GAME 29 MICHIGAN: Fitting end

[RUskoolie]

Exactly. Losers don’t look in the mirror for what they could have done better. Just point the finger. Message, “don’t be a loser”.

Not enough people get this.

Excuses are for losers. Winners find a way to win.

Not sure why this fanbase does this to themselves. This is a .500 team with no leadership and no guts. We will all be put out to pasture on this season in about 3 weeks. Then discuss will turn to how likely Pike is fired in March 2026.

 

[ancienthooper]

O look who it is, BACs brother.

You can’t take this write up seriously without mentioning the refs.

Not sure why anybody takes the recaps seriously.

 

[rufeelinit]

Bac has mentioned in his last couple of recaps about how much different it is to watch a game when less invested and with low expectations. I have been that way with RU Athletics since the NIL era began but these type of losses still hurt. I actually missed most of the first half because I chose to watch the latest episode of the Pitt on Max which dropped the same time as the tip off. Good show btw.

Anyway, I did not get the cylinder calls and will take everyone else's word that the Michigan player walked or double dribbled before they called TO. Certainly helped give UM more opportunities and I knew we were in trouble when we had 5-6 team fouls in the first five minutes of the second half. There was some crappy calls but we also take stupid fouls along the way. If tUM shot their FT's better it would have not come down to the final play. But good teams fight through this an either make plays or get stops down the stretch. We did not get enough of either. As well as we played offensively in the first half to only be up 8 suggested we were still unlikely to win that game. Did they deserve a better whistle? Yes. Did they earn the right to a better outcome? Not so sure. We left the door open and give up an wide open look from deep and the kid made it.

 

[bethlehemfan]

It’s amazing only rutgers gets called for the cylinder and it happens twice in a one possession ball game.

 

[Scarlet83]

We have all seen these games as RU fans. This year all too often. A ridiculous fools gold performance in the first half and the complete opposite in the 2nd half and then done in by a dagger at the buzzer that just guts any feeling in your body. Again this team is every bit of its 14-15. Its s an accurate reflection. The collapse in the 2nd half scoring only 8 points in 11 plus minutes with just 3 fg and going 9-36 in the 2nd half is not surprising because we have seen these stretches before in Pikes tenure and this season as well.

I talked about the blueprint was to just outscore the opponents and that is clearly what RU was going for. Are you kidding me? RU was 12-14 and dead in the water after listless performances at the RAC vs Iowa and on the road at Oregon. Sure beating the likes of Washington and USC in track meets felt good but was that sustainable. I do not think even the most optimistic Rutgers fan could have imagined the offensive tidal wave that hit Ann Arbor tonight. A scintillating first half offensive explosion that I am not sure any of us have ever seen. A barrage of 3s 8-15 in the first half and shooting nearly 70%. 57 freaking points in a half vs a team that only gave up 46 in their previous game. Its not even as if you could pinpoint what Michigan did wrong. I mean they were shooting over 50% themselves. It was as if everything RU threw up was going in after J Will banked a 3 in. In the end as I questioned...is this sustainable...you can win certain games like this you cannot win them all. You cannot win when you go cold and you cannot make stops and in the end RU could not make stops

Look at some eeriely similar type close games

Kennesaw LOSS 79-77
Notre Dame WIN 85-84 OT
Penn State WIN 80-76
Seton Hall WIN 66-63
Princeton LOSS 83-82
Nebraska WIN 85-82
Washington WIN 89-85 OT
Michigan LOSS 84-82

5-3 in games that went down to the absolute wire. There was nothing appreciably in the closing minutes that we didnt see in Vegas vs Notre Dame or vs Princeton or at Washington. All games played with total focus on outscoring the opponent and little on defense. You live by the sword you die by the sword. You win some close games. You lose some close games. The one constant is that Rutgers just isnt good enough to win enough close games to make them a tourney team. Michigan is now 9-0 in close games. Somehow having a knack....some coaching, some individual play making, some instinct, some grit and most of all confidence. Credit Michigan, they easily could have been frustrated by failing to slow down RUs offense. They became patient in the 2nd half and did it little by little

