NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents (thru games Feb 19)

 

photo courtesy of Getty Images

NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents (thru games Feb 19)

Here are the NET Rankings of Rutgers' opponents for games played through February 19. Rutgers is currently ranked 29th in the NET Rankings. Last week, the Scarlet Knights dropped a Q3 home contest to Nebraska but picked up an important Q2 road win over Wisconsin. The loss to Nebraska set Rutgers back in the NET Rankings. The win against Wisconsin could become a Q1 road win if Wisconsin can move into the Top 75 of the NET Rankings. The Badgers are currently ranked 76th in the NET. Rutgers has one Q1 game, two Q2 games, and one Q4 game remaining on their schedule. If you want to view the entire NET Rankings, please click here.

Rutgers Record in Each Quadrant:

• Quadrant 1: 4-6
• Quadrant 2: 4-2
• Quadrant 3: 2-2
• Quadrant 4: 7-0

NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents

Nov. 7, Columbia, W (344, Q4)

Nov. 10, Sacred Heart, W (330, Q4)

Nov. 12, UMass-Lowell, W (135, Q3)

Nov. 18, vs Temple, L (123, Q3)

Nov. 22, Rider, W (205, Q4)

Nov. 26, Central Conn. State, W (337, Q4)

Nov. 30, at Miami, L (31, Q1)

Dec. 3, Indiana, W (18, Q1)

Dec. 8, at Ohio State, L (68, Q1)

Dec. 11, Seton Hall, L (71, Q2)

Dec. 17, Wake Forest, W (77, Q3)

Dec. 23, Bucknell, W (295, Q4)

Dec. 30, Coppin State, W (340, Q4)

Jan. 2, at Purdue, W (5, Q1)

Jan. 5, Maryland, W (24, Q1)

Jan. 8, Iowa, L (42, Q2)

Jan. 11, at Northwestern, W (39, Q1)

Jan. 15, Ohio State (68, Q2)

Jan. 19, at Michigan State (40, Q1)

Jan. 24, Penn State (59, Q2)

Jan. 29, at Iowa (42, Q1)

Feb. 1, Minnesota (214, Q4)

Feb. 4, vs Michigan State (40, Q2)

Feb. 7, at Indiana (18, Q1)

Feb. 11, at Illinois (27, Q1)

Feb. 14, Nebraska (92, Q3)

Feb. 18, at Wisconsin (76, Q2)

Feb. 23, Michigan (65, Q2)

Feb. 26, at Penn State (59, Q1)

Mar. 2, at Minnesota (241, Q4)

Mar. 5, Northwestern (39, Q2)

Q1 home games are highlighted in yellow

Q1 road games are highlighted in green

Preview & Keys to the Game: Iowa at Rutgers (January 8, 2023)

 

photo courtesy of Getty Images

Iowa (9-6, 1-3) at Rutgers (11-4, 3-1)

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are riding high at the moment after knocking off AP Poll ranked #1 Purdue 65-64 on Monday and then followed the upset with a masterful defensive performance against Maryland in 64-50 beatdown on Thursday. Rutgers is currently sitting near the top of the Big Ten standings at 3-1, and are in position to stay near the top if they can beat the Iowa Hawkeyes who visit The RAC on Sunday, January 8th at 12 PM (BTN).

Iowa started off the season in solid form, and tallied several key victories over Seton Hall, Clemson, and Iowa State; however, the Hawkeyes dropped three in a row, including a humiliating loss to Eastern Illinois, before defeating #15 Indiana 91-89 on Thursday. With new renowned confidence after the decisive win over Indiana, Iowa is more dangerous than ever when they tip off against Rutgers.

