Keys to the Game: Sacred Heart at Rutgers (November 10, 2022)

 

photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

Sacred Heart (1-0) at Rutgers (1-0)

After demolishing Columbia 75-35 on Monday this past week, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will host the Sacred Heart Pioneers at The RAC on Thursday, November 10th at 7 PM ET (BTN+). Sacred Heart will be a little bit of a step up in competition as they are currently rated 294 in the KenPom Rankings. Sacred Heart recently defeated the Division III bound Hartford Hawks 77-70 in their opening game of the season this past Tuesday. Sacred Heart saw four players score in double-digits against Hartford, including G Joey Reilly tallying a team best 23 points.

Last year the Pioneers finished 10-20 overall and 6-12 in the Northeast Conference. Sacred Heart's final NET ranking was 323 and the Pioneers did not post a single noteworthy win last year. Rutgers leads the all-time series 4-0 against Sacred Heart, and last defeated the Pioneers 86-63 in 2020. The Pioneers also lost several key scorers to the transfer portal this past off-season; however, Pioneer coach Anthony Latina is bringing in three transfers, Brendan McGuire (Quinnipiac), Raheem Solomon (Niagara), and Aidan Carpenter (Siena) to fill that void.

This is a game Rutgers should be favored heavily to win, and the talent gap between the Scarlet Knights and Pioneers is not even close. Rutgers also has more experience and athleticism. Historically speaking though, Rutgers should not take teams like Sacred Heart lightly and should remained focused and determined to win. Sacred Heart will be a Q4 opponent for the Scarlet Knights.

KEYS TO THE GAME

• No slow starts, keep your foot on the gas - Just like in the game against Columbia this past week, Rutgers needs to replicate the same start and get off to a hot one. If Rutgers can build its lead early, it should give confidence for the rest of the team. Rutgers needs to be able to manage the lead and distance themselves early from the Pioneers and not allow them to come back. In Monday's game against Columbia, Rutgers got off to a 21-5 start but only for Columbia to inch back into the game making it 25-21 at one point. Rutgers was able to reel off a 6-0 run to close the half with a 31-21 lead. If Rutgers jumps out to a big lead early on, they need to continue do what works by making high percentage shots, limit turnovers, and not to force anything. 
• Get Spencer going early - Cam Spencer played an incredible second half against Columbia and nailed shot after shot, ultimately finishing with 17 points. If Rutgers can get Spencer going in the 1st half and he can continue to stay hot, there's no stopping him. Not only can Spencer shoot but he plays tough defense and can nab some steals. On a day McConnell will likely not play, Spencer can help fill that void.
• Feed the beast - Rutgers needs to get the ball down low to Cliff Omoruyi and let the big guy go to work on an inferior team. Work to create good looks for Omoruyi to jam the ball and draw screens to free him up to shoot from the top of the key. Cliff's game has improved vastly and Rutgers needs to take full advantage.
• Bench production - Rutgers did not nearly see as much bench production as they would like to have seen against Columbia, but when those bench players come into the game on Thursday, they have to capitalize, make shots, and not foul. Rutgers may have to rely on a tight 8-man rotation but if someone else from the bench can step up, it adds another dimension to the game.
• Shut down Reilly - Joey Reilly proved on Tuesday that he is going to be one of the go-to guys on Sacred Heart as he nailed 5 of 7 three-point shots and was 9 of 12 from the field against Hartford. Rutgers is going to have to protect the perimeter on defense and guard Reilly real tight.
• Get Mag and Hyatt involved - Both players appeared to have really improved since last season as Mawot Mag and Aundre Hyatt scored in double figures on Monday. Hyatt was able to nab a double-double with 10 rebounds and 12 points. If these guys continue to produce like they did in the game on Monday, they are bound for an incredible year. Rutgers truly needs these two warriors to produce in double figures once again.

8 key games for upcoming season

 

photo courtesy of the Associated Press

What are the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' most critical games for their upcoming season?