I do not think RU was confident in the last few minutes. The offense way out of wack. The wrong people shooting even before that and in the end we had J Will and Acuff taking our shots. How is it not Dylan or Ace....yes Acuff got fouled on the 3 and he had an incredble game but you want Dylan or Ace taking all your shots late. Unfortunately they didnt have great games that we need for RU to win. 13-25 fg shooting for 30 points is nothing to sneeze at but we needed more from them fair or not. Neither was good from 3...1-4 and Dylan was just 2-5 ft. They had 22 in the first half but just 8 in the 2nd. Yes guys like Summerville with 17 and fantastic at the line 7-7 stepped up and Acuff 4-8 from 3 for 16 points. The reality is RU did not deserve this game based on their play in the 2nd half. You cant just try to hang on. RU missed 11 straight shots over about 6 minutes and let the lead wittle from 12 to 4. In fact RU missed 3 shots up 74-62 and 3 chances to give RU a new biggest lead. Utter futility with Ace/Dylan pulling a disappearing act and guys like EO and Zak and Lathan taking the shots. Pike was powerless to stop the boulder rolling down the mountain and he likely waited too long once again to call a timeout. Rutgers didnt value their possessions and they got tight and lost any confidence. The so called stars wilted went it counted. Its not being harsh, these guys will be getting millions in the NBA next year.

A shame because RU was a missed shot away from being in the fringes of the bubble discussion and that would have been unbelievable but at least something to hope for. Instead the loss and how it happened is pretty fitting for this season. A reminder to never get too high on this team even when it does some nice things. A reminder that groundhogs are real and this season was not just meant to be. Rutgers was never truly going to get out the moment they were stuck in and there they are...14-15 and the what could have should have been comments are just meaningless at this point. This team never was and its bitterly disappointing for all of us.

Lots of words that mean very little when the refs completely hosed Rutgers in the second half. The beginning of the second half with 6 ******** fouls against Rutgers in the first 4 minutes.

Your recap does not include THE BIGGEST FACTOR IN THE GAME.

Fail.

 

[Scarlet83]

Bac has mentioned in his last couple of recaps about how much different it is to watch a game when less invested and with low expectations. I have been that way with RU Athletics since the NIL era began but these type of losses still hurt. I actually missed most of the first half because I chose to watch the latest episode of the Pitt on Max which dropped the same time as the tip off. Good show btw.

Anyway, I did not get the cylinder calls and will take everyone else's word that the Michigan player walked or double dribbled before they called TO. Certainly helped give UM more opportunities and I knew we were in trouble when we had 5-6 team fouls in the first five minutes of the second half. There was some crappy calls but we also take stupid fouls along the way. If tUM shot their FT's better it would have not come down to the final play. But good teams fight through this an either make plays or get stops down the stretch. We did not get enough of either. As well as we played offensively in the first half to only be up 8 suggested we were still unlikely to win that game. Did they deserve a better whistle? Yes. Did they earn the right to a better outcome? Not so sure. We left the door open and give up a wide open look from deep and the kid made it.

If there was a fair whistle, we win by 15 - 20 points.

 

[Loyal_2RU]

It’s not the 5-3 in those close games

It’s blowing games
Texas A&M
Princeton
At Penn state
Iowa
Ar Michigan

Where we had control of the game and didn’t keep control of it to close it out

That’s the diffeenxe between .500 and being a 9 seed ….

Bama too

 

[RedTeamUpstream94]

What kind of recap is this?

A joke of a write up without even once mentioning the refs, that’s what it is.

“The reality is RU did not deserve this game based on their play in the 2nd half”…gtfo with this.

Bac will NEVER admit that refs have ANY impact on the game.

it is an insane stance

One can argue that us fans ***** too much - and the fans always think their teams get screwed. I get that

But not to acknowledge the officiating on what I am sure is a pages-long recap…insane.

The refs are an important part of the game - any every once in while (whether on purpose or not) the refs call an uneven game and/or make critical calls/no calls that 100% unfairly affect the outcome.

Last night was one of those games

But he never acknowledges it. He NEVER admits that officiating impacts ANY game.

On its face that’s an absurd position - of course they do on occasion.