As of January 6, Rutgers is sitting at 14 in the NET Rankings and are 13 in the KenPom Ratings. Iowa is 59 in the NET, and 50 in the KenPom. It's probably safe to say that Iowa would not be 59 in the NET if they had not lost to Eastern Illinois, and they would probably be somewhere in the top 30. Iowa is 2-3 against Q1 teams; 2-2 against Q2 teams; 1-0 against Q3 teams; and 4-1 against Q4 teams. Tomorrow, the Hawkeyes will be a Q2 opponent for the Scarlet Knights.

Iowa has a veteran squad and several key players that could cause trouble for Rutgers. Iowa runs a high up-tempo offense but gets very good play from their centers and forwards down low. The Hawkeyes have three players that average scoring in double figures, including Filip Rebraca (14.4 ppg), Kris Murray (21.3 ppg), and Tony Perkins (11.2 ppg). Murray is Iowa's leading rebounder at 9.8 rpg, while Rebraca is a close second to Murray with 8.5 rpg. Iowa has several players that shoot well from beyond the arc. Murray is averaging 38.2% from beyond the arc, and Connor McCaffery is averaging 37.5%. Both Murray and McCaffery take a bulk of the 3PT shots for the Hawkeyes. As a team, the Iowa Hawkeyes are shooting 32% from 3PT range. Iowa is rated 15th in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Here are other offensive categories Iowa ranks well in, according to NCAA Statistics:

• Scoring offense - 23rd
• FTs made per game - 21st
• Assists per game - 23rd
• Assist/Turnover ratio - 3rd
• Turnovers per game - 9th
• Offensive Rebounds per game - 41st
• Fastbreak points - 60th

Although Iowa has one of the best offenses in college basketball, they are not one of the best teams defensively. Iowa's defense is led by Connor McCaffery with 1.4 spg and Filip Rebraca with 1.4 bpg. Iowa does have one category that is their strongest suit defensively, and that is rebounding where the Hawkeyes rank 91st, according to NCAA Statistics. Iowa is rated 128th in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Here are several categories where Iowa ranks defensively, according to NCAA Statistics:

• Scoring defense - 258th
• 3PT% defense - 175th
• Fouls per game - 26th
• Turnovers forced per game - 160th
• Steals per game - 181st
• FG% defense - 274th

All season long Rutgers has continued to play its relentless, suffocating defense and it's what allowed the Scarlet Knights to stifle Purdue and overwhelm Maryland. Despite a poor shooting performance on Thursday against Maryland, Rutgers still won in comfortable fashion. But Iowa is a different team, and boasts one of the best offenses in the nation. If Rutgers can continue to play elite defense and continue to work for good shots against a poor defensive team, the Scarlet Knights can walk away Sunday with a victory.

Iowa's Last 3 Games:

1/5 - Indiana (21, Q1), W 91-89

1/1 - at Penn State (66, Q1), L 83-79

12/29 - at Nebraska (85, Q2), L 66-50

KEYS TO THE GAME

• Slowdown the tempo - Iowa is going to want to play this game as fast as they can and move the ball up and down the court quickly. It will be Rutgers job to slow this game down on both ends of the floor. Rutgers will have to continue to press Iowa and wreak havoc in their backcourt. Do not allow Tony Perkins and Kris Murray to move the ball quickly down the floor.
• Force turnovers - Rutgers has done a great job all year long in forcing turnovers. As I mentioned in the first key in slowing down the tempo and putting pressure on Iowa's backcourt, the Scarlet Knights need to be able to force turnovers and generate steals which can lead to fast break opportunities for Rutgers
• Front Rebraca - Filip Rebraca is one of Iowa's leading scorers, and the Iowa guards love feeding the ball to the big man. Cliff Omoruyi is going to be tested once again down low and he is going to have to front Rebraca the best he can.
• Crash the boards - Iowa is a very good rebounding team, and it's no wonder they did a great job against Indiana on Thursday working for second chance points. Rutgers is a decent rebounding team but if they want to avoid any second chance points for Iowa, Rutgers is going to have to crash the boards and grab as many rebounds as they can.
• Feed the beast - Iowa is not a great team defensively and Rutgers should be able to feed the ball down low to Cliff Omoruyi. The more touches Cliff is given near the basket, the more chances Rutgers can control the paint but also free up other shooters. Rebraca is not the best defender, and if Cliff can pound the ball to the hoop with physicality and athleticism, Rutgers should have an easy night.
• Get Cam Spencer going - In order for Rutgers to have a big night, Cam Spencer needs to get going. If Rutgers can free up space for him on the perimeter, Spencer can be lethal from the outside. Rutgers is 8-2 when Cam Spencer scores in double-digits.

NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents (thru games Jan 6)

 

photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents (thru games Jan 6)

Here are the NET Rankings of Rutgers' opponents for games played through January 6th. Rutgers is currently ranked 14th in the NET Rankings, which is a program best under Steve Pikiell, and have two decisive Quadrant 1 (Q1) victories on the season. There are plenty of opportunities to pick up more Q1/2 wins on their schedule. Rutgers has done an incredible job this season avoiding any dreaded Quadrant 4 losses. Rutgers has seven Q1 road games and one Q1 home game remaining on its schedule. If you want to view the entire NET Rankings please click here.

Rutgers' Record in Each Quadrant

• Quadrant 1: 2-2
• Quadrant 2: 1-0
• Quadrant 3: 2-2
• Quadrant 4: 6-0

NET Rankings of Rutgers' Opponents

Nov. 7, Columbia, W (329, Q4)

Nov. 10, Sacred Heart, W (314, Q4)

Nov. 12, UMass-Lowell, W (89, Q3)

Nov. 18, vs Temple, L (159, Q3)

Nov. 22, Rider, W (230, Q4)

Nov. 26, Central Conn. State, W (340, Q4)

Nov. 30, at Miami, L (38, Q1)

Dec. 3, Indiana, W (21, Q1)

Dec. 8, at Ohio State, L (9, Q1)

Dec. 11, Seton Hall, L (88, Q3)

Dec. 17, Wake Forest, W (80, Q3)

Dec. 23, Bucknell, W (276, Q4)

Dec. 30, Coppin State, W (279, Q4)

Jan. 2, at Purdue, W (5, Q1)

Jan. 5, Maryland, W (55, Q2)

Jan. 8, Iowa (60, Q2)

Jan. 11, at Northwestern (59, Q1)

Jan. 15, Ohio State (9, Q1)

Jan. 19, at Michigan State (58, Q1)

Jan. 24, Penn State (69, Q2)

Jan. 29, at Iowa (60, Q1)

Feb. 1, Minnesota (237, Q4)

Feb. 4, vs Michigan State (58, Q2)

Feb. 7, at Indiana (21, Q1)

Feb. 11, at Illinois (51, Q1)

Feb. 14, Nebraska (85, Q3)

Feb. 18, at Wisconsin (50, Q1)

Feb. 23, Michigan (74, Q2)

Feb. 26, at Penn State (69, Q1)

Mar. 2, at Minnesota (237, Q3)

Mar. 5, Northwestern (59, Q2)

Q1 home games are highlighted in yellow

Q1 road games are highlighted in green

Rutgers Hoops Insider on Jim Maisano's College Hoops Chat (WVOX 1460 AM) (January 2, 2023)

 

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. 

Preview & Keys to the Game: Rutgers at #1 Purdue (January 2, 2023)

photo courtesy of USA Today

Rutgers (9-4, 1-1) at #1 Purdue (13-0, 2-0)

After another dominant non-conference win, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will resume Big Ten play and travel to West Lafayette, IN to take on college basketball's number one ranked team in the country the Purdue Boilermakers (7 PM ET, BTN). Rutgers has been in similar territory against Purdue before. Last year, college hoops fans can remember Ron Harper Jr's buzzer-beater at The RAC that stunned then number one ranked Purdue. It was the first time Purdue had ever been ranked number one. This time, the Scarlet Knights are entering the lion's den at Mackey Arena, one of the best college basketball atmospheres, and the Boilermakers will be ready. Tonight's game is definitely going to be the biggest test for Rutgers all season. Rutgers has yet to win a game on the road this year.

