

• Latest Seed Projection: 12 (Last Four In)
• NET Rankings: 42
• KenPom Rankings: 52
• Sagarin Ratings: 39
• NET SOS: 109
• Home Record: 16-0
• Away Record: 6-5
• Neutral Record: 1-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 2-1
• Q2: 4-4
• Q3: 10-1
• Q4: 7-1
• Best Wins: Vanderbilt, 12/4; Dayton, 12/8; Memphis, 1/20; Houston, 2/9; Memphis, 2/20
• Bad Losses: Missouri, 11/21; Loyola Marymount, 11/22
• Interesting note: SMU has only played three Q1 teams the entire season. SMU's best win outside of the American Athletic Conference is Vanderbilt (#66 NET Ranking).

VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (22-12; 11-9)

• Latest Seed Projection: First Four Out
• NET Rankings: 30
• KenPom Rankings: 25
• Sagarin Ratings: 31
• NET SOS: 80
• Home Record: 11-4
• Away Record: 7-6
• Neutral Record: 4-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 2-5
• Q2: 6-5
• Q3: 7-2
• Q4: 7-0
• Best Wins: Notre Dame, 1/15; Miami, 2/26; Notre Dame, 3/10; North Carolina, 3/11
• Bad Losses: NC State, 1/4; Boston College, 1/22
• Interesting note: Virginia Tech has solid rankings and ratings across the board, but Virginia Tech lacks quality wins. Virginia Tech's best win on their resume in the Top 40 of the NET is against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament. Notre Dame (#52) and Miami (#63) are outside of the Top 40. Virginia Tech is 1-5 against Top 40 NET teams. Virginia Tech played in a very lackluster ACC this year.

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (17-14; 11-9)

• Latest Seed Projection: 11 (Last Four Bye)
• NET Rankings: 34
• KenPom Rankings: 33
• Sagarin Ratings: 25
• NET SOS: 5
• Home Record: 10-5
• Away Record: 5-7
• Neutral Record: 2-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 5-10
• Q2: 3-3
• Q3: 6-1
• Q4: 3-0
• Best Wins: San Diego State, 12/4; Indiana, 1/23; Purdue, 2/10; Iowa, 2/17; Michigan State, 3/1; Ohio State, 3/6
• Bad Losses: Minnesota, 12/11
• Interesting note: Michigan is a very interesting team because their overall record is 17-14. Michigan is 6-11 against Top 40 NET ranked teams.

WYOMING COWBOYS (25-8; 13-5)

• Latest Seed Projection: 11-seed (Last Four Bye)
• NET Rankings: 48
• KenPom Rankings: 58
• Sagarin Ratings: 83
• NET SOS: 90
• Home Record: 13-1
• Away Record: 9-5
• Neutral Record: 2-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 4-5
• Q2: 7-1
• Q3: 3-2
• Q4: 10-0
• Best Wins: Utah State, 1/15; Colorado State, 1/31; Boise State, 2/3; Fresno State, 2/6; Utah State, 2/8; Fresno State, 3/5
• Bad Losses: New Mexico, 2/15
• Interesting note: Wyoming is another interesting team, they have wins against two teams from the Mountain West, Boise State and Colorado State, projected to make the NCAA Tournament. Wyoming has padded their win total with a lot of Q4 opponents and also played an NAIA team on 11/26. Wyoming is 2-5 against Top 40 NET ranked teams.

WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (23-9; 13-7)

• Latest Seed Projection: First Four Out
• NET Rankings: 45
• KenPom Rankings: 36
• Sagarin Ratings: 47
• NET SOS: 104
• Home Record: 16-2
• Away Record: 5-5
• Neutral Record: 2-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 1-4
• Q2: 4-3
• Q3: 9-2
• Q4: 9-0
• Best Wins: Virginia Tech, 12/4; North Carolina, 1/22; Notre Dame, 2/19
• Bad Losses: Louisville, 12/29; Boston College, 3/9
• Interesting note: Wake Forest has one of the worst rated non-conference schedules in the country of all the teams on the Bubble and lack any quality wins. The Demon Deacons are 2-3 against Top 40 NET ranked teams. The Demon Deacons played in a very lackluster ACC conference.