KEY GAMES

• November 18, vs Temple Owls at Mohegan Sun - If Rutgers can get to November 18th unscathed, the Scarlet Knights should be riding high with confidence but they must not underestimate a pesky Temple Owls basketball team. This will be the Scarlet Knights' first real test of the season. Aaron McKie is projected to have his best team yet with prolific scorer Khalif Battle returning to the lineup. The match up with Temple is a great opportunity for Rutgers to nab a neutral floor victory and help their NET ranking.
• November 30, at Miami Hurricanes - Many will expect the Scarlet Knights to be 6-0 by the time they tipoff against Miami in late November. This will be the first true road game of the season for Rutgers, and they have a huge opportunity to pick up a Q1 win. Miami will be loaded offensively with lots of talent.
• December 3, Indiana Hoosiers - What a way to start of a Big Ten conference game! Rutgers hosts the preseason favorites Indiana Hoosiers in what will already be a critical game in the early part of the season. If Rutgers can deliver a one-two punch to the highly-rated Hoosiers, Rutgers could potentially be off to one of its best starts in several years. A win like this could set the tone for the rest of the season.
• December 11, Seton Hall Pirates - Rutgers hosts its bitter rivals in the Garden State Hardwood Classic, and it's a game the Scarlet Knights do not want to lose. The game is at The RAC. The crowd is going to be insane. The atmosphere is going to be intense. New Jersey better get ready for an epic showdown. A win over Seton Hall will surely give the Scarlet Knights a potential Q1/Q2 victory.
• January 5, Maryland Terrapins - The Scarlet Knights welcome back Kevin Willard to The RAC! Maryland has been one of the few teams to have success winning at The RAC and Rutgers will want to end that trend quickly.
• February 4, vs Michigan State Spartans - Rutgers has had the upper hand in the last two seasons against Michigan State with blowout victories. Michigan State will be much improved and this time around the game will be much closer. Although listed as a home game for Rutgers, the February 4th battle will be at Madison Square Garden, which unfortunately takes away the homecourt advantage of The RAC. Expect Spartans fans and Scarlet Knights fans to turn out in numbers for this classic battle in the heart of Manhattan. 
• February 23, Michigan Wolverines - This game is going to be in front of a wild crowd that might blow the roof off The RAC. Last year, things got a little heated in the handshake line after the game and expect the temperature of this game to rise. This will be a very important game concerning the standings in the Big Ten.
• February 26, at Penn State Nittany Lions - Not sure if this game could be a trap game for the Scarlet Knights, but it will be an important one between the two rivals. Rutgers and Penn State have shared some epic physical battles the last couple of seasons. Rutgers may need this win towards the end of the season to stay atop the Big Ten standings.

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

 

photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

Columbia at Rutgers

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

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

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

KEYS TO THE GAME

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

2022-23 keys to the season and predictions

 

photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics

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

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

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

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

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

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

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL SEASON

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

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

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

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

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

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

ADDITIONAL RUTGERS SEASON PREVIEWS:

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

2023 KenPom ratings released, rating for each opponent

 

(photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)

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:

Nov. 7, Columbia* (316)

Nov. 10, Sacred Heart* (304)

Nov. 12, UMass-Lowell* (170)

Nov. 18, vs Temple* (92)

Nov. 22, Rider* (186)

Nov. 26, Central Conn. State* (333)

Nov. 30, at Miami* (42)

Dec. 3, Indiana (12)

Dec. 8, at Ohio State (32)

Dec. 11, Seton Hall* (48)

Dec. 17, Wake Forest* (80)

Dec. 23, Bucknell* (283)

Dec. 30, Coppin State* (315)

Jan. 2, at Purdue (25)

Jan. 5, Maryland (56)

Jan. 8, Iowa (23)

Jan. 11, at Northwestern (70)

Jan. 15, Ohio State (32)

Jan. 19, at Michigan State (31)

Jan. 24, Penn State (46)

Jan. 29, at Iowa (23)

Feb. 1, Minnesota (109)

Feb. 4, vs Michigan State (31)

Feb. 7, at Indiana (12)

Feb. 11, at Illinois (33)

Feb. 14, Nebraska (108)

Feb. 18, at Wisconsin (55)

Feb. 23, Michigan (26)

Feb. 26, at Penn State (46)

Mar. 2, at Minnesota (109)

Mar. 5, Northwestern (70)

