Now that the dust has fully settled. How much did Rutgers B10 Tourney run change the perception of the program to recruits? Was this run enough to erase some of the disappointments suffered in the season. Things appear encouraging with Strickland, Sanders, Pikiell. How much of this is attributed to the run and would be great to know if its elevated the program to recruits RU wants for 2019.
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- Thread starter gordel1
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The 3 game run (from what I've learned), really helped a ton....I'm not saying that a 1 win, 1 loss situation wasn't good, but there are fans that expected the worse vs Indiana....
If anything, RU gained a lot vs Indiana and probably more vs Purdue....(I think Purdue was the best game RU has played in over 5 years, start to finish)....so now you start the offseason not with a 20-30 point loss to Northwestern, but a competitive/legitimate game against what should be at worse a Sweet 16 Purdue team, but a team that could make the Elite 8/Final 4.
The interest of Tai Strickland, Aundre Hyatt, Paul Mulcahy, Ismael Massoud and a couple of other potential 2018 kids not yet mentioned are on the radar. There is an anxiety where I think fans now see or know the next couple of additions in 2018/2019, really have a chance to try and get caught up to the rest of the B1G, so in 2 years we are with a legitimate roster.
If anything, RU gained a lot vs Indiana and probably more vs Purdue....(I think Purdue was the best game RU has played in over 5 years, start to finish)....so now you start the offseason not with a 20-30 point loss to Northwestern, but a competitive/legitimate game against what should be at worse a Sweet 16 Purdue team, but a team that could make the Elite 8/Final 4.
The interest of Tai Strickland, Aundre Hyatt, Paul Mulcahy, Ismael Massoud and a couple of other potential 2018 kids not yet mentioned are on the radar. There is an anxiety where I think fans now see or know the next couple of additions in 2018/2019, really have a chance to try and get caught up to the rest of the B1G, so in 2 years we are with a legitimate roster.
Pike has clearly raised the profile
Hiring through first year ...got Eugene O and is gojng to be a big ten level contributor and thiam is ar least a big ten level role player off the bench and possible more
From year 1 to year 2...got Geo Baker (a legit big ten starter) and Doucoure (at least a legit big ten level back up big man and certainly could be more)
Now, from year 2 to 3...we add
Mathis
Harper
Carter
Kiss
Johnson
And possible Strickland.
He is turning over the roster ...
Now, a year from now, if we see the same amount improvement from doucoure and Baker that we saw from Eugene and Issa from frosh to Soph, see another jump in Eugene and Issa, and see those pieces playing next year for the first time with potential for growth with another good class..you will know we are building a program the right way one year at a time
Co-workers who are casual basketball fans asked me if Rutgers is going to make the tournament. When I say no, they say that they'll probably be in the NIT. They caught the Big Ten tourney and were impressed.
For the casual fan this run did wonders especially since it was really the only show on TV since it wasn't competing with other conference tourneys.
For the casual fan this run did wonders especially since it was really the only show on TV since it wasn't competing with other conference tourneys.
Unfortunately a major longshot for us. If he decides that returning home to the NYC area is a priority we are the only local he is interested in. That is where we have an edge. He will be focused upon recruiting with the end of his high school season. He is uncertain about reclassifying. Unless there is an opening at a top end program I do not see him as reclassifying. We have a puncher's shot because he likes the staff.
My RU-bashing Big Ten buddies (and ND/ECCC guys, as well) are STILL talking about our run and how well we played. Same with my LSU boys.
I agree that the Purdue game was the best I have seen a RU mens basketball team play in quite some time. Indiana for the last 30 minutes was pretty good too but given the step up in competition and the consistent play from start to finish I would put the Purdue performance at a higher level.
The Purdue game truly had a sweet 16/final 8 type of feel to it, huge shot after huge shot, a true 15 round heavyweight championship flight until someone blinked
Unfortunately. We blinked
Unfortunately. We blinked
If you are real honest with yourself about the program.......
Purdue played like Purdue plays normally.
We got individual efforts by 2 players that statisically 2-3 standard deviation events.......once a year.
Did show an achillies heel of Purdue having small guards.
In the 3 games total we had 21 assists. Watching tournament games from these high level offenses they get a high percentage of their baskets from assists. The success we had in the BIG tournament is a bit of fool's gold from an offensive standpoint.
Statistically the Purdue game was lost via the inordinate amount of three point shots made by the boilermakers
It was done with making shots for most of the game which always is the answer when playing highly rated opponents. Rutgers needs more shooters/scorers to successfully compete in the B1G over a 20 game schedule.The good will following the B1G Tournament must be sustained by winning at least 6-8 league games including those on the road.Failure to do so will probably mean another losing season which won't improve perception with recruits who have other schools to choose from that are successful.Winning matters and it needs to happen next season.
It was an electrifying run of basketball for the team and fanbase. It's okay to enjoy it. I understand what you're saying from a basketball point of view, but sometimes teams win with these strategies too.
Purdue shot 43% on three-pointers. Their season-long total was 42%.
We shot 36% on three-pointers. Our season-long total was 30%.
We were the outliers, not them.