Just can’t stand when people have an unmovable bias or agenda and all their posts are geared to support that bias / agenda. That’s why I put bac in the same place as our resident trolls…IGNORE

 

[richthedentist]

Bac …

You have to at least acknowledge that the refs calling the game soft had an inpact on us more than Michigan

,certainly we need to learn to adjust …and that trend of not adjusting to close out games is a theme that has been haunting us

But at least acknowledge the refs game they called did have an influence on the outcome ….

Soft is an understatement in the last 5 minutes they missed 4 blatant traveling violations against Michigan and it just pisses me off to no end that these effin refs are paid what they are and can't call an obvious traveling violation; forget the fact that three second violation is not even a rule anymore so to speak

 

[bethlehemfan]

Bac will NEVER admit that refs have ANY impact on the game.

it is an insane stance

One can argue that us fans ***** too much - and the fans always think their teams get screwed. I get that

But not to acknowledge the officiating on what I am sure is a pages-long recap…insane.

The refs are an important part of the game - any every once in while (whether on purpose or not) the refs call an uneven game and/or make critical calls/no calls that 100% unfairly affect the outcome.

Last night was one of those games

But he never acknowledges it

Like his trolling of #s in the weather threads it’s an incredibly annoying trait

I have the guy on ignore

I don’t agree with it but I do understand that viewpoint. In a way he’s right you have to overcome it. It makes it harder for a rutgers though versus a Michigan which rarely gets a bad whistle even on the road. But in the end while we know it matters it’s not changing so you have to make it not matter and if the players or coaches focus on it too much then you have a distraction. Not a fans problem though for sure. Imagine Dan Hurley after something like that though. Phew.

 

[nutfromSEC117]

As much as I respect Pike, I will never understand his aversion to calling timeout to settle his team and stop the bleeding. Saving timeouts for after allowing his opponent to get back into it serves no purpose.

CMON MAN. You need to save a timeout for a random moment under 6 mins left after YOUR team scores a basket !!!!!!

 

[RedTeamUpstream94]

I don’t agree with it but I do understand that viewpoint. In a way he’s right you have to overcome it. It makes it harder for a rutgers though versus a Michigan which rarely gets a bad whistle even on the road. But in the end while we know it matters it’s not changing so you have to make it not matter and if the players or coaches focus on it too much then you have a distraction. Not a fans problem though for sure. Imagine Dan Hurley after something like that though. Phew.

Dan Hurley would have been thrown out

But maybe Pike needed to get T’d up last night to get their attention.

Whether that would work for RU I don’t know but it seems to me that when opposing coaches in the Big10 start to complain to the refs they all of a sudden start getting the calls (eg izzo). So maybe complaining/ making a point and getting a T could have been a smart move last night

 

[rubjk]

Its not my thing to bellyache about the refs. Its just another excuse among many to as why RU didnt get it done this year. One excuse after the other. No one was talking about the favorable refs vs USC. Michigan was an awful 21-32 at the line by the way. The refs didnt cause RU to score only 8 points...3fg in 11:14. To me the story of the game isnt the refs. If people dont like it fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

But you have no issue dumping on nil, college basketball today and the players and coaches every chance you can get. You used to be objective and fair.

As many here can’t seem to grasp the difference between the best and worst in the big ten isn’t huge. It’s highly competative and winning isn’t easy.

All the sickness and injuries early in the season really hurt us. Lost time where the team could have jelled earlier. The team is a team today where it was Ace and Dylan and the rest earlier in the season.

Ignoring NIL, the refs and other excuses is putting your head in the proverbial sand.

 

[bethlehemfan]

But you have no issue dumping on nil, college basketball today and the players and coaches every chance you can get. You used to be objective and fair.

As many here can’t seem to grasp the difference between the best and worst in the big ten isn’t huge. It’s highly competative and winning isn’t easy.

All the sickness and injuries early in the season really hurt us. Lost time where the team could have jelled earlier. The team is a team today where it was Ace and Dylan and the rest earlier in the season.

Ignoring NIL, the refs and other excuses is putting your head in the proverbial sand.

The difference in the body of work when healthy versus not is reallly stark. Definitely a tourney quality team when healthy. It’s really a shame. (That’s not to excuse the roster being thin or being overly reliant on freshmen but it’s a bummer).