* non-conference game

Deep Dive: A look into Rutgers' opponents

 

(photo courtesy of USA Today)

We take a look into Rutgers' future non-conference opponents for the upcoming season

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights' 2022-23 non-conference schedule has finally come to form. In the past week the Scarlet Knights scheduled a home-and-home contest with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, per report by Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today. The Demon Deacons will visit the Scarlet Knights this upcoming season. Next season, the Scarlet Knights will travel to Winston-Salem. Also, the Scarlet Knights scheduled a multi-team event at The RAC a couple of weeks ago. The event will take place between November 10-16 and includes games against the Columbia Lions, Sacred Heart Pioneers, and UMass-Lowell River Hawks. The Scarlet Knights will play its Garden State rival the Seton Hall Pirates on December 11 at The RAC in the Garden State Hardwood Classic. Rutgers has also scheduled contests with the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils, Coppin State Eagles, Bucknell Bison and the Rider Broncs. Per Brian Fonseca (of NJ Advance Media), Rutgers scheduled a contest with the Temple Owls on a neutral floor at The Mohegan Sun. Lastly, Jon Rothstein reported the Scarlet Knights will head on the road to take on the Miami Hurricanes in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Let's take a look into each one of Rutgers' non-conference opponents for the 2022-23 season (highest to lowest according to last season's NET rankings).

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

• Conference: Atlantic Coast (ACC)
• Conference Finish: 5th
• Record: 25-10 overall; 13-7 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 42
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 42
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at Virginia Tech (80-61); at Virginia (63-55); at Florida State (68-60); Notre Dame (79-74)
• NIT Tournament: Quarterfinal, lost to #1 Texas A&M 67-52
• Series against Rutgers: Wake Forest leads the series against Rutgers 1-0. 
• Last meeting: Both teams met for the first time in 2015 when the Demon Deacons beat the Scarlet Knights 69-68 in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Jake LaRavia (14.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 spg), Daivien Williamson (11.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.2 apg), Tyree Appleby (10.9 ppg, 3.7 apg), Jao Ituka (15.3 ppg)
• Notes: The Demon Deacons are led by Steve Forbes who will enter his 3rd season at the helm. Forbes has done a great job turning the Demon Deacons and helped them post a 25-10 overall record. Many felt the Demon Deacons were robbed from making last year's NCAA Tournament; however, they were able to go on a remarkable run in the NIT Tournament before falling to Texas A&M in the quarterfinals. The reason why the Demon Deacons were left out of the NCAA Tournament picture was because of their lack of Q1 and Q2 wins. The Demon Deacons padded their non-conference schedule with a slew of low NET ranked teams. The matchup between Rutgers and Wake Forest this upcoming season will be an interesting one, and will likely be another crucial test for both teams during the non-conference portion of the schedule. This is a game Rutgers probably needs to win at The RAC to help their tournament resume and NET ranking. Credit Steve Pikiell for scheduling the Demon Deacons and allowing Rutgers to face a quality opponent in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Wake Forest returns some experience and will have a solid program in the 2022-23 season. One small side note, Rutgers and Wake Forest both recruited freshman Bobi Klintman last year and Klintman committed to the Demon Deacons.

Miami Hurricanes

• Conference: Atlantic Coast (ACC)
• Conference Finish: 4th
• Record: 26-11 overall; 14-6 conference
• Final NET Ranking: 47
• Final Sagarin Rating: 52
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at Duke (76-74); vs Auburn (79-61); UNC (85-57); at Virginia Tech (78-75); vs USC (68-66); vs Iowa State (70-56); at Wake Forest (76-72); vs Wake Forest (92-84)
• NCAA Tournament: Elite Eight, lost to #1 Kansas 70-56
• Series against Rutgers: Miami leads the series against Rutgers 10-6 according to Sports Reference.
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Miami 57-54 at the Watsco Center in 2018.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Isaiah Wong (15.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg), Jordan Miller (10 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.1 apg), Nijel Pack (17.4 ppg, 43.6 3-pt%), Norchad Omier (17.9 ppg, 12.2 rpg)
• Notes: Jim Larranaga will enter his 12th season, and his Hurricanes will be loaded with talent on the roster. This might be the toughest team Rutgers faces in the non-conference schedule. The Hurricanes will likely start four players who averaged scoring in double-digits. Expect the Miami Hurricanes to make another return to the NCAA Tournament and finish near the top of the ACC standings. Miami's most dangerous players are Isaiah Wong, Jordan Miller, Nijel Pack (transfer from Kansas State), and Norchad Omier (transfer from Arkansas State). Rutgers will have to compete for 40 minutes against the Hurricanes and keep this one close if they expect to pull off the upset. Rutgers can ill afford to get off to a slow start and fall behind by double-digits. This is just one of two great opportunities for Rutgers to possibly steal a Q1 win on the road. 

