It is all about toughness. Izzo has preached it for decades and he is the second best Big Ten coach in history. That is what this Rutgers team is all about. Plus 2 veteran 6-7 guards. This team is but more for March than any Rutgers team since 1976 and no one wants to see Rutgers in their bracket. Rutgers is very similar to Houston but deeper. It will be the most fun March imaginable.And throw your money on a second round Purdue loss. The antithesis of tough.
Toughness
- Thread starter RU72
- Start date
‘21 was built for March.
Let’s pump the brakes a bit on both our end and Purdue.
I hope I am wrong, but I think this team is built for the regular season. If we don’t use our bench the tank will be on E when we need it the most. This is exactly what happened to ‘22.
Let’s pump the brakes a bit on both our end and Purdue.
I hope I am wrong, but I think this team is built for the regular season. If we don’t use our bench the tank will be on E when we need it the most. This is exactly what happened to ‘22.
Did 10 guys played yesterday? How many do you want to play?
2nd half
Paul played 18:10
Caleb played 18:50
If this team was truly deep those 2 players aren’t on the court that much. The intensity is not sustainable over the next 2 months. Pike has to use the bench.
Getting 2 more wins would go a long way to feeling more comfortable using the bench as a loss wouldn’t be catastrophic,
Look at Purdues minutes. Painter is playing the long game.
Paul played 18:10
Caleb played 18:50
If this team was truly deep those 2 players aren’t on the court that much. The intensity is not sustainable over the next 2 months. Pike has to use the bench.
Getting 2 more wins would go a long way to feeling more comfortable using the bench as a loss wouldn’t be catastrophic,
Look at Purdues minutes. Painter is playing the long game.
I wrestled in HS and we were worked to the point of complete exhaustion every day. The Marine Corps would have been proud of us. I’m not sure I follow the idea that these 18 year old kids need an extra five minutes of game rest over 20 games to make a difference in march. That’s less than two hours over 2+ months.
If you could sign up right now for EITHER a Big Ten regular season title or a Sweet 16 game which do you take?
I'd take the regular season title over a Sweet 16 run, but an Elite 8 run over a conference title.
Look at the last 7 games of the season last year. Explain what happened to us defensively against Notre Dame.
I thought it was obvious we just ran out of gas.
Not being a wise *** here, but why not just give your team a random day off in early march to more than make up for 100 extra minutes of game time over 2.5 months if you think that is the difference between winning your opening round game or not?
Honestly and I just said this last night.
I just want to get in to the NCAA tournament with this group and see what happens. This team is capable of winning a national championship (as are 40 or so other teams).
I think the NCAAs are what matters. Give me a number next to my name that doesn’t have me in Dayton and I am happy. If winning the B1GT meant losing in the 1st round of NCAAs I would want no part.
I don’t remember or frankly care who won the B1GT in 2022 or 2020 or 2011.
That’s just me
Of course you aren’t being a wise a$$, it is a very logical argument/point. The obvious answer is they aren’t the same minutes, but your overall premise is valid. If I am worried about 3-4 guys running out of gas can the offset being not to work hard on practice?
I am going to guess practices in January, February and March aren’t like the ones in October, November and December.
Major minute distribution was spread over 5 guys last year (28+ mpg). This year major minute distribution is currently spread over 7 guys (21+ mpg).
So far our minutes aren’t bad because of the blowouts. I am keeping our eyes on the minutes (especially 2nd half) on all these toss up games we will be playing over the next 3 weeks.
Don’t want Paul and Caleb playing 37 and Cliff 33
Don’t want Paul and Caleb playing 37 and Cliff 33
Paul was playing out of his mind last year for 4 1/2 games, taking on added responsibilities as a scorer. Putting everything he had on both ends. What happened a few weeks later?
He got frustrated
He argued with ref all the time
He even tripped (or tried) opponents a few times
He was completely out of character
He got frustrated
He argued with ref all the time
He even tripped (or tried) opponents a few times
He was completely out of character
Totally agree. High major D1 hoops players' bodies are practically like Wolverine in their ability to repair themselves compared to guys posting on this board.
If any of these guys make it to the NBA, they're playing 82 reg season games, 48 minutes each with tons more travel, now that might be a different story.
What evidence is there of this? That a team that was super hot and cold all season didn’t end hot?
Bart didn’t predict us to win either of our last two games in 22 and I don’t think he has a “starters played too many minutes” factor in his model
these are 18-22year olds...
i used to party all week and still party hard next week. of course now I go out one night and need 6 days of rest.
Pike plays his best 8 however mins he wants them, and these "kids" will be fine...
i used to party all week and still party hard next week. of course now I go out one night and need 6 days of rest.
Pike plays his best 8 however mins he wants them, and these "kids" will be fine...
Coach Zaleski wasn't that tough.
I agree that a few extra minutes is not taxing on these young ATHLETES.
Not every game will be like Purdue, but that's the agenda you're going to push until proven otherwise.
Depends. I'd rather win a B1G title than fluke our way into the S16 from an 11 seed. But I'd rather come in 2nd in the Big Ten and get to the S16 than win the B1G and lose in the first round.
Also, if I sign up for S16 am I guaranteeing we lose that game? Or is it auto in the S16 with a chance at more?
Not a fluke. I think the difference between a 6 seed and 11 seed can come down to 3 possessions.
What agenda do I have?Not every game will be like Purdue, but that's the agenda you're going to push until proven otherwise.
Lol Coach @Greene Rice FIG would've pulled our starters last night so we lost but were fresher later on in the year.
I am just sayin mg in general. Getting to the sweet 16 as a 11 seed isn’t a fluke
No I wouldn’t have.
I brought this up because I don’t think right now we are that deep and Pike doesn’t right now fully trust his bench. The OP said we are and are built to make a long run in the tourney.
I hope we are good enough and bank some wins so Pike has the luxury to allocate minutes like Painter did. If we get to the point where we are comfortably in the NCAAs I would hope Pike would be willing to roll the dice and let Simpson give Caleb and Paul 5 minutes each of rest in the 2nd half.
In my mind with the win we are back to the bubble or slightly above it. If we can get to 3 or 4 games over .500 in B1G I’d think the focus is more on the end game of advancing in the NCAAs and start to really look to limit minutes of starters and really develop the bench.
Right now it is get wins at all costs and get back to NCAAs
Please do not compare the energy to defend in the NBA for 32 minutes vs defending for Rutgers for 36 minutes.
I do think NBA is a grind because of the travel and the amount of games
The median team is giving up 1.1 points per possession in the NBA. Ru hasn’t had a game we’re opponent was above 1.1
You do realize that the NBA teams fly on private planes that helps lessen the travel issues?
Best of Luck,
Groz
The NBA teams have much better shooters.
I understand where you're coming from, although I think we would be comfortably in if the field was chosen today. But I don't see Pike resting Caleb and Paul a lot if it means we may lose a game.
I agree with this 100%. While the bench plays Pike and staff don’t have the confidence to rely on them.
This is where the scheduling piece came up in the Willard thread - the BIG schedule is unrelenting with 3 time zones and lots of short rest. Rutgers doesn’t yet have the depth to play at the intensity level they need without seeing some drop off.
Best case they grind now to put wins in their pocket so they don’t need a long BIG tournament run to get in. I think there is something to be said about the mid and low major tournaments, ending a week before the tournament starts. They gifted with more time to recover.
And… Don’t forget these guys are supposed to also go to school and do homework.