Someone please explain to me how every other team is able to grab P5 players in the portal, but us? Is it NIL money? What is it? If this is the best possible roster you can assemble around a team that has DH and Ace, I would hate to see what it’s like without them.
The Portal
- Thread starter biazza38
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And other teams' fans are saying "Explain to me how Rutgers is able to get 2 of the top 3 freshmen in the country."
Martini should have been exactly what this team needed, sweet 16 contributor with Princeton, loaded with intangibles and BBall IQ…. What a huge disappointment.
What’s your point? If you don’t surround them with much it doesn’t matter. That also makes it even more puzzling. You can grab Ace and Dylan but that’s it? I know there were a ton of guys in the portal. I don’t know if it’s money related or what. It’s just disheartening
It was discussed on this board that Pike said he had options at the 5 position in the portal but not enough NIL.
Martini is a better player than what he is showing right now. Tyson Acuff is a scorer, but I am waiting for Hayes to start hitting 3s.
I think this team needs a few more games to gel and figure out their roles. Let’s see as the season progresses
Martini is a better player than what he is showing right now. Tyson Acuff is a scorer, but I am waiting for Hayes to start hitting 3s.
I think this team needs a few more games to gel and figure out their roles. Let’s see as the season progresses
The problem is part recruiting along with poor offensive coaching to create open 3 point shots for Hayes and Martini.The reality is that Bailey and Harper need to take more 3 point shots which isn't their strongest shot selection.When they leave, Rutgers offense will return to games scoring 60-65 points.
Of course NIL is a big part of it. We just played a team where Cliff didn’t do much but got paid a rumored 7 figures. Ace and Dylan got paid but not from traditional NIL sources like our portal players would. Have you been over to the football and seen this discussed repeatedly? The Rutgers base in general wants the nicest things but doesn’t “buy in” like a lot of other fan bases do.
We have plenty of talent. We don’t run offense to give them open looks
Last night, the #1 reason for the loss was overall lack of quickness. It’s why we couldn’t rebound and why Martini and Hayes only had 1 shot attempt between them iiirc.
It’s why Acuff couldn’t do much either., and while Davis and Derkack have some quickness they are both unskilled and mostly useless on offense.
Alabama is a tall track team and it’s amazing Harper played as well as he did.
It’s why Acuff couldn’t do much either., and while Davis and Derkack have some quickness they are both unskilled and mostly useless on offense.
Alabama is a tall track team and it’s amazing Harper played as well as he did.
If play like last night, we’ll get to 20+ wins. Anyway to go find a European big for Jan start?
need to run some sets for martini and hayes to get a 3 early in the game. with so much attention to dylan and ace, no reason why they can’t get some open looks to get them going. Have dylan or ace set a screen for them and watch how the d reacts. We are going to need them to produce if we are going to have a successful season, can’t just kick them to the curb
I think the Princeton thing clouds peoples thoughts. Martini was like Princeton's fourth best player. Not making an impact at the highest level isn't surprising.
And yet somehow we still turned them over so many times…
you mean if Harper plays like he did, and to a lesser extent Bailey and I’ll even give props to Ogbole and Williams. The other 5 were an anchor.
How I view it, this team has multiple levels and roles to fill:
Big dogs - Dylan and Ace
Starters with a role to play - Ogbole, Williams, Derkack
Situational Bucket fillers - Acuff, Hayes
Defensive stoppers - JMike
Young Minute Eater - Sommerville
Swiss Army Knife - Martini
Everyone needs to play their role well to meet or beat expectations. Unfortunately, with so many pieces being new, we need time to gel. The Kennesaw State loss sucked, but probably helped focus this team a bit. The Bama game was by far our best performance of the year, but the 2nd tier players didn't complete their roles at all. If just 2 of those open 3's go in, we win the game.
I'd say we are at 60-70 percent of our potential. My hope is that the next few road games sharpen the blade and we come back home and really lay the hammer on our opponents through Xmas. No WTF losses going forward. Might be tough to achieve but I think it's definitely possible.
Big dogs - Dylan and Ace
Starters with a role to play - Ogbole, Williams, Derkack
Situational Bucket fillers - Acuff, Hayes
Defensive stoppers - JMike
Young Minute Eater - Sommerville
Swiss Army Knife - Martini
Everyone needs to play their role well to meet or beat expectations. Unfortunately, with so many pieces being new, we need time to gel. The Kennesaw State loss sucked, but probably helped focus this team a bit. The Bama game was by far our best performance of the year, but the 2nd tier players didn't complete their roles at all. If just 2 of those open 3's go in, we win the game.
