The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team is nearing the end of the regular season and the Big Ten Conference tournament is about to begin; however, Rutgers has some work to do to become a lock in this year’s NCAA Tournament. As we get ready for another exciting chapter to the 2022-23 campaign, let’s take a moment to reflect on the great season Rutgers has had, discuss the impact by certain players, what this team can improve upon, what the future holds, and predictions going forward heading into the postseason.
In order to do all of that, I reached out to Jaden Daly, founder and managing editor of A Daly Dose of Hoops, and wanted to ask him about his thoughts on this year’s team since he has covered a lot of Rutgers basketball.
Jaden Daly is no stranger to the college basketball world, especially in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Jaden provides some of the best college hoops coverage of not only Rutgers basketball but also St. John’s basketball and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Jaden is a workhorse behind the scenes and has attended over 60 college basketball games this season to provide you the best coverage for Rutgers, St. John's, and MAAC basketball.
Check out all of Jaden Daly and his team’s work on his web site at A Daly Dose of Hoops (dalydoseofhoops.blogspot.com) and please follow Jaden @DalyDoseOfHoops on Twitter.
Note: This Q&A was conducted two days prior to the Rutgers vs. Penn State men’s basketball game on February 26th.
Rutgers Hoops Insider (RHI): Jaden, thanks for taking time out of your very busy schedule to do this Q&A with me today. It's really an honor to be able to do this with you. You have become one of my favorite college basketball sports writers and I absolutely love your web site 'A Daly Dose of Hoops'. You do an excellent job covering the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and college hoops in the tri-state area. The web site is so informative, and the writers on your web site are so passionate about the many different leagues across college basketball.
I know you've kept all of your followers on Twitter informed with how many games you've attended and covered this season, and quite frankly I think I've lost count. You've covered so much college basketball this season it's really incredible.
I know you've covered a few Rutgers basketball games this season so I have to ask you, from all of the different venues you've attended this season is there really a venue out there that matches the atmosphere of a Rutgers basketball game at The RAC? Which mid-major colleges do you think have the best atmosphere in the northeast?
Jaden Daly (JD): Well, first let me say that I appreciate the kind words extended toward me and the site at large, as it means the world to me whenever I hear something like that. It’s a labor of love that I wouldn’t trade for many things in this world. I’ll be going into March at 66 games (Tuesday's Seton Hall/Villanova game being #66), and will probably get up near 90 by the time the season is over.
That said, when I look back at all the different places I’ve been to, the RAC is unmatched. It may not be the best venue around, but what it lacks in style points and appearance, it more than makes up for in mystique, in-game atmosphere and an intimidation factor for visiting teams that I really wouldn’t be able to describe unless I were actually in the building with you. When that place starts shaking and hits another gear, it’s right up there with Allen Fieldhouse, Mackey Arena, Gampel Pavilion, and so many other venerable home courts that are almost impossible to win on if you’re coming in as a road team.
At the mid-major level, Iona definitely has one of the better setups and homecourt advantages at the Hynes Center, and that was established long before Rick Pitino was even in the stream of consciousness in New Rochelle. The fan base there is among the best in the MAAC, and goes to great lengths to support the program at all costs, sometimes even better than some of the higher-level schools in the region. And when Fordham reaches the levels it has this season, Rose Hill is an entirely different animal that is truly unlike any other gym in New York or New Jersey.
RHI: You were present for the Rutgers-Michigan State showdown at The Garden back in early February. Prior to the game, a lot of unhappy Rutgers fans were concerned about the game being played at The Garden because they felt the Big Ten robbed Rutgers of a home game at The RAC. However, Rutgers fans showed up in droves and painted The Garden scarlet red for the day. You wrote a brilliant article about the game. Tell me how incredible the atmosphere was for this game? Would you say the atmosphere for this game triumphs the atmosphere from the 2018 Big Ten Conference Tournament game when 14-seed Rutgers stunned 6-seed Indiana at The Garden?
