and it was blatantly obvious how checked out Sanders and Freeman were. Completely disinterested. Showed no enthusiasm for teammates. Don't pick anyone else up. They sulk and act like prima donnas. Souf played very good defense, did not let Carr go off to much. The front line was awful. Penn State players were bigger stronger and faster across the board. Geo is tired and I think he has hit a physical wall playing so much as a freshman. Issa missed many shots in the first half and that takes the air out of the team. No offensive rebounding today. One and done's all night. Personally, I'm ready to move on from Sanders and Freeman and let the young guys play.
Was right behind the bench tonight...
- Thread starter ImBadRU
- Start date
Finding scape goats for team failure is easy.At Rutgers the missing link is recruiting higher level talent,namely go to scorers.The basketball program has been stuck in quicksand for decades and there has ben no easy way.out.
My son and I were at the game today sitting in section 134.
We hit a wall plain and simple.
Onto Illinois.
We hit a wall plain and simple.
Onto Illinois.
Disagree. Calling out players (or sitting their asses down) for lackluster play is not scapegoating. Not surprised to hear this about Deshawn but am disappointed in Corey.
Sanders got zero points and Freeman got 6 pts and 8 REBS
I do agree Baker is tired
This team is a mess....
It's so easy to blame Sanders but the young man has not had any help for two and a half years. He is probably extremely frustrated from the losing and having to carry the team just to come up short anyway. If he had ANY type of help (a guy or two who could consistently knock down shots, and a consistent post player) I am pretty sure he would not be forcing things on the offensive nearly as much.
The last part of the game he did look dejected and deferred to the other players to shoot. I would prefer Corey turn into a distributor and pick his spots to score. I think the team would be much better down the line (maybe not in the short term but who cares we are still losing). I think Corey should feed the post (get Doucore and Omoruyi some real experience in developing their game) and drive and kick to Thiam and Geo. If he were really able to focus on pass first, then I think it would benefit the team and give some open looks.
The last part of the game he did look dejected and deferred to the other players to shoot. I would prefer Corey turn into a distributor and pick his spots to score. I think the team would be much better down the line (maybe not in the short term but who cares we are still losing). I think Corey should feed the post (get Doucore and Omoruyi some real experience in developing their game) and drive and kick to Thiam and Geo. If he were really able to focus on pass first, then I think it would benefit the team and give some open looks.
Have seen little “team” in Sanders’ game in 3 seasons. He is, and always has been, about the NBA. He’s bought into this staff just enough to get his minutes and that’s it. He will be unbearable if he comes back for a 4th year. On to 2019-20.
Corey came to RU to get minutes and try to get to the NBA no doubt. To say he has not bought into the team concept is not entirely correct, he has bought into the defensive mindset since Pike arrived. He has also had to take over games offensively due to no other options. Pike likes him and that's good enough for me. If Pike can convince Corey that being a distributor and to pick his spots will help his team and his chances at a professional career (overseas), then everyone can benefit.
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This is a horseshit uniformed ridiculous post. Corey has absolutely NOT been trying tot get his. He has been a really good teammate. He tries to get others involved etc. The team is just not good enough. Losing sucks and is frustrating. Nobody is immune to that. I am sick of a Corey getting blamed for things. Just like Johnson was a “cancer” last year but he is getting key minutes on the number two team in the country. We need a full upgrade to the roster. We would be crazy lucky to have Sanders come back.
Pike has Sanders going iso as the shot clock is winding down. In fact, we lften let the clock drain so we can go iso with Sanders. I'd love to see his shooting % with less than 10 seconds on the clock.
Sanders would be allowed to play within himself if we had a better team.
I'd like to see Duke get more touches down low and let him go to work. It pissed me off that we never went to him against the cupcakes.
Throw it into Doorson a few times a game. Can the results be much worse?
Sanders would be allowed to play within himself if we had a better team.
I'd like to see Duke get more touches down low and let him go to work. It pissed me off that we never went to him against the cupcakes.