DAYTON FLYERS (23-10; 14-4)

• Latest Seed Projection: Next Four Out
• NET Rankings: 54
• KenPom Rankings: 54
• Sagarin Ratings: 56
• NET SOS: 118
• Home Record: 13-4
• Road Record: 6-5
• Neutral Record: 4-0
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 3-2
• Q2: 5-3
• Q3: 6-1
• Q4: 9-3
• Best Wins: Miami, 11/25; Kansas, 11/26; Belmont, 11/28; Virginia Tech, 12/12; VCU, 1/5; St. Louis, 1/11; VCU, 2/2; Davidson, 3/5
• Bad Losses: UMass-Lowell, 11/13; Lipscomb, 11/17; Austin Peay, 11/20; LaSalle, 2/26
• Interesting note: While Dayton has some of the best wins all season, they have some really bad losses. Dayton is 2-0 against Top 40 NET ranked teams. Dayton only faced regular season champ Davidson once this season and beat them on 3/5. Dayton swept VCU for the year.

TEXAS A&M AGGIES (23-11; 9-9)

• Latest Seed Projection: First Four Out
• NET Rankings: 51
• KenPom Rankings: 42
• Sagarin Ratings: 55
• NET SOS: 50
• Home Record: 12-4
• Away Record: 5-5
• Neutral Record: 4-2
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 4-9
• Q2: 5-0
• Q3: 5-2
• Q4: 8-0
• Best Wins: Notre Dame, 11/24; Arkansas, 1/8; Florida, 2/15; Alabama, 3/2; Mississippi State, 3/5; Florida, 3/10; Auburn, 3/11, Arkansas, 3/12
• Bad Losses: Missouri, 1/15
• Interesting note: Texas A&M has come alive in the SEC Tournament and have three in a row against Q1 opponents. For much of the season Texas A&M lacked quality wins. The Aggies have padded their record with a slew of Q4 opponents; however, Texas A&M is 5-0 against Q2 opponents. The Aggies are 4-7 against Top 40 NET Ranked teams.

INDIANA HOOSIERS (20-13; 9-11)

• Latest Seed Projection: 11 (Last Four Bye)
• NET Rankings: 38
• KenPom Rankings: 39
• Sagarin Ratings: 29
• NET SOS: 41
• Home Record: 14-4
• Away Record: 3-8
• Neutral Record: 3-0
• Quadrant Record:
• Q1: 4-7
• Q2: 4-4
• Q3: 5-1
• Q4: 7-0
• Best Wins: Notre Dame, 12/18; Ohio State, 1/6; Purdue, 1/20; Michigan, 3/10; Illinois, 3/11
• Bad Losses: None
• Interesting note: Indiana has no bad losses (however, they did lose a Q3 game to Rutgers at home). Indiana was able to earn two more Q1 wins on a neutral floor in the Big Ten Tournament against Michigan and Illinois, otherwise their best wins for the year would have been against Ohio State and Purdue at home.

Bubble watch Saturday

 

(photo courtesy of Michael Conroy of NJ Advance Media)

After falling to Iowa 84-74 in the Big Ten Quarterfinals, Rutgers needs other bubble teams to lose

The 4-seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights lost to the red hot 5-seed Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Quarterfinals on Friday afternoon 84-74. Rutgers Nation eagerly awaits for their name to be called on Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament. If Rutgers hears their name called on Sunday, it is likely they will be playing as one of the last four teams in, which means they will earn a 12-seed playing in Dayton.

Aaron Breitman [managing editor of OnTheBanks.com] has done an extraordinary job keeping Rutgers fans updated throughout the week on their status for the NCAA Tournament, including bracket updates, possible scenarios, the case for Rutgers to make the tournament, and who to root for and who not to root for. 

Check out Aaron's article that makes the case as to why Rutgers should be in the NCAA Tournament by clicking here.

Check out Aaron's Bubble Watch updates by clicking here.

BRACKETOLOGY UPDATE 
(as of 12 March; ratings according to BracketMatrix.com)

• The #1 rated bracketologist on BracketMatrix.com CrazySportsDude has Rutgers solidly in the field as an 11-seed.
• The #2 rated bracketologist Delphi has Rutgers out of the field. This bracketologist has not even included Rutgers in the First Four Out.
• #6 rated bracketologist Kevin Pulsifer has Rutgers in the field as an 11-seed but playing Notre Dame in Dayton.
• #17 rated bracketologist Brad Wachtel has Rutgers in the Field of 68 as a 12-seed facing SMU in Dayton.
• #20 rated bracketologist Mike Decourcy [of Fox] has Rutgers in the field as a 12-seed facing Wyoming in Dayton.
• #33 rated bracketologist Andy Katz [of NCAA.com] has Rutgers in the field as a 12-seed playing in Dayton.
• #50 rated bracketologist Joe Lunardi [of ESPN] has Rutgers in the field as an 11-seed facing 6-seed LSU.
• #100 rated bracketologist Jerry Palm [of CBS Sports] has Rutgers out of the field in the First Four Out.