JD: Rutgers’ presence at the Garden is a lot like the line in Field of Dreams, right? If you build it, people will come. And like I wrote in that Michigan State column you mentioned, there was a time five years ago when Rutgers would NEVER get an audience in Manhattan. Even if it tried to get on the undercard of a St. John’s game, or some other national brand like a Duke or a Kentucky that has come up here for non-conference games, Rutgers would have been laughed out of the room under Fred Hill, Mike Rice or (cringe, shudder) Eddie Jordan.
But what blew me away was how much it felt like the RAC had been transported across the river and doubled in size. When Rutgers was in New York for the Big Ten tournament, the crowds weren’t this sizable or boisterous. I was fortunate enough to cover the quarterfinal against Purdue and I always say that was the moment, that was the sign where you knew something special was about to happen. I didn’t get to see either of the first two games outside of the last minute of the Indiana game on my phone (true story), so I can’t account for how Wednesday and Thursday sounded that week. I did, however, cover the game against Michigan in 2020 the month before the season got shut down, and that impressed me too from a Rutgers fan support standpoint. Nothing, though, was as electric as this year, it reminded me of a Big East tournament game in terms of how engaged everyone was.
RHI: You've covered a lot of Rutgers basketball and have attended a few games this season, what impresses you most about this year's team? Which player has impressed you the most this season?
JD: The one thing that stands out with me regarding this year’s team is its cohesiveness. That’s usually a trademark of most Steve Pikiell-coached groups, they’re in almost every game and seldom get blown out, but this team in particular has shown it could take a punch and not be affected as much as some of the past units. Losing Mawot Mag, and we’ll touch on that a lot more later in this interview, is still something that this team is trying to overcome, but regrouping from not having Caleb McConnell and/or Paul Mulcahy in stretches hasn’t stopped Rutgers from trying to affect games or impose its will on opponents.
In particular, I love how this team has managed to come back after losses in Big Ten play. The loss at home to Iowa could have sent Rutgers on a downward spiral, but the wins at Northwestern and at home against Ohio State (as an aside, how different do those two games look now going into March than they did in January?) got everything back on track and allowed fans to keep the same level of faith. Even the win at Wisconsin that halted the three-game losing streak was huge, too. I expect something similar going into Penn State coming off the letdown against Michigan.
From a player standpoint, I would have to say Mulcahy, with an honorable mention to Aundre Hyatt. Mulcahy has taken games into his own hands more this season, which was something I wanted to see given the question marks going into the year of how Rutgers would score without Geo and Ron. Cam Spencer would have won this contest going away until Big Ten teams started to figure him out more as the year went on, and I’d like to see him try to solve the adjustments better over the last week or two before the NCAA Tournament. Hyatt has been everything you could ask for in a sixth man now pressed into a larger role after the Mag injury, and was one of the big reasons why Rutgers was able to beat Maryland and Penn State earlier this year. He’s a guy who understands his role, but still wants to do more in such a way that it doesn’t affect his own bottom line, but benefits the team and the big picture as a whole.
RHI: Freshman Derek Simpson has played significant minutes this season. Some people compare him to being the next Geo Baker. What impresses you most about Derek Simpson? Do you think Derek Simpson will become "the guy" this team can rely on down the stretch in close games in the future?
JD: It’s easy to compare Derek and Geo, right? They both have the same build, play the same position, have similar styles…heck, they even wear the same number! But for all the common threads, they strike me as different players, especially at this phase and time in their careers.
Derek has been unafraid to step up in big moments, going back to the Temple game at Mohegan Sun, and has demonstrated a fearlessness in crunch time that you don’t normally see from freshmen so early in their first seasons. What makes him different is he doesn’t have to do as much as Geo did when he was a freshman, when the talent around him was also developing alongside him. Now that Pikiell has been able to put more of his own image on the roster, player development comes naturally and Simpson can be shepherded along on a more gradual track. But I do think he can eventually become the guy when everyone in front of him graduates, maybe as early as his junior year. The Temple game I mentioned stood out, and I remember telling Jerry Carino that night that it wouldn’t shock me if he were all-Big Ten two years from now.
RHI: Freshman Antwone Woolfolk is a bruiser. He's built. He's strong. He's athletic. What role do you think he will play on this team in the years to come? Can he develop into an elite interior player on this team?
