No respect

[Nycrusupporter]

Rutgers loss 28 points with the departure of Harper and Baker which is the reason for the preseason predictions.Nobody knows which players will step up in scoring against Big Ten competition.Fans should be optomistic,however, based on the players returning and the addition of new players.The early season game at home against Indiana will give some indication as to how strong Rutgers will be against perceived top competition.

Iowa lost Keegan Murray, who averaged almost as much as those two combined, and shot 55% from the field, so he was vastly more efficient than those two. And he also averaged more rebounds than those two combined. Every team has taken significant losses and are integrating new players. We will be fine.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I feel like we are talking in circles here. If every other team returned everyone and only we lost Baker and Harper then sure

We return more production than any other B1G team except 2 overall

IN TERMS OF SCORING, WE RETURN THE 3RD MOST PRODUCTION

I don’t want to link the article from TOS about this, but just found it again. Google it

Forget stats. Eyeball test.

If I told you March 1st we would be the same team next year plus Cam Spencer you’d say we are doomed.

BTW..what was Shesterkin doing outside his net!

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

How are we going to replace Sanders?
How are we going to replace Eugene?
How are we going to replace Myles?
How are we going to replace Young?
How are we going to replace Yeboah?
How are we going to replace Mathis?
How are we going to replace Geo?
How are we going to replace Harper?
How are we going to replace Cliff?
How are we going to replace Paul?

Teams lose good players every year. The better we get as a program, the better players we will lose

Every team has these type of questions after every season

How are other teams going to replace Murray, Ivy, Trevion, Davis etc etc etc?

1. I knew we would be better offensively with Sanders. I said it before and after.

2. Most of those guys the issue was replacing them defensivelt

3. We are playing people that we have significant samples that say they are not good shooters or offensive players.

 

[Westcoast]

All of our expected top competition have many questions, too.

Illinois lost Kofi Cockburn (HUGE loss), Austin Hutcherson (?). Curbelo and four other guys transferred. They have some hyped recruits and transfers coming in but nothing like Kofi. They only have FOUR returning players from last year's roster. Those four played a combined 16.3% of their minutes last season and scored less than 15% of their points. Yet they are well regarded by many.

Indiana returns their big names and lost four transfers. There are some highly-rated recruits coming in but other than Xavier Johnson, the backcourt is a big question IMO.

Iowa lost Keegan Murray, a big time loss, and Joe Toussaint transferred to WVU. A lot will depend on what Kris Murray can do.

Michigan lost three (Jones, Diabate, Houstan) to the NBA draft/pros. Again, multiple big name recruits are coming in, but they lost a lot.

Michigan State lost Christie, Bingham, and Gabe Brown, plus Marble transferred. They lost their top thee scorers, leading rebounder, and two top shot blockers. That's a lot to replace.

Ohio State lost Liddell and Branham to the draft, Ahrens and Meechie Johnson to the portal. They do have a strong recruiting class, but can those guys replace someone like Liddell in year one?

Purdue lost Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams. Stefanovic is finally gone. Thompson and Hunter transferred. The backcourt took a huge hit there. Who's ready to step in for those guys? Who gets the ball with ten seconds left, to borrow a popular question here? Edey? Someone has to be able to get it to him. Can he play 32 minutes a night? I see lots of questions here.

Wisconsin lost their top stat Johnny Davis to the NBA. Brad Davison finally ran out of eligibility too. Who is replacing those guys?

After reading the above, WHY NOT US in the top four again?

Didn't Iowa lose Bohannon too?

 

[RU at the shore]

And there are two sides of the floor. I'm not sold that a backcourt of Mulcahy and Spencer is capable of putting the clamps on Big Ten guards.

This is my biggest concern by far.
But overall I feel really good about this team

 

[RUtrumpet92_rivals498139]

Didn't Iowa lose Bohannon too?

Whoops - yes, sorry. My reference was an article that only listed early departures for the draft and transfers, not guys who had used up their eligibility.