Seton Hall Pirates

• Conference: Big East
• Conference Finish: 6th
• Record: 21-11 overall; 11-8 conference
• Final NET Ranking: 48
• Final Sagarin Rating: 36
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at Michigan (67-65); Texas (64-60); UConn (90-87); Creighton (74-55); at Creighton (65-60)
• NCAA Tournament: First Round, lost to #8 TCU 69-42
• Series against Rutgers: Seton Hall leads the series against Rutgers 36-25 since 1949-50 according to Sports Reference.
• Last meeting: December 12, 2021 - Seton Hall def. Rutgers 77-63 at The Prudential Center.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Kadary Richmond (8.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.1 apg), Alexis Yetna (8.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg), KC Ndefo (10.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Al-Amir Dawes (11.3 ppg, 40% 3pt), Femi Odukale (10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.4 apg) 
• Notes: Kevin Willard left Seton Hall for the head coach position at Maryland. Highly touted Shaheen Holloway who led the 15-seed St. Peter's Peacocks on a miracle run to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament takes over as the Pirates' new head coach. Holloway has picked up some key transfers in the portal and has some experience returning to the roster. The Pirates should be able to re-load for next season and be a threat in the Big East. The matchup between the Scarlet Knights and the Pirates will be pivotal for both teams when they meet in December at The RAC for the Garden State Hardwood Classic.

Temple Owls

• Conference: American Athletic
• Conference Finish: 4th
• Record: 17-12 overall; 10-7 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 111
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 108
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at UCF (66-62); SMU (64-57)
• AAC Tournament: Quarterfinals, lost to Tulane 69-60
• Series against Rutgers: Temple leads the series against Rutgers 32-15 per Sports Reference.
• Last meeting: Temple def. Rutgers 88-82 at Liacouras Center in 2014.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Khalif Battle (24.1 ppg), Damian Dunn (14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg)
• Notes: Aaron McKie may have his best team yet next season as Temple returns experience and two major key players, Khalif Battle and Damian Dunn. Temple should finish near the top of the American Athletic Conference, and should be good enough to earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament this upcoming season. When Rutgers and Temple tip off at the Mohegan Sun, this will be an absolute dog fight. Expect Rutgers and Temple to trade punches in this contest. This will probably be one of the most fun and entertaining games of the Rutgers non-conference schedule.

Rider Broncs

• Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic
• Conference Finish: 9th
• Record: 14-19 overall; 8-12 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 240
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 239
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at St. Peter's (58-49); Monmouth (74-65); vs Iona (71-70)
• MAAC Tournament: Semifinals, lost to Monmouth 72-68.
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against Rider 12-1 per Sports Reference.
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Rider 68-56 at The RAC in 2012. Rutgers was scheduled to meet with Rider last season but the game was nixed due to COVID-19 issues within the Rutgers program.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Dwight Murray (13.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.7 apg), Allen Powell (12.1 ppg, 2.5 apg), Mervin James (11.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
• Notes: Although both schools are approximately 30 miles apart, Rutgers and Rider will meet just for the 14th time in history. Rider is coming off a 14-19 season and will be looking to stay atop the MAAC for the 2022-23 season. Rider is led by Kevin Baggett who will be entering his 11th season at the helm. Per reporting from The Rider News, at least five players have entered the transfer portal by the end of the 2021-22 season; however, Rider has added a couple high school recruits and transfers, including Tariq Ingraham from Wake Forest and Allen Betrand from Rhode Island. Folks will have to wait and see what impact Ingraham and Betrand may have when they arrive to Lawrenceville.