JD: I like what I’ve seen from Antwone in his limited action. Much like Derek Simpson, he doesn’t need to do too much with Cliff Omoruyi and Dean Reiber in front of him, but I think he’ll be a serviceable big man who can be an unsung hero type down the road. I don’t know if he’s an elite presence yet, but he’ll definitely fill some gaps and not be pushed around in the process. In that sense, he’s a hybrid of C.J. Gettys and Deshawn Freeman, and I think as Rutgers continues to blossom, a lot of people lose sight of how indispensable those two were during Pikiell’s early years, so to compare Antwone to them is a huge compliment.
RHI: Tell us some things you think this team can improve upon to become an elite contender in the Big Ten some day?
JD: First and foremost, Rutgers NEEDS to upgrade the non-conference schedule. If not for how the last three Big Ten seasons have gone, Rutgers wouldn’t even be on the bubble otherwise with the way the non-conference has played out. And when you look within your own state and see how Kevin Willard — and now, Shaheen Holloway — would schedule at Seton Hall in order to prepare the Pirates for the Big East, it’s a level and an energy that should be at least matched in Piscataway, if not exceeded.
I’m not placing as much of a premium on recruiting as some others might, because when you win, you become more attractive. That always takes care of itself, and it’s being felt more and more with each new commitment. Gavin Griffiths wouldn’t have come to Piscataway before this recent run of success. Ace Bailey wouldn’t even give Rutgers the time or day a decade ago. But as the talent pool deepens and the expectations ramp up, Rutgers needs to make a stronger commitment to hold up its own end of the bargain. Playing a stronger non-conference slate and maybe getting into more multi-team events, as much as Pikiell has a disdain for them, would help.
From an administrative end, I think Pat Hobbs has already done more than enough since becoming the athletic director. Rutgers was too incompetent for too long at the top before he assumed the reins, and his fundraising and managing abilities continue to be a breath of fresh air. Trust his instincts, and you’ll see how much further the university’s profile will be elevated.
RHI: Unfortunately, in early February during the Rutgers-Michigan State game, Mawot Mag tore his ACL and has been declared out for the season. Since that game, Rutgers has gone 1-4 without Mag and have lost some of their swagger and confidence. They really haven't looked like the same team that beat Purdue, Indiana, and Northwestern back in December/January. Rutgers was playing with a killer instinct. What do you think this team needs to do to get that swagger and confidence back?
JD: I think, and Cliff Omoruyi mentioned this in a postgame press conference earlier this season, Rutgers just needs to get back to basics and play more like itself. You can’t replace a guy with the energy and impact of Mawot Mag, but rather than try to replicate what he would normally bring to the table, I would try to take advantage of what else Rutgers has in order to maximize its strengths.
When you have a team connected and committed to getting the job done, that’s half the battle. No one can ever knock the grit or the heart on this team, and if some of the role players now stepping up into a more significant contribution with Mag out can be placed in positions that enable them to capitalize on advantages, that’s going to go a long way down the stretch.
RHI: At one point Rutgers was sitting in 2nd place at 8-4 in the Big Ten Conference and were 16-7 overall, but here we are heading into the last three games of the season and Rutgers is now 9-8 in 9th place, only a game ahead of Penn State and Wisconsin in league play. If Rutgers finished these last three games 1-2, would you feel this season would be a disappointment if this team finished 10-10 in the Big Ten Conference, possibly in the bottom tier of the standings?
JD: Not necessarily. Going into the year, I thought Rutgers’ ceiling was the NIT because the losses of Geo Baker and Ron Harper looked like too much to overcome on paper. I should have known better than to doubt Steve Pikiell, but that’s neither here nor there. If you can go 10-10 in a league like the Big Ten, that’s always an accomplishment unless you’re a Michigan State, Wisconsin, or some other program where deep runs through March are the expectation. Rutgers isn’t there yet, but will be soon if these trends continue. And if 10-10 is indeed the record, some of the 10 wins (at Purdue, Maryland, at Northwestern, Michigan State) certainly offset the 10 losses.
RHI: Do you think this current Rutgers team (without Mag) is STILL an NCAA Tournament team despite going 1-4 in their last five games?