 

[Ridge 22]

What kind of recap is this?

A joke of a write up without even once mentioning the refs, that’s what it is.

“The reality is RU did not deserve this game based on their play in the 2nd half”…gtfo with this.

Blaming the refs for this season is weak and typical Rutgers. This team is very poorly constructed, poorly coached, and lacking B1G caliber players. The refs are about 50th on the list of reasons for our failures this season. Always amazing to me how people focus on the obscure and ignore the obvious to make themselves feel better.

 

[Ridge 22]

Just a shame with Dylan being out and sub par for that extended stretch.

Not really. We have been healthier than most teams overall this season. Team is at absolute full strength and still can't get it done. The real issue is that this team just isn't very good

 

[S_Janowski]

Blaming the refs for this season is weak and typical Rutgers. This team is very poorly constructed, poorly coached, and lacking B1G caliber players. The refs are about 50th on the list of reasons for our failures this season. Always amazing to me how people focus on the obscure and ignore the obvious to make themselves feel better.

Nobody is blaming the refs for the season JFC some of you people are complete duds.

 

[Ridge 22]

Nobody is blaming the refs for the season

Weren't you the one who just threw multiple hissy fits in this thread about the refs?

 

[S_Janowski]

Weren't you the one who just threw multiple hissy fits in this thread about the refs?

Yea this is a GAME thread not a SEASON thread.

Are you that dumb?

 

[Duff366]

Weren't you the one who just threw multiple hissy fits in this thread about the refs?

Aren't you the one who said that some are blaming the season on the refs?

 

[RUsojo]

what was Pike doing when his star players disappeared or when they missed 11 straight fgs or scored just 8 points in 11 minutes..why drop f bombs because they are hurting....what did he do to stop what was going on

This was an embarrassing loss but exemplified who this team is to a T.

Inconsistent offense
Cant guard the paint
Can’t rebound

Game evened out in the second half after an uncharacteristic 1H from 3 and we lost a game because of who we are as a team, a game that many other teams have little chance in losing.

And Pike shows his first public crack.

Oh, and refs have huge impacts on games all the time.

 

[Ridge 22]

Yea this is a GAME thread not a SEASON thread.

Are you that dumb?

What's with the constant name calling? Are you in first grade? It's the same lame excuse every game.

 

[Duff366]

What's with the constant name calling? Are you in first grade? It's the same lame excuse every game.

Dude.. absolutely no one has blamed the season on the refs

 

[Ridge 22]

Aren't you the one who said that some are blaming the season on the refs?

Go back and re read the game threads. Littered with people blaming the refs for everything gone wrong every game. It's like clockwork. People need to stop making excuses and recognize that our own issues are the problem. Just not a good team

 

[Duff366]

Game threads really?

 

[fluoxetine]

Not enough people get this.

Excuses are for losers. Winners find a way to win.

None of us played the game. We are analyzing the actions of third parties. I honestly expected you of all people to understand this.

 

[Ridge 22]

Dude.. absolutely no one has blamed the season on the refs

you are being overly myopic. When the same ref excuses are made every game, you are making it about the refs, even if not specifically saying it is the season.

 

[fluoxetine]

Are you that dumb?

Oh boy are you in for a treat.

 

[Duff366]

And you can't admit that your wrong. Game threads, which I don't care to look at very much, are a bunch of histrionics. If you asked anyone on this board, do you blame the "season" on the refs you would not get one person to say that.

 

[Ridge 22]

And you can't admit that your wrong. Game threads, which I don't care to look at, are a bunch of histrionics. If you asked anyone on this board, do you blame the "season" on the refs you would not get one person

There are separate threads as well blaming the refs. Again, larger points seem lost on you

 

[FAT MOON]

Coach pretty much summed up my exact feelings with his...

"Just f*cking devasted for our f*cking guys"

Team played so hard tonight. Deserved to win game. 11 steals are you kidding me? Flying around everywhere. Credit to the coaches and all the players for that game/effort. To be critical of that performance at all is just bush league imo. We are all disappointed about this season as a whole but you have to give credit for last night. Toe to toe with the best team in the league on their floor and had the game won.