 

[Scangg]

This is my biggest concern by far.
But overall I feel really good about this team

Same. If it becomes too much of a problem, Pike may need to have one of Miller or Simpson on the court more

 

[RUJMM78]

Iowa lost Keegan Murray, who averaged almost as much as those two combined, and shot 55% from the field, so he was vastly more efficient than those two. And he also averaged more rebounds than those two combined. Every team has taken significant losses and are integrating new players. We will be fine.

Rutgers would never received a NCAA bid without Harper making the 3 pointers against Purdue and Indiana to win those games.

 

[rob kight]

As the saying goes”time will tell “. Personally I like. to be optimistic I believe we will be pleasantly surprised. The 3 returning starters will produce more, Spencer is the real deal. Mag and Dean will be much better contributors and our depth is the best it’s been in 30+ years. In fact, the challenge is finding enough minutes to keep people satisfied. But that’s a good thing. Barring serious injuries, we will finish in top 4 BIG and get double bye. And we will be comfortably in the tourney.

 

[YoucancallmeRay]

Same. If it becomes too much of a problem, Pike may need to have one of Miller or Simpson on the court more

Or put Caleb in the backcourt with Paul. Have Mag and Hyatt or Dean up front with Cliff, and Cam comes off the bench.

 

[Scangg]

Or put Caleb in the backcourt with Paul. Have Mag and Hyatt or Dean up front with Cliff, and Cam comes off the bench.

If Pike goes with Paul and Cliff in the backcourt at all this season it will have to be the tallest lineup in all of college basketball... NBA too maybe

 

[RedTeamUpstream94]

Two words: Track record

we don’t have one

we don’t have a track record of sustained success.

that’s just fact

establish a track record of sustained success and we will get (ie, EARN) respect

it’s really pretty simple

 

[RUBlackout]

and you cant mention Simpson as helping---unproven recruit and putting him up against the unproven recruits of other teams his "ranking" has him trailing so again keeps us lower in the pecking order until games are played

Im good with that

 

[combes]

All of our expected top competition have many questions, too.

Illinois lost Kofi Cockburn (HUGE loss), Austin Hutcherson (?). Curbelo and four other guys transferred. They have some hyped recruits and transfers coming in but nothing like Kofi. They only have FOUR returning players from last year's roster. Those four played a combined 16.3% of their minutes last season and scored less than 15% of their points. Yet they are well regarded by many.

Indiana returns their big names and lost four transfers. There are some highly-rated recruits coming in but other than Xavier Johnson, the backcourt is a big question IMO.

Iowa lost Keegan Murray, a big time loss, and Joe Toussaint transferred to WVU. A lot will depend on what Kris Murray can do.

Michigan lost three (Jones, Diabate, Houstan) to the NBA draft/pros. Again, multiple big name recruits are coming in, but they lost a lot.

Michigan State lost Christie, Bingham, and Gabe Brown, plus Marble transferred. They lost their top thee scorers, leading rebounder, and two top shot blockers. That's a lot to replace.

Ohio State lost Liddell and Branham to the draft, Ahrens and Meechie Johnson to the portal. They do have a strong recruiting class, but can those guys replace someone like Liddell in year one?

Purdue lost Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams. Stefanovic is finally gone. Thompson and Hunter transferred. The backcourt took a huge hit there. Who's ready to step in for those guys? Who gets the ball with ten seconds left, to borrow a popular question here? Edey? Someone has to be able to get it to him. Can he play 32 minutes a night? I see lots of questions here.

Wisconsin lost their top stat Johnny Davis to the NBA. Brad Davison finally ran out of eligibility too. Who is replacing those guys?

After reading the above, WHY NOT US in the top four again?

It’s worse for Illinois than you say. Lost all five starters and top four scorers. Kofi, Trent Frazier, Alphonso Plummer, Jacob Grandison, and Damonte Williams.