UMass-Lowell River Hawks

• Conference: America East
• Conference Finish: 8th
• Record: 15-16 overall; 7-11 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 247
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 255
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at George Washington (67-56); at Dayton (59-58)
• America East Tournament: Quarterfinals, lost to UMBC 93-85 OT.
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against UMass-Lowell 1-0 per Sports Reference.
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. UMass-Lowell 89-66 at The RAC in 2015.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Ayinde Hakim (11.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.7 apg), Allin Blunt (11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
• Notes: Pat Duquette will be entering his 10th season at the helm for the UMass-Lowell River Hawks. Duquette is 110-155 overall at UMass-Lowell. Under his guidance, the River Hawks have been unable to finish better than 5th in the America East Conference. The River Hawks have had very little success since joining the America East. Duquette was able to nab three transfers from the portal including Mikey Watkins (Merrimack), Abdoul Karim Coulibaly (St. Bonaventure), and Yuri Covington (William & Mary). However, the River Hawks lost four players to the transfer portal, most notably Kalil Thomas who averaged 9.0 ppg.

Coppin State Eagles

• Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic
• Conference Finish: 7th
• Record: 9-23 overall; 6-8 conference
• Final NET Ranking: 301
• Final Sagarin Rating: 315
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: vs Howard (59-57); vs NC Central (79-73)
• MEAC Tournament: Championship, lost to Norfolk State 72-57
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against Coppin State 1-0.
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Coppin State 64-39 at The RAC in 2017.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Sam Sessoms (11.6 ppg), Justin Winston (8.7 ppg), Jesse Zarzuela (14.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
• Notes: Juan Dixon enters his 5th season behind the helm at Coppin State. He was able to pick up two key transfers in the offseason, Sam Sessoms and Justin Winston. Sessoms is a familiar face to Rutgers, as the Scarlet Knights have faced him several times when he played at Penn State. Despite landing two key transfers in the portal, the Eagles should be a walk-over for the Scarlet Knights. Expect Coppin State to land near the bottom of the MEAC once again.

Sacred Heart Pioneers

• Conference: Northeast (NEC)
• Conference Finish: 7th
• Record: 10-20 overall; 6-12 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 323
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 313
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: at Lafayette (74-67); Long Island (69-65)
• NEC Tournament: Quarterfinals, lost to Long Island 82-75
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against Sacred Heart 4-0 per Sports Reference (since 1949-50).
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Sacred Heart 86-63 at The RAC in 2020.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Nico Galette (12.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg)
• Notes: Anthony Latina is coming off another rough campaign with the Pioneers as they 10-20 overall and 6-12 in the NEC. If there were any positives from last season, Sacred Heart was able to reel off wins against LaSalle, Lafayette, and Columbia on the road last year. The Pioneers nabbed an upset conference win against Long Island at home. Sacred Heart ranks near the bottom of the NET Rankings, and play in one of the worst conferences in the country. This is a game Rutgers should not lose, especially at home. There is a little bit of turnover on the roster as the Pioneers lost three players to the transfer portal, including their most productive scorers in Aaron Clarke and Tyler Thomas. Both Thomas and Clarke averaged more than 16 ppg. Latina is bringing in three transfers in the portal including Brendan McGuire (Quinnipiac), Raheem Solomon (Niagara), and Aidan Carpenter (Siena). How much production Latina gets out of his three incoming transfers remains to be seen. Sacred Heart returns 11 letterwinners and a several starters, according to SacredHeartPioneers.com.