Refs and a miracle prayer took it away from them at the end. So frustrating because the team looks (finally) like it can play with anyone in this league.

 

[RUskoolie]

None of us played the game. We are analyzing the actions of third parties. I honestly expected you of all people to understand this.

I think it's you who does not understand. Re-read my sentence 100 times. It applies to every facet of life.

 

[Duff366]

There are separate threads as well blaming the refs. Again, larger points seem lost on you

How many of these separate threads have been going all season? Overly myopic much?

 

[fluoxetine]

I think it's you who does not understand. Re-read my sentence 100 times. It applies to every facet of life.

No it doesn't. It's internal locus of control stuff. Internal locus of control is great... for things you control to some extent. Having an internal locus of control about Rutgers basketball makes no sense. If I blame the coach or the players I am still blaming a factor external to myself.

I will grant you that what you said is great advice for lots of things in life. But it just doesn't apply to analysis of things that you watch on TV (or from the stands).

 

[zebnatto]

We have all seen these games as RU fans. This year all too often. A ridiculous fools gold performance in the first half and the complete opposite in the 2nd half and then done in by a dagger at the buzzer that just guts any feeling in your body. Again this team is every bit of its 14-15. Its s an accurate reflection. The collapse in the 2nd half scoring only 8 points in 11 plus minutes with just 3 fg and going 9-36 in the 2nd half is not surprising because we have seen these stretches before in Pikes tenure and this season as well.

I talked about the blueprint was to just outscore the opponents and that is clearly what RU was going for. Are you kidding me? RU was 12-14 and dead in the water after listless performances at the RAC vs Iowa and on the road at Oregon. Sure beating the likes of Washington and USC in track meets felt good but was that sustainable. I do not think even the most optimistic Rutgers fan could have imagined the offensive tidal wave that hit Ann Arbor tonight. A scintillating first half offensive explosion that I am not sure any of us have ever seen. A barrage of 3s 8-15 in the first half and shooting nearly 70%. 57 freaking points in a half vs a team that only gave up 46 in their previous game. Its not even as if you could pinpoint what Michigan did wrong. I mean they were shooting over 50% themselves. It was as if everything RU threw up was going in after J Will banked a 3 in. In the end as I questioned...is this sustainable...you can win certain games like this you cannot win them all. You cannot win when you go cold and you cannot make stops and in the end RU could not make stops

Look at some eeriely similar type close games

Kennesaw LOSS 79-77
Notre Dame WIN 85-84 OT
Penn State WIN 80-76
Seton Hall WIN 66-63
Princeton LOSS 83-82
Nebraska WIN 85-82
Washington WIN 89-85 OT
Michigan LOSS 84-82

5-3 in games that went down to the absolute wire. There was nothing appreciably in the closing minutes that we didnt see in Vegas vs Notre Dame or vs Princeton or at Washington. All games played with total focus on outscoring the opponent and little on defense. You live by the sword you die by the sword. You win some close games. You lose some close games. The one constant is that Rutgers just isnt good enough to win enough close games to make them a tourney team. Michigan is now 9-0 in close games. Somehow having a knack....some coaching, some individual play making, some instinct, some grit and most of all confidence. Credit Michigan, they easily could have been frustrated by failing to slow down RUs offense. They became patient in the 2nd half and did it little by little

I do not think RU was confident in the last few minutes. The offense way out of wack. The wrong people shooting even before that and in the end we had J Will and Acuff taking our shots. How is it not Dylan or Ace....yes Acuff got fouled on the 3 and he had an incredble game but you want Dylan or Ace taking all your shots late. Unfortunately they didnt have great games that we need for RU to win. 13-25 fg shooting for 30 points is nothing to sneeze at but we needed more from them fair or not. Neither was good from 3...1-4 and Dylan was just 2-5 ft. They had 22 in the first half but just 8 in the 2nd. Yes guys like Summerville with 17 and fantastic at the line 7-7 stepped up and Acuff 4-8 from 3 for 16 points. The reality is RU did not deserve this game based on their play in the 2nd half. You cant just try to hang on. RU missed 11 straight shots over about 6 minutes and let the lead wittle from 12 to 4. In fact RU missed 3 shots up 74-62 and 3 chances to give RU a new biggest lead. Utter futility with Ace/Dylan pulling a disappearing act and guys like EO and Zak and Lathan taking the shots. Pike was powerless to stop the boulder rolling down the mountain and he likely waited too long once again to call a timeout. Rutgers didnt value their possessions and they got tight and lost any confidence. The so called stars wilted went it counted. Its not being harsh, these guys will be getting millions in the NBA next year.