Purdue enters tonight's contest at 4th in the NET Rankings, and 6th in KenPom Ratings while Rutgers enters at 20th in the NET, and a tied program best at 18th in the KenPom. Purdue owns non-conference marquee wins over Marquette, West Virginia, Gonzaga, and Duke. The Boilermakers are first in the Big Ten standings at 2-0 with a blowout victory over Minnesota and escaped Nebraska with an overtime win.

Purdue is a very well-balanced offensive and defensive team. According to NCAA Statistics, Purdue rates high in several offensive categories:

• Scoring offense - 78th
• FT% - 36th
• FT attempts per game - 20th
• Off. rebounds per game - 29th
• Assists per game - 67th

While some of the offensive statistics are not glaring, Purdue is a fantastic rebounding team that create second chance opportunities. Defensively, Purdue rates high in several categories, according to NCAA Statistics:

• Scoring defense - 20th
• 3PT% defense - 15th
• FG% defense - 22nd
• Def. rebounds per game - 19th

The only category Purdue ranks poorly in defensively is forced turnovers per game where Purdue ranks near the bottom in the country. (For more stats on Purdue click here)

Purdue's offense runs through their big man Zach Edey. Everybody knows about one of the nation's best players in Edey. After all, the big guy is up for national awards and accolades. Edey is averaging 21.9 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 63% FG shooting, and 72% FT shooting. Fletcher Loyer is second to Edey in scoring, averaging 12.3 ppg. Purdue is not a great 3PT shooting team; however, Brandon Newman and Fletcher Loyer take a big bulk of their shoots from deep. Newman is averaging a respective 35% and Loyer is averaging 32%. 

Rutgers is a more efficient team defensively, but the players share the basketball evenly on offense, signs of a very unselfish team. Rutgers is likely to rely heavily on its defense to stifle the Purdue as the Scarlet Knights boast the nation's third best defense. Rutgers ranks high in many defensive categories, according to NCAA Statistics:

• Scoring defense - 4th
• Blocks per game - 87th
• FG% defense - 5th
• 3PT% defense - 3rd
• Def. rebounds per game - 63rd
• Turnovers forced per game - 23rd
• Steals per game - 11th

Cam Spencer leads Rutgers in 2.7 spg while Caleb McConnell is close at 2.3 spg. Cliff Omoroyi is not only Rutgers' leading scorer at 15.0 ppg but he grabs 10.1 rpg. Rutgers does have three other players that score in double figures per game including Cam Spencer (12.8 ppg), Aundre Hyatt (10.7 ppg), and Caleb McConnell (10.6 ppg). Cam Spencer is also Rutgers' best 3PT shooter at 43.3% followed by Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell at 33.3%.

Can the Scarlet Knights pull off another big upset of #1 Purdue? 

Purdue's Last 3 Games:

12/29 - Florida A&M (359, Q4), W 82-49

12/21 - New Orleans (358, Q4), W 74-53

12/17 - vs Davidson (166, Q3), W 69-61

KEYS TO THE GAME

• Shutdown Zach Edey - It's clear Purdue's offense runs through Zach Edey. The big man is averaging 21.9 ppg. Just as Rutgers had shutdown big man Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana back in early December, the Scarlet Knights are going to have to mimic the same style of defense. They are going to have to find ways to front and double team the big man, forcing him into committing turnovers and uncomfortable shots. Cliff Omoruyi will be facing his biggest test of the season, and Cliff will have to get physical in the trenches with Edey. Cliff will have to scrap for every rebound but also be smart in not committing fouls, especially early in the game. As crazy as this sounds, Rutgers is going to have to continue to go down low offensively in order to draw fouls against Edey. The more the Scarlet Knights can draw fouls against Edey, the more you take him out of the game. Ideally, getting Edey in foul trouble early will greatly benefit Rutgers.
• Force turnovers - Rutgers is going to have to apply pressure early in the game and force the Boilermakers into uncomfortable situations. Rutgers may have to do this majority of the game. Purdue does not turnover the ball a lot, but they also haven't faced a high-pressure defense like Rutgers all season long. Can Rutgers sustain a high-pressure defense for majority of the game?
• Limit second chance opportunities - Purdue has one of the best rebounding teams in the country, but Rutgers is also a very good rebounding team as well. Rutgers is going to have to find a way to limit Purdue's second chance opportunities on the glass. If Rutgers can limit any second chance opportunities, the Scarlet Knights have a good chance at winning this game.
• No slow starts, work for good shots, convert 2nd chances - Rutgers has done a fantastic job of starting their games without falling behind early. They have gotten off to good starts while working for good shots, solid ball distribution, and solid offensive rebounding to create second chance opportunities. Rutgers will have maintain the same intensity and focus to keep themselves from falling behind early in the game. This Rutgers team is not the type of team that is built to come from behind. It feels as if almost every possession is going to important in this game so Rutgers is going to want to limit the amount of empty trips to the basket.
• Maintain mental focus - Mackey Arena is one of the best atmospheres in college basketball, and you know Purdue fans are going to bring it. It's going to be loud and hectic. Rutgers is going to have maintain strong mental focus in this game, and now let the crowd get to them. That also means no unnecessary fouls, especially technical fouls. Last year, Cliff Omoruyi lost his cool in the game at West Lafayette which led to a technical foul and let Purdue expand it's lead. KEEP YOUR EMOTIONS IN CHECK!
• Get Spencer going early - Rutgers is 7-2 when Cam Spencer scores in double figures. Spencer has to create space on the perimeter and take a risk at shooting from deep. Heck, Spencer is shooting 43% from deep, so he should take those shots! 
• PM must be the best floor general - Paul Mulcahy is great at creating plays and distributing the basketball. I have said it many times, this kid is a wizard with the basketball. He has the innate ability to pass the ball and maneuver in tight spaces. If PM can get going with his ball distribution and ability to maneuver, Rutgers has a really good shot at winning this game.

Preview & Keys to the Game: Coppin State at Rutgers (December 30, 2022)

photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media

Coppin State (5-11) at Rutgers (8-4, 1-1)

Rutgers will play its final non-conference game of the 2022-23 season against Coppin State on Friday, December 30 at 8 PM ET (BTN). Rutgers is fresh of the heels of its most recent blowout victory of Bucknell and will be in search of its 9th win on the season. The Scarlet Knights look to remain perfect against low-major competition and Q4 opponents. Rutgers is currently 5-0 against Q4 opponents. Rutgers has blown out all of its lesser competition by 30 or more points.

Coppin State enters Friday's contest with an overall record of 5-11, ranked 296th in the KenPom Ratings, and are currently ranked 264th in the NET Rankings, which means the Eagles will be a Q4 opponent for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers enters the contest ranked 22 in the KenPom and are 25th in the NET Rankings.

Coppin State has recently dropped its last two games by an average of 28 pts but were able to pull off a stunning 107-100 upset of James Madison (66, Q2) less than nine days ago. Despite Coppin State's overall record and recent poor performance, the Eagles do rank well in several categories:

• FT attempts per game - 70
• FT made per game - 77
• 3PT made per game - 66
• Scoring offense - 119
• Fastbreak points - 109

With some of the upside Coppin State has offensively, the Eagles are a very poor defensive team. Coppin State ranks nearly at the bottom of the country in defense in most categories including:

• Scoring defense - 352
• 3PT% defense - 271
• Rebounds per game - 273
• FG% defense - 333
• Fouls per game - 335