Rutgers trio earns Big Ten Awards

(photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)

Caleb McConnell, Ron Harper Jr., and Geo Baker were all selected for Big Ten awards

Caleb McConnell, Ron Harper Jr., and Geo Baker were all selected for Big Ten awards for the 2021-22 season. Caleb McConnell made history as the first Scarlet Knight to ever earn the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award. McConnell was also selected to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. Ron Harper Jr. was selected to the second-team All Big Ten, while Geo Baker was selected to the third-team All Big Ten. 

Caleb McConnell helped lead the Scarlet Knights defensively throughout the entire season and put up remarkable numbers. McConnell led the Big Ten with a total of 43 steals, 11 blocks, 2.2 steals per game, 86 defensive rebounds, and 4.3 defensive rebounds per game during 20 Big Ten regular season games. 

The highlight of Caleb McConnell's season was when he averaged at least 4 steals per game during the Scarlet Knights improbable four-game winning streak over four ranked Big Ten teams, including Illinois, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Caleb McConnell's block against Ohio State in the closing minutes is attributed to spurring Rutgers with a magical comeback that led them to victory over the Buckeyes.

Caleb McConnell is also one of ten finalists for the 2022 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, a national award for college basketball's best defensive player. He is the only player from the Big Ten nominated this season.

(photo courtesy of USA Today)

Ron Harper Jr. who has had a wonderful season for Rutgers was selected to the second-team All Big Ten. Harper Jr. averaged 15.7 points per game, 44% from the field, 39.9% from three-point range, and 6 rebounds per game during the Big Ten season. Harper Jr.'s highlights include a last second heave from near mid-court which upset then ranked #1 Purdue, and his three-point shot from deep that silenced a wild Assembly Hall crowd with 2 seconds left as Rutgers upset Indiana. 

(photo courtesy of USA Today)

Geo Baker was selected to the third-team All Big Ten. Baker averaged 12 points per game, 3.9 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game. After the massive block by Caleb McConnell, Geo Baker was the catalyst that led Rutgers to a comeback victory over Ohio State. 

All three are deserving of their awards, and will forever be remembered in the hearts of Rutgers fans. They will go down as legends at Rutgers. There are too many special moments to share with these players. This has been a unique season filled with many special moments, and we can only hope we can see many more special moments from them come NCAA Tournament time and before their time is up on The Banks.

For more information on these awards please visit the articles listed below.

Bracketology: Where is Rutgers currently projected in the field of 68?

Where is Rutgers currently projected for 2022 NCAA Tournament?

After an historic four-game winning streak against four ranked opponents and two critical wins during the month of February and early March at the end of the regular season, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (18-12; 12-8) find themselves as a 4-seed heading into the Big Ten Tournament. But, will this be enough for the Scarlet Knights to receive another at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament? Many bracketologists and analysts across college basketball believe it is enough for Rutgers to make the NCAA Tournament.

Currently, the Scarlet Knights are ranked #76 in the NET Rankings, #73 in the KenPom ratings, and #59 in the Sagarin Ratings. Despite Rutgers being #76 in the NET, analysts and fans across the country believe Rutgers has broken the system. The NET is a tool the NCAA Tournament Committee uses to evaluate teams worthy of a shot at an at-large bid into the tournament. Rutgers is currently 6-5 against Q1 opponents; 3-4 against Q2 opponents; 4-2 against Q3 opponents; and 5-1 against Q4 opponents. Rutgers has a solid record against Q1 opponents and they have more Q1 wins than many other teams projected to make the tournament, including Houston who is #5 in the NET with only one Q1 win. 

Brad Wachtel, of Facts and Bracks, stated on Twitter: "As of today, Rutgers (76 NET) is still considered a Q3 "bad loss" for Wisconsin and Indiana. I think the NET needs some offseason tweaking." Analysts and fans across the country share the same frustration, and believe the NET needs to be fixed. Despite a bad Q4 loss to Lafayette, Rutgers has beaten some of the best teams in the country this season, and it's almost as if the Q4 loss is weighing them down. A loss to Rutgers for Wisconsin and Indiana should not show up a stain on their resumes because the Scarlet Knights are actually a very good team, finishing fourth in the Big Ten regular season standings.