Bucknell Bison

• Conference: Patriot League
• Conference Finish: 10th
• Record: 9-23 overall; 5-13 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 334
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 322
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: Rider (81-74); Siena (65-65); Boston (89-78)
• Patriot League Tournament: Quarterfinals, lost to Colgate 96-68
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against Bucknell 18-6 per Sports Reference (since 1949-50).
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Bucknell 78-48 at The RAC in 2000.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Xander Rice (13.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.9 apg), Andre Screen (11.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
• Notes: There isn't much to talk about last season when it comes to Bucknell basketball.  The Bison had a brutal campaign last season after finishing with a total of 9 wins overall and finished at the bottom of the Patriot League. Bison head coach Nathan Davis is in rebuild mode as he tries to get his Bison back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Last season was the worst finish for the Bison since Davis took over the program in 2015. Davis has a young team but loses three players to the transfer portal, most notably Andrew Funk. Funk averaged over 17 ppg and has committed to Penn State. Davis was able to grab Jack Forrest (St. Joseph's) from the portal. The good news for the Bison, Xander Rice and Andre Screen will be returning. Rice averaged 32.5 minutes per game and 13.1 ppg, while big man Screen averaged 11.4 ppg and 6.5 boards per game.

Central Connecticut State Blue Devils

• Conference: Northeast Conference
• Conference Finish: 9th
• Record: 8-24 overall; 5-13 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 345
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 348
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: Long Island (65-62)
• NEC Tournament: Quarterfinals, lost to Bryant 73-59
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against Central Connecticut State 4-0 per Sports Reference.
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Central Connecticut State 79-48 at The RAC in 2021.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Nigel Scantlebury (13.4 ppg, 3.5 apg)
• Notes: Patrick Sellars arrived last year to Central Connecticut State with a massive rebuild on his hands. The Blue Devils ranked near the bottom of the NET last year and were only able to win 8 games last season. The Blue Devils return several starters and picked up a transfers Kellen Amos (Binghamton) and Brody Limric (Quinnipiac). The outlook for the Blue Devils looks grim as they should repeat near the bottom of the Northeast Conference.

Columbia Lions

• Conference: Ivy League
• Conference Finish: 8th
• Record: 4-22 overall; 1-13 conference
• Final NET Rankings: 351
• Final Sagarin Ratings: 345
• Last Year's Noteworthy Wins: Penn (73-69)
• Ivy League Tournament: Did not qualify
• Series against Rutgers: Rutgers leads the series against Columbia 21-17 per Sports Reference (since 1949-50).
• Last meeting: Rutgers def. Columbia 68-65 at The RAC in 2018.
• Key Returners/Transfers: Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa (12.3 ppg, 3.2 apg), Liam Murphy 12.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
• Notes: Jim Engles might be feeling the heat in New York as the Columbia Lions finished a dismal season with only 4 total wins and dead last in the Ivy League. Engles is 39-99 since taking over Columbia in 2016. The Lions finished with one of the worst NET Rankings in the country (351 out of 358). The Lions lost Ike Nweke to the transfer portal, one of their most productive players. Nweke averaged 15.9 ppg and 6.3 rpg. Nweke committed to Quinnipiac. Engles was able to bring in four new freshman recruits. There has not been much turnover on the roster as Columbia returns Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa and Liam Murphy, both players who averaged more than 12 ppg.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have scheduled their 11 non-conference opponents. Rutgers fans will have plenty of opportunities to see the Scarlet Knights tip off at home this upcoming season as nine of the eleven non-conference games will be played at The RAC. The two remaining non-conference games will be played on the road, including one at a neutral site.

The scheduling philosophy has been tweaked just a little bit this year, as Rutgers will play four high major non-conference opponents as compared to last season when Rutgers only faced two quality opponents (Seton Hall and Clemson). Also, Rutgers will play its first neutral court non-conference game since Rutgers tipped off against St. Bonaventure in Toronto, Canada in 2019. This is all encouraging news and gives Rutgers four chances at snagging quality wins.

The Scarlet Knights will host the Seton Hall Pirates on December 11th at The RAC, and this could possibly be a Q1/Q2 opportunity for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers will also host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who are expected to be a solid program in the ACC this year. When the Demon Deacons come to Piscataway, they could possibly be a Q1 opponent but likely a Q2 opponent. These are two quality opportunities for Rutgers to seize to help improve their NET ranking. Last year, surprisingly Rutgers was an astonishing 7-7 against Q1 opponents; however, the Scarlet Knights were just 2-4 against Q2 opponents.