Most of Coppin State's offense is ran through Sam Sessoms, a player the Scarlet Knights have grown familiar with over the last two seasons. Prior to the season, Sam Sessoms transferred from Penn State to Coppin State, and Sessoms has provided a much needed lift offensively for the Eagles. Currently, Sessoms is averaging 22.9 ppg (4th in the nation), 5.3 apg, and shooting 53.1% per game. These numbers are a career high for Sessoms. Rutgers has done a phenomenal job shutting down teams' high scorers and keeping teams' high scorers well below their season average all season long. Expect the Scarlet Knights to assign Caleb McConnell to defend Sessoms all evening. Another player Rutgers must keep an eye that poses a threat is Nendah Clarke, who is currently averaging 12.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and is shooting 43% per game.

Coppin State's Last Three Games:

12/28 - at Richmond (136, Q3), L 83-65

12/23 - at George Mason (105, Q2), L 91-53

12/21 - James Madison (66, Q2), W 107-100

KEYS TO THE GAME

Strong, fast start - Rutgers must get off to a strong, fast start in order to keep this game out of reach. If Rutgers gets off to a slow, sluggish start, they risk the potential of letting Coppin State hang around in this game. Rutgers has done a great job all year long at getting off to strong, fast starts and putting away its lesser competition early. Rutgers has to be smart and focused, work for good looks at the basket, force turnovers and score on the fast break in bunches. Last week, the Scarlet Knights set the tone against Bucknell with a quick alley-oop pass with a thunderous finish by Cliff Omoruyi right from the start. Bucknell was never able to catch up to Rutgers.

Keep Sessoms in check - Coppin State's offense runs through Sam Sessoms, and there is a good reason why. Sessoms is the nation's 4th leading scorer at 22.5 ppg; however, Sessoms turns the ball over a lot. Rutgers must amplify the pressure on Sessoms and force him into situations where he turns the ball over. Also, Rutgers must close in and shut down any good looks Sessoms tries to create offensively.

Feed the ball down low/Pound the paint - Coppin State is not a big team, and it's likely they will struggled to defend Cliff Omoruyi and Mawot Mag down low. If Rutgers can drive the lane consistently and feed the ball to Cliff and Mag, the Scarlet Knights will have success and win this game. Also, if Rutgers can drive the lane and pound the paint, they will likely draw fouls and earn trips to the line. Coppin State is the type of team that is not afraid to foul often.

Get Spencer and Cliff going - Rutgers is a better team when Cam Spencer is playing at an elite level. Spencer has put up big numbers in multiple games this season as he is averaging 12.4 ppg, 1.8 spg, 40% from 3PT range, and is 96% from the FT line. If Spencer can create space and separation on the floor and the rest of the team can find him, expect Spencer to take the shot. On the flip side of the coin, if Rutgers can get its big man Cliff Omoruyi going down low offensively, there's no stopping him. Several times this season, Cliff has had mental lapses on defense where he has committed numerous fouls early in the game and Coach Pikiell has no choice but to sit him on the bench for majority of the game. Cliff must avoid the early fouls and find himself in better position defensively.

Showcase your elite defense - This year's team is playing at an elite level defensively, and Rutgers should continue to showcase its elite defense. Do not allow any good looks for Coppin State on offense. Force turnovers. Lots of them. Limit any second chance opportunities Coppin State might have. It might benefit Rutgers if they apply full court pressure from the start to slow down Coppin State's offense since the Eagles like to play a high-tempo type of game.

Bonus:

Keep your foot on the gas - If Rutgers is able to jump out to a big lead, they must try to add to it. Blowout victories for the Scarlet Knights this year have certainly helped them in the NET rankings. Rutgers must keep its foot on the gas and have no mercy. Sorry, but in this day and age of college basketball, if you want to impress the committee and boost your metrics for the NCAA Tournament, you need to crush your opponent.