Rutgers is a solid team, with a few bruises on its resume, but they have turned it around and are now on the cusp of receiving a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers awaits the winner of 5-seed Iowa vs 12-seed Northwestern/13-seed Nebraska on Friday, March 11th (2 PM, BTN). If Rutgers were to face Iowa (Q1) on Friday, a loss would not hurt their standing; however, if Rutgers faces either Northwestern (Q2) or Nebraska (Q3) and lose, a loss could be potentially damaging to their NCAA Tournament chances. 

According to Bracket Matrix as of 7 March, Rutgers is currently projected to make the Field of 68 in at least 103 brackets out of 132. 

Popular bracketologists like Joe Lunardi of ESPN (rated 55 on Bracket Matrix) have Rutgers in the field as a 10-seed. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports (rated 100 on Bracket Matrix) has Rutgers in as a 12-seed and playing in Dayton as one of the "Last Four In". Mike Decourcy of Fox Sports (rated 20 on Bracket Matrix) has Rutgers in as an 11-seed. Brad Wachtel of Facts and Bracks (rated 15 on Bracket Matrix) has Rutgers in the field as a 12-seed playing in the "Last Four In". Many other bracketologists on Bracket Matrix have either projected Rutgers as a 12-seed or 11-seed (mean average of a 12-seed).

For more bracketology projections please visit BracketMatrix.com by clicking here.

Rutgers prevails, earns double-bye for Big Ten Tournament

(photo courtesy of Andrew Mills of NJ Advance Media)

Rutgers beats Penn State, while both Ohio State and Iowa lose giving the Scarlet Knights a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament

It wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty, but the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (18-12; 12-8) found a way to win against their rival the Penn State Nittany Lions (12-16; 7-13), and continue their historic run at an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament. Victories under Steve Pikiell are never pretty, and that's because he likes to win ugly. Aaron Breitman, managing editor of On The Banks, stated "Rutgers wins on Senior Day with perfect ending". Breitman alluded to Rutgers winning with a "perfect ending" because once again, the Scarlet Knights overcame adversity and defied all odds. 

A lot of emotion was swirling around before and after the game because it was Senior Day at The RAC. This was the last time Rutgers nation got to see Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., and Caleb McConnell suit up in action at The RAC. Hours before tip-off, as reported by Brian Fonseca of NJ Advance Media, students waited in long lines for student tickets to see this trio play one last time. Just hours before tip-off, Rutgers cheap seats were listed for over $300 each on StubHub. After all was said and done, The RAC was packed to the gills (official attendance of 8,399) to send-off these Rutgers legends one last time in superb fashion.

Once again, the Scarlet Knights were under immense pressure to win their last game of the regular season against Penn State. There were three main things that hung in the balance and why it was necessary for Rutgers to beat Penn State:

• A must-win against Penn State (Q3). A loss to Penn State would have likely ended Rutgers chances of receiving an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament.
• A chance for 4th place in the Big Ten final regular season standings. Since joining the league Rutgers has never finished in 4th place in the conference. From 2015 to 2018, Rutgers finished at the bottom in 14th place. In 2019, Rutgers finished in 12th place. In 2020, Rutgers finished in 8th place. Last season, Rutgers finished 7th place. 
• A chance to lock up a double-bye. With a victory and fortunes on their side (losses for Ohio State and Iowa), Rutgers was able to secure 4th place and receive a double-bye in the Big Ten Conference tournament. This is the first time in Rutgers basketball history they have been able to receive a double-bye.

After being written off many times by the media and fans, this Rutgers team found a way to persevere. They played with great mental focus, toughness, and tenacity against Penn State. There was no way this team was going to lay down and let Penn State trounce them like they did earlier in the season. 

Rutgers can rest easy for almost the entirety of the week, as they will await the winner of Iowa vs Northwestern/Nebraska on Friday, March 11th (2 PM, BTN). Sure, Rutgers will have some intense practices leading up to the conference tournament and some time off to relax, but the Scarlet Knights must not forget what got them to a 4-seed. It was their will to never let up, and never quit. Rutgers has a serious chance at making an appearance in the Big Ten Tournament Championship, and possibly winning the entire conference tournament. As it stands, Rutgers is at +2300 odds to win the Big Ten Tournament, according to Circa Sports.

As spectators and analysts of college basketball, we are seeing one of the most amazing runs from a college basketball team that you might not see for years to come. This team barely had a pulse after losing to Lafayette and Massachusetts earlier in the season, but the Scarlet Knights fought hard and defied the odds. Their relentless hard work, never quit attitude, and will to fight kept them afloat and eventually catapulted them into the top four of the Big Ten conference, and most importantly of all, a shot at an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. 

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.