JD: Yes. Rutgers’ metrics are still strong and some of the wins I mentioned in the last question are playing more into its favor than some other bubble teams who don’t have the standout victories that resonate this time of year. Brad Wachtel, a bracketologist who has been just as accurate as Joe Lunardi without the notoriety, even said the Purdue win moved the Scarlet Knights up a few seed lines. Northwestern is just as pivotal now with the Wildcats in the Top 25.
RHI: If Rutgers makes the NCAA Tournament, do you think this would be a successful season?
JD: Absolutely. Considering how most insiders looked at Rutgers going into the year, this was supposed to be the season where the Scarlet Knights retooled in a sense and built toward a more prosperous 2023-24 campaign. In that sense, you could say making the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season (would have been a fourth if not for COVID) is overachieving. But for this program, if it’s at a point where Rutgers is announced by Greg Gumbel on Selection Sunday and its name and logo appears on the bracket, you’ve done something right.
RHI: What do you think Rutgers needs to do in these last three games to ensure themselves a bid to the NCAA Tournament?
JD: Rutgers just has to take care of business. Penn State, Minnesota and Northwestern isn’t the most imposing finishing stretch a team could have, and even with those first two games on the road, it’s quite favorable. All Rutgers has to do is play smart, take each possession as it comes, try not to do too much, and the results will come.
RHI: It's been stated by many analysts and experts across college basketball that Steve Pikiell has consistently scheduled a weak non-conference schedule, and he relies mostly on winning in the Big Ten slate to improve his team's resume. However, to Pikiell's credit, he did try to schedule a game with Gonzaga this season but plans fell through when Gonzaga decided to play Michigan State on an aircraft carrier in San Diego instead. Rutgers has done a decent job this season in the non-conference slate by blowing out lesser competition which has helped boost their NET Ratings, but Rutgers still lost on a neutral floor to an average team in Temple and also lost on the road at Miami. Do you think Pikiell should make more of an effort to play a few more high mid-major programs in the non-conference slate? Should Rutgers try to play one to two very difficult opponents (Q1/2) in the non-conference slate? After Rutgers played Michigan State at The Garden and the fan turnout was incredible, other writers like Jerry Carino (of the Asbury Park Press) suggested Rutgers should try to schedule a neutral floor meeting at The Garden against a non-conference worthy opponent, do you agree?
JD: Pikiell definitely should make a more concerted effort to beef up the non-conference schedule. That’s the difference between Rutgers being a 10 and 11 seed in the last two tournaments where even one more high-profile opponent could have put the Scarlet Knights on the 7, 8 or 9 lines. And if he doesn’t want to get into a MTE, schedule more home-and-home matchups.
As for the neutral sites, I would explore them within reason. Hubert Davis has been adamant about wanting to play more games at the Garden with North Carolina, so why not try to schedule UNC or maybe get into the Jimmy V Classic? Rutgers actually was going to play in the Jimmy V against Baylor two years ago, but when it was moved to the bubble in Orlando, it didn't line up with what Rutgers had already scheduled.
RHI: I think Rutgers should attempt to play a team like Fordham at Rose Hill Gym or Iona at Hynes. I know Pikiell loves to play at The RAC during the non-conference slate but what are the chances we see Rutgers possibly playing away at a mid-major program's building?
JD: I think those days have come and gone. At this point, it does more harm to Rutgers than good to play a mid-major on the road. That’s not a bad thing, but the profile of the program has been raised enough where Pikiell and the administration should be thinking bigger.
RHI: Jaden, like I said, there's three games left in the regular season, gives us your final thoughts on Rutgers and expectations going forward.
JD: All things considered, Rutgers is in a position this season that I think everybody would have signed for at the start of the year. This team being in position to once again make the NCAA Tournament is one of the better coaching jobs Steve Pikiell has done. From answering the questions about scoring and who would take the last shot to handling the rash of injuries and other adversity over the course of the year, he should be praised for managing it all and keeping the Scarlet Knights on the positive side of the bubble.
RHI: Jaden, once again, thanks so much for doing this Q&A with me today. It really was fun.
JD: My pleasure, Mark! Thank you for all you do.
