Is there any chance we play in one of those neutral court tournaments next year? Can’t remember the last time we’ve entered one of those.
Preseason Tournaments
- Thread starter PSAL_Hoops
- Start date
I wish. It would be great but, it will most likely be an event at the RAC which only counts for one but gives you 3 games with the likes of FDU and St. Peter's. What would be better would be a December Garden game with Duke. They buy The Garden for a December game and are certainly beatable. No better publicity than that.
Found this, I miss Rutgers getting these outside tournaments on Neutral courts.
Dont think its necessary for this particular group given its more important to get experience
20 B1G games
2-3 games against P5
why do we need 2-3 more tough games?
I’ll gladly take 7-8 easier wins and let young/née players get their feet wet in an environment where we can play through mistakes.
if we enter B1G play at 7-5 it would be a huge ask to over .500 just to have a shot to be back in NCAAs
2-3 games against P5
why do we need 2-3 more tough games?
I’ll gladly take 7-8 easier wins and let young/née players get their feet wet in an environment where we can play through mistakes.
if we enter B1G play at 7-5 it would be a huge ask to over .500 just to have a shot to be back in NCAAs
Zero chance Duke doesn't get Indiana or Michigan or Michigan state or ohio st
i actually like playing cuse or Pitt
I’m sure our 3 high profile OOC games will be ACC challenge, Seton Hall and Gavitt Game as I believe we were scheduled to play last year in Gavitt Games.
My guess on ACC is either VA Tech or Louisville given propensity to schedule teams of similar stature etc.
My guess on ACC is either VA Tech or Louisville given propensity to schedule teams of similar stature etc.
There are usually quite a few of those tournaments (Covid not withstanding) aren’t there? And many have only one or two marquis name headliners per bracket. I’d think it would be helpful to get a few neutral games in the NET against mid-majors. And good for experience. When you lose in those tournies, you get an easier opponent since you play the losers bracket. It’s not like it would be 3 games against Kansas.
Would agree with you for next year and is dependent on the make-up of the team (underclassmen vs. experienced). However, when a team has returning and experienced players (i.e. Rutgers Team of 2020-2021), playing in these Tournaments helps the players prepare for the tough grind of the Big Ten Conference schedule (even when losing in a Tournament) instead of getting fat off a bunch of OOC Cream Puffs, of which there's little value other than a W.
Some on here just a few days ago were chastising the Hall for ducking us which is partly on Holloway and Covid 19. Most players don’t care if they are playing 2-3 games in a pre- season tournament. I’m sure if it is allowed by the B1G conference some of our respective conference brothers will be playing in them. Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa , Wisconsin etc. Recruits are certainly aware if it seems we are afraid to extend the out of conference games . Are we going to wait for 2-3-5 years or more to pull the trigger?
doesnt have to be an either/or. 1-2 OOC P5 games and a pre season tourney would be great
This. There is no reason for any more than the 23 games we will already be playing IMO.
They should come back to the RAC next year since they ducked their home game.
I guess I’m more optimistic than some. I feel like we’d only be looking at losing one game max in a 3 game early tourney. That would entail picking up 2 neutral wins and one loss. I don’t see us losing to the bottom half teams of those types of brackets on a neutral floor.
Coach has repeatedly said big ten challenge is enough. If he could, he’d opt out of acc challenge, gavitt game, and SH game. My one gripe with Pike, and many on this board would agree. However, this year with roster In unknown territory he Will be sure to offer that as reasoning. But to be real, every major program has the same issue , Yet continue to play in pre season non conf tourneys
My opinion has nothing to do with being pessimistic about the team. I think in general people overvalue raw win/loss record and so unless you are like a top 5-10 level team playing tough schedules is counterproductive.
I wouldn't mind playing ND at home next year for the B1G-ACC Challenge.
Exactly. If The Hall wants to continue our rivalry, they'll come here to the RAC next season as they gave up their right to play at home this year.
Completely disagree with this as I feel as tough competition only makes the team better in the long-run. The slew of OOC cupcakes that traditionally come to the RAC each year offer little value other than padding a record.
Also, the B1G is loaded with tough, physical, and sometimes plodding teams and it teaches you to play against those kinds of teams. It appears to be a detriment when B1G teams play in the NCAAs more often than not.
I also think playing bad mid-majors on a neutral floor is overvalued by NET. If we can’t beat all but the top 2 teams in those 8 team brackets pretty easily that’s not a good sign. Seems like more upside than risk to me being the 3 seed for example. Getting an easy win against a terrible 6 seed on a neutral floor. Then getting a chance against a good 2 seed. Win and you get a quality win plus a crack at the 1 seed. Lose, and you play the 4 seed which isn’t likely to be that good of a team. We got really lucky with SFA last year. A soft, all home non conference could potentially hurt us.
If we want to be seen as one of the top teams in the county, we must start playing these neutral court tournaments. The OOC cupcakes don't help our rankings. I think the only reason we continue to play them is to inflate our record and players stats. Come on Pike...play a schedule like a highly ranked team!
Depends on how pissed off Pike/Hobbs are at the cowards for ducking us last year if we continue the series or not.
It would be a shame but I’d be willing to give up the series before we played them at their place this upcoming season.
We should be associated with Jimmy V tourney : Your family, Your Religion and Rutgers basketball
Mo
Last edited:
Let’s not debate hypotheticals. How about the Orlando Invitational? 5 spots open... Alabama headlining the bracket. Iona and Iowa State also in the field.
Great teams and confident coaches challenge themselves in OOC games. Pike doesn't have the confidence that his teams will perform well against tough OOC competition and constantly pads his OOC record, this is my only knock against Pike. A soft OOC schedule results in having to go above .500 in conference, to make the NCAA tourney. A loss to a great team on a neutral court doesn't hurt your rankings, a win or loss to a mid-major does nothing to help you get into the NCAA tourney. The B1G isn't the only conference that has 20 tough games a season.
Disagree with almost every part of this post.
I recall Duke playing in the RAC - Kelvin Troy missed the put back for the win; so they have the directions.
This was a no brainer but of course RU screws it up. We should be the tournament host for the games at MSG
I’m not interested in adding one of those high profile classics at the Garden. That wasn’t what I meant by the OP. I don’t want a single automatic add on game against a top blue blood. Agree with folks on here that we have enough tough games in the BIG.
After getting a taste of March Madness, I just think one of the early brackets would be fun. We wouldn’t have to be in the highest profile one either. As a major conference team itself, RU would be in the top half of any of those brackets for sure - likely no worse than a 3 seed. The first game played would likely be against a cupcake on a neutral floor. The second game would likely be a pretty even match up on a neutral floor. Win and pick up a quality win and a chance to play for a tourney title against a really good team. If you lose the second game, you get an easier opponent in the consolation game.
After getting a taste of March Madness, I just think one of the early brackets would be fun. We wouldn’t have to be in the highest profile one either. As a major conference team itself, RU would be in the top half of any of those brackets for sure - likely no worse than a 3 seed. The first game played would likely be against a cupcake on a neutral floor. The second game would likely be a pretty even match up on a neutral floor. Win and pick up a quality win and a chance to play for a tourney title against a really good team. If you lose the second game, you get an easier opponent in the consolation game.
Anyone paying attention to college hoops since the NET came out knows there’s no benefit to playing highly ranked teams. You move up more in the ranking for beating terrible teams than playing great teams close. If SHU had padded their OOC schedule they would have made the tourney
Wish I could like this more than once. I think it’s evident the B1G is good but it’s not that much different than other top conferences.