A shame because RU was a missed shot away from being in the fringes of the bubble discussion and that would have been unbelievable but at least something to hope for. Instead the loss and how it happened is pretty fitting for this season. A reminder to never get too high on this team even when it does some nice things. A reminder that groundhogs are real and this season was not just meant to be. Rutgers was never truly going to get out the moment they were stuck in and there they are...14-15 and the what could have should have been comments are just meaningless at this point. This team never was and its bitterly disappointing for all of us.

The recap is entirely premised on the fact that the kid hit the three. And I think bac’s overall assessment is a junction of “the dagger.”

 

[Ridge 22]

How many of these separate threads have been going all season? Overly myopic much?

See Janokowksy thread titled 'Refs' for starters. Regardless I'm out on this. These ref excuses are pure loser mentality

 

[zebnatto]

We played the number 13/15 team in the nation on their home court and had a lead with three seconds left for the kid hit a long buzzer beater to take us down. Super tough loss but all we get in the recap is criticism of the team. Not fair to the players. In my opinion, that is the juvenile mentality.

 

[S_Janowski]

Not enough people get this.

Excuses are for losers. Winners find a way to win.

Not sure why this fanbase does this to themselves. This is a .500 team with no leadership and no guts. We will all be put out to pasture on this season in about 3 weeks. Then discuss will turn to how likely Pike is fired in March 2026.

Of course you have this take.

You just tried telling us this was one of the most embarrassing seasons in NCAA history (quite the take).

We get it Skoolie - you’ve been down on this team since the Princeton game. I’ve seen you write the same thing over and over in about 25 threads. This is a frigin game recap thread, NO ONE is blaming the refs for the season.

Not sure why you even watch the games anymore…or did you even watch the game?

Anyone with a lick of basketball knowledge who watched that 2nd half would have seen how the refs bent us over and cost us that game.

- Multiple “cylinder” calls in the span of a couple minutes that totally bailed their players out who picked up their dribbles and potentially traveled. This helped them get to the FT line. When is the last time you’ve see this call? I’ll sit back and wait.

- Not one, but TWO blatant missed calls in the last 6 seconds of the game. A missed travel AND a missed double dribble. These are calls a rec league ref would have made and these BIG10 officials swallowed their whistles.

It’s okay to be pissed about ****** reffing that 100% impacted the outcome of the game.

This ain’t an excuse for the poor season we’ve had or the other mishaps in this specific game, but it’s moronic to just ignore how bad the refs were if you want to have a recap and conversation about the game.

 

[bac2therac]

We played the number 13/15 team in the nation on their home court and had a lead with three seconds left for the kid hit a long buzzer beater to take us down. Super tough loss but all we get in the recap is criticism of the team. Not fair to the players. In my opinion, that is the juvenile mentality.

Fools goal shooting and 3 fg last 11 minutes. No shows late and poor coaching. It would have been different if it was a slugfest team trading shots but it wasn't. 2nd half was slow death over last 11 minutes where Michigan totally outplayed RU outscoring them 22-8. Sorry I'm not focusing on that excellent play before that because the 11 minutes including the last play was the game

Yes.. late in the season winning matters at 14-15. If they won it was an entirely different recap which i had already started jotting notes on

 

[S_Janowski]

Fools goal shooting and 3 fg last 11 minutes. No shows late and poor coaching. It would have been different if it was a slugfest team trading shots but it wasn't. 2nd half was slow death over last 11 minutes where Michigan totally outplayed RU outscoring them 22-8. Sorry I'm not focusing on that excellent play before that because the 11 minutes including the last play was the game

Yes.. late in the season winning matters at 14-15. If they won it was an entirely different recap which i had already started jotting notes on

So if we went 18-20 in the last 11 minutes (instead of doing this in the first half) - what would your take be?