The talent level is really high this year but they may take some time to gel. They will start five players who have shown up in mock drafts for the next two years: Coleman Hawkins, TJ Shannon, Matthew Mayer, RJ Melendez and Tennessee prep POY Skyy Clark. Just beat Kansas by about 15 in a “secret” scrimmage. Kansas is preseason #5. Illinois did lose a key shooter for part of the season, Luke Goode, during the scrimmage. Stepped on a Kansas player’s foot and has an ankle fracture. Freshman Ty Rodgers, highest ranked player in Illinois last year, was two assists short of a triple double in the scrimmage. Also off the bench is former 4 star center Dain Dainja, North Carolina prep POY Jayden Epps, and Ohio prep POY Sencire Harris.

I really don’t know what to expect early, but they definitely are talented. #9 recruiting class and #2 transfer class. Sure to be growing pains, though.

 

[mildone_rivals]

Meh. Talk is cheap. We’ll all get an idea of what’s what maybe 15 - 20 games into the season. Until then it’s just fan chest thumping and analyst ********.

But I am a little worried that Pike still hasn’t said this is his best team ever.

 

[fluoxetine]

But I am a little worried that Pike still hasn’t said this is his best team ever.

Lol

tbh I’m pretty happy that the entire board isn’t predicting 26 wins this year.

 

[gef21]

Win games. Earn respect.

 

[Scarlet83]

To play devil's advocate here, there are a few things to point out.

They're all Big Ten honorable mentions, so that's disingenuous.

Paul led the Big Ten in turnovers per game last season too.

The Patriot League is a low-major league, not mid-major. It's not the A10 or the AAC. They're playing Lafayette twice a year.

Lololol!!! You are a pip. A real pip.

 

[Scarlet83]

To play devil's advocate here, there are a few things to point out.

They're all Big Ten honorable mentions, so that's disingenuous.

Paul led the Big Ten in turnovers per game last season too.

The Patriot League is a low-major league, not mid-major. It's not the A10 or the AAC. They're playing Lafayette twice a year.

I wonder why people feel they have to play devils advocate. Especially when the OP started this thread with us getting no respect from the press (excluding Andy Katz…thank you Andy).

It happens every year. No respect. and we have to have posters doubling down with devils advocate BS. It’s so damn funny!!!

 

[Scarlet83]

Harper and Baker were big losses.

Do you really think that needs to be said? Of course they were big losses.

But what about the gains? I believe in Pike, his staff and these players who are already really good, to improve their games and step up their production.

 

[Scarlet83]

Forget stats. Eyeball test.

If I told you March 1st we would be the same team next year plus Cam Spencer you’d say we are doomed.

BTW..what was Shesterkin doing outside his net!

But we are not the same team plus Cam. Each returning player has worked his *** of to improve and be a more productive player for his coaches and teammates. IMO, you don’t account for that, and that is a significant flaw of yours.

 

[Scarlet83]

Two words: Track record

we don’t have one

we don’t have a track record of sustained success.

that’s just fact

establish a track record of sustained success and we will get (ie, EARN) respect

it’s really pretty simple

four words. Steve Pikiell’s track record.

He has one. Look it up.

 

[Scarlet83]

Win games. Earn respect.

Hasn’t Pike developed players?
hasnt Pike won games… more wins each year than that season’s prediction?

That’s respect.

 

[Scangg]

But we are not the same team plus Cam. Each returning player has worked his *** of to improve and be a more productive player for his coaches and teammates. IMO, you don’t account for that, and that is a significant flaw of yours.

Player development is always underrated in general. Pike has a track record of success in that area too

 

[RutgHoops]

A consensus four star former starter on LSUs NCAAT team two years ago is fighting for minutes on this Rutgers team. Things might break well and we’ll be really good or things might break bad and we will disappoint. The margin between wins and losses is pretty small in the B1G.

But that first sentence is a million miles from where we were when Coach P was hired. I’ll wager on “things will break well” for Rutgers hoops these days, we seem to make our own luck with this HC.

 

[Scarlet83]

A four star rivals former starter on LSUs NCAAT team two years ago is fighting for minutes on this Rutgers team. Things might break well and we’ll be really good or things might break bad and we will disappoint. The margin between wins and losses is pretty small in the B1G.