I'd say we are at 60-70 percent of our potential. My hope is that the next few road games sharpen the blade and we come back home and really lay the hammer on our opponents through Xmas. No WTF losses going forward. Might be tough to achieve but I think it's definitely possible.
Yes, it’s lack of NIL. 100% End of story.
Let's make sure every possession we get in our offensive set and really make sure we use it and get great shots. Let's make sure our players move fast quick and sharp with a purpose. Screens to be set properly and players cut really hard leaving no space for the defender to squeeze through. That will really give us open looks so Dercack, JaMike and JWill can get uncontested 3s. Exactly what we want! Right?
Possibly, having Ace and Harper may have had some players thinking they would not get either the attention or opportunities to score that they wanted.
As for the NIL, what Rutgers lacks is really well healed fans/companies willing to put up the level of cash needed. For years, I wondered why companies like Home Depot and Johnson and Johnson didn't jump in with the prior being a RU grad and the latter being the largest company in NJ. We simply do not have the required culture that so many other schools enjoy.
As for the NIL, what Rutgers lacks is really well healed fans/companies willing to put up the level of cash needed. For years, I wondered why companies like Home Depot and Johnson and Johnson didn't jump in with the prior being a RU grad and the latter being the largest company in NJ. We simply do not have the required culture that so many other schools enjoy.
We are less than 25% through the season and we have a lot of time left. I will admit I am extremely disappointed/concerned/shocked how bad our transfers have been. Looking at data I didn't expect them to be shooters or even better than how they are shooting, but the defense and rebounding has hurt us. Dercack's offensive decision making is awful and his defense hasn't been as good as i would have expected. Never thought Martini would practically be unplayable because of his D and rebounding.
Yes Ace and Dylan got money from endorsements but a TON of Rutgers NIL also went to them and rightfully so. They surrounded them with what they could considering what they had left. Cliff is proof that the portal money was out of control this year.
Problem is, one of your bucket fillers doesn't fill buckets and your swill army knife doesn't really do anything.
Dylan kick out to Derkack is a perfect example of quote our offense let Dylan drive and kick out for a wide open 3 only problem was it was Derkack and not Hayes or Martini as Derkack is NOT a good shooter
There is an alternate earth where we had the NIL to secure Amari Williams from Drexel.
You are just feeling the after effects of a big meal. Give it a few days and you will feel better.
He does wear a headband and fans equate that with being talented, just like Tripper Mulcahy.
Nothing wrong with Martini, he just wasn't a fit for RU. I questioned the accusation from the beginning. Martini flourished in a offense that had rhythm, and crisp ball movement. He was never a rebounder. Terrible fit, for a team, who had no big man at all. I'm guessing Princeton runs a zone on defense? I'm not sure, but he probably was hidden in the zone. This roster is oddly constructed
I know you’re being facetious but how about Hayes, martini or Acuff from 3? How about the set we ran for Cam Spencer to win at Purdue?
Yeah I don’t but this at all. We’re getting plenty of open looks. Were missing open 3s. We’re not taking bad contested threes.
Please, everyone stop with the Pike needs more time to figure roles out. He's been a D1 head coach for over 20 tears and he's had the summer, 8 games, and several months of practice to evaluate players. Izzo and Hurley would need about a week.
Izzo — the coach who hasn’t had less than 13 losses in any one season in 5 years? Come on. I’m not saying Pike is Izzo but I actually think MSU is a very good comparison. They are not an elite team most seasons but they’re already ready to make a run in March.
This is such a legit question. What about the rumor that Lathan told Pike to not get a portal C? Many schools have legit 5s or rebounders that didn’t cost a boatload but some how we neglected this facet of the game. Also I do recall when we pointed out NIL could be an issue many on here told us not to worry because NIL isn’t the only factor and we were foolish to not think a C would want to play with Ace and Dylan at a discount.
As has been mentioned on here, get to the tourney and anything can happen. A couple years ago Princeton got hot and we were sold a bill of goods. Looking at them pregame I think Dylan is taller. On that sweet 16 team I don’t think he even started for a mid major. He only started for the Tigers last year. Why we were promised he was a P4 4 or 5 is beyond me.
Exactly. I find it impossible believe that there wasn’t some serviceable veteran center who wouldn’t want to benefit from playing with Harper and Bailey and the attention they bring…not to mention the numbers they could put up when you’re the only big rebounding and benefiting from Harper’s passes.
What portal 5 is performing well that didn’t cost a boatload of money?