The Scarlet Knights will travel to Coral Gables and face the Miami Hurricanes on November 30th in the annual Big Ten-ACC Challenge. This will be Rutgers third trip to Coral Gables in 6 years. Assuredly, this will be a Q1 opportunity for the Scarlet Knights. If Rutgers were able to pull off the upset of Miami this upcoming season, it will significantly help boost Rutgers' tournament resume and NET ranking. 

For the first time since 2019, Rutgers will play a neutral site game in their non-conference slate against the Temple Owls. Despite the Owls finishing 111 in the NET Rankings last season, Temple will be a much more improved team in 2022, and this could potentially be a Q2 opportunity for the Scarlet Knights. It definitely helps the Scarlet Knights that they are playing a quality opponent on a neutral court (Mohegan Sun in CT). Neutral court victories are viewed as valuable to the NET Rankings.

Overall, Rutgers fans have a lot to look forward to when the Scarlet Knights tip off against four quality opponents this upcoming season. These are all great opportunities for Rutgers to help bolster its tournament resume. Last year, fans were on edge because of head scratching losses to low level non-conference opponents and the lack of quality non-conference opponents on their schedule. Rutgers' non-conference strength of schedule rating was 255th in the country. It was the improbable run the Scarlet Knights went on through the Big Ten gauntlet in February that helped them bolster their tournament resume and to eventually earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Listen, we know Rutgers fans want this team to play more high major non-conference opponents, but it is ridiculous to expect Rutgers to play against high major opponents for a good chunk of their non-conference schedule. The Scarlet Knights already play in the toughest conference in the country filled with high major opponents. However, it might have been more beneficial if Rutgers had scheduled a couple more high mid-major programs on the non-conference docket rather than fill the rest of their schedule with potential Q4 opponents.

Despite playing a few more quality opponents this season, Rutgers did continue the trend of playing low-level opponents. Of the seven contests against low-level opponents, at least five opponents were NET rated 301 or worse. One can say Rutgers scheduled games against low-level opponents because Coach Pikiell may want to test different lineups and play certain players to see what fits best in his rotations when the Big Ten Conference schedule arrives. Although this may be true, Rutgers will have to learn its lesson from last year and avoid any catastrophic losses at home. 

All too often last season, Rutgers allowed low-level opponents to hang around and keep games close, and somehow Rutgers managed to lose to a few low-level opponents, including Lafayette and UMass. The embarrassing loss to the Lafayette Leopards, who were NET rated 319 last season, left a major stain on Rutgers' tournament resume, and if it were not for the improbable run we mentioned earlier, the Scarlet Knights probably would not have made the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers nearly lost to the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in their season opener, which would have been another devastating blow to the team's resume. Following the game against Lehigh, Rutgers had to battle toe-to-toe with the Merrimack Warriors before pulling ahead late in the game for the victory.

There is almost no benefit for Rutgers scheduling low-level opponents in the non-conference schedule. A win over a 300+ NET rated team does not bolster Rutgers' resume or NET ranking. It is likely all seven of their non-conference games against low-level competition will be Q4 matchups. These are the games Rutgers must avoid losing at all costs, especially because the games at home. A home loss to a Q4 opponent would be a devastating blow to Rutgers' tournament resume. It is also likely the NCAA Tournament Committee may not be as forgiving to Rutgers as they were last year. Rutgers will have to remain focused and determined to win all of their games against their low-level competition.

It would be a dream come true if Rutgers were to finish the non-conference portion of their schedule undefeated but it is not likely. Rutgers fans can expect the Scarlet Knights to probably finish 9-2 or 10-1 in the non-conference slate, with at most two losses to two of the four high major opponents. In a very early projection, RHI predicts the Scarlet Knights to win and lose the following non-conference games:

• Miami Hurricanes (Away, Q1), L
• Wake Forest Forest Demon Decons (Home, Q2), W
• Seton Hall Pirates (Home, Q2), W
• Temple Owls (Neutral, Q2), L
• Rider Broncs (Home, Q4), W
• UMass-Lowell River Hawks (Home, Q4), W
• Coppin State Eagles (Home, Q4), W
• Sacred Heart Pioneers (Home, Q4), W
• Bucknell Bison (Home, Q4), W
• Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (Home, Q4), W
• Columbia Lions (Home, Q4), W