But that first sentence is a million miles from where we were when Coach P was hired. I’ll always wager on “things will break well” for Rutgers these days, we seem to make our own luck with this HC.

Absolutely. The harder Pike and staff and players work, the luckier they get!

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Things might break well and we’ll be really good or things might break bad and we will disappoint. The margin between wins and losses is pretty small in the B1G.

This can’t be said enough. There are going to be 2100 defensive and offensive possessions this year. Looking back at the last 2 years of 8000 or so total possessions 10-15 of them determined the fate of our seasons.

I can take 6 possession from last year and flip them and we are either a 5 seed or a team that finished near or below .500.

I can also take 1 possession away from 2021 1st round and have Myles not get hurt and we might have been in the Final 4.

 

[RutgHoops]

This can’t be said enough. There are going to be 2100 defensive and offensive possessions this year. Looking back at the last 2 years of 8000 or so total possessions 10-15 of them determined the fate of our seasons.

I can take 6 possession from last year and flip them and we are either a 5 seed or a team that finished near or below .500.

I can also take 1 possession away from 2021 1st round and have Myles not get hurt and we might have been in the Final 4.

1 possession

 

[RedTeamUpstream94]

four words. Steve Pikiell’s track record.

He has one. Look it up.

dont misunderstand my point

I am a huge pikiell fan

but fact is that Rutgers was essentially the laughingstock of college basketball for DECADES. To the average fan (and even the average analyst) it’s going to take more than 2-3 years of decent teams to turn around that perception

 

[Scarlet83]

dont misunderstand my point

I am a huge pikiell fan

but fact is that Rutgers was essentially the laughingstock of college basketball for DECADES. To the average fan (and even the average analyst) it’s going to take more than 2-3 years of decent teams to turn around that perception

Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.

My point of view is that Pike’s track record here at Rutgers in now 6+ years. It’s not hard to see the culture he has built and how he has consistently improved this team. Andy Katz does his homework and he gets it. Many others don’t. Change is hard for many people. And it makes it so much fun to beat these entitled blue bloods!!!

 

[Gudenham]

I wonder why people feel they have to play devils advocate. Especially when the OP started this thread with us getting no respect from the press (excluding Andy Katz…thank you Andy).

It happens every year. No respect. and we have to have posters doubling down with devils advocate BS. It’s so damn funny!!!

I only want to see respect when its earned. Bending over backwards to fit a narrative that makes Rutgers out to be a victim is not my thing. Andy Katz is too far on the other end. He makes Rutgers sound like the UCLA dynasty under John Wooden.

 

[Scarlet83]

I only want to see respect when its earned. Bending over backwards to fit a narrative that makes Rutgers out to be a victim is not my thing. Andy Katz is too far on the other end. He makes Rutgers sound like the UCLA dynasty under John Wooden.

You don’t think Pike and this program has earned respect with garbage he inherited and how quickly he turned this around…doing everything the right way? Dude, you are missing something special.

 

[RedTeamUpstream94]

Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.

My point of view is that Pike’s track record here at Rutgers in now 6+ years. It’s not hard to see the culture he has built and how he has consistently improved this team. Andy Katz does his homework and he gets it. Many others don’t. Change is hard for many people. And it makes it so much fun to beat these entitled blue bloods!!!

Agree entirely With all your points

 

[Scangg]

I only want to see respect when its earned. Bending over backwards to fit a narrative that makes Rutgers out to be a victim is not my thing. Andy Katz is too far on the other end. He makes Rutgers sound like the UCLA dynasty under John Wooden.

And yet he actually hasn't been bullish enough on Rutgers. He didn't have us in the top 4 in the B1G last year. If he did, you would have probably dismissed it as ridiculous

He's been more right than any other analyst though. Should probably give him more serious credit until he's actually wrong about RU. Maybe he's just good at his job

Imagine being a Rutgers fan who knocks a bigtime analyst for being too positive about Rutgers? Wild