Throw it into Doorson a few times a game. Can the results be much worse?
Spoken likes someone who's watched about 3 games the past 3 seasons.
Corey isn't perfect, and he most likely won't make it to the NBA. But to say he hasn't been a decent to good team player shows you haven't been watching.
Other than his missed flights back to NJ, he's been a pretty good team player. It's not easy having very little support around you.
Baker, Freeman and Sanders scoring was terrible, so all should be equal blamed or all of them considered as having a forgettable game.
If you scapegoat one you should bash others that had a terrible game today.
RUMBB needs a lot of improvement ( on the whole) and games like this show it.
If you scapegoat one you should bash others that had a terrible game today.
RUMBB needs a lot of improvement ( on the whole) and games like this show it.
He wasn’t being a good teammate tonight when he dogged it instead of getting back on D. Leadership? Hardly. Go read Jerry Carino’s gamer in the APP. Third time this season that Pikiell had to bench Sanders. Sad that you don’t expect more from a 3-year starter.
Sanders is not a selfish player IMO, Freeman is.
Sanders gets unreal separation on his pull ups and either they go in or are extremely close. His only knock lately I’d say is he gambles too much defensively and he’s getting stripped easily for some reason. That being said he’s not a selfish player, when he drives to the lane and we have 2 shooters (baker and thiam) it’s hard for him to get assists when thiam is missing shots and when baker isn’t really open. The team doesn’t have enough talent around him for his game to fully flourish.
In a perfect world we’d have a center that can finish through contact or with a lob, 2 knock down shooters on the wings and another star player to run with him.
Freeman is not a star
Baker and thiam aren’t “knock down” shooters
And Doucoure isn’t a big man that can finish through contact.
Sanders gets unreal separation on his pull ups and either they go in or are extremely close. His only knock lately I’d say is he gambles too much defensively and he’s getting stripped easily for some reason. That being said he’s not a selfish player, when he drives to the lane and we have 2 shooters (baker and thiam) it’s hard for him to get assists when thiam is missing shots and when baker isn’t really open. The team doesn’t have enough talent around him for his game to fully flourish.
In a perfect world we’d have a center that can finish through contact or with a lob, 2 knock down shooters on the wings and another star player to run with him.
Freeman is not a star
Baker and thiam aren’t “knock down” shooters
And Doucoure isn’t a big man that can finish through contact.
Corey has dogged it several gamesand Carino indicated already had to have been benched in games. Yes expectations for him and Williams as 3 year players to bring more leadership and consistency to the table. When Corey throws up crappy performances against a few cupcakes as well as some conference woes..yes criticism is warranted. You can see the difference when he is fully dialed in..too many here giving him a pass at the expense of the younger players
People need to shut up about Corey, he’s the best player on the team and one of the best RU players in a long time, just has literally 0 support and hasn’t his whole time here which is sad. But down 2 with 10 seconds to go in any game ever, he is the guy who I want with the ball. Sorry.
Losing at a historic rate as rutgers has done brings out the worst in players and coaches. Even the best of them.
If Sanders was only about himself he woulda had a lot more shots tonight. He has totally changed his game. The hatred a few show him is ridiculous. Its easy to get down and sulky when you lose frequently - especially if all you want to do is win. Its very frustrating to be the most talented player on a losing team. Busting your *** and getting stomped sucks. When its clear you have no shot of winning cause your down 20 with 8 min to go its easy to stop caring.
The fact is, Sanders is the most talented guy on the team. Ragging on him every time we lose serves no purpose.
When you've been knocked on your *** over and over, eventually there comes a point when you don't feel like getting up. That's what we saw tonight. It's human nature. We'll bounce back.
You guys should be more concerned about how Pikiell feels about Sanders’ play than the opinions of a few of us on this board. How many coaches are compelled to bench their best and most experienced player in a winnable game?
Corey may be our best player but his lack of development absolutely justifies the frustration. I can point out dozens of guys who were athletic as hell but inefficient basketball players as freshman, who turned into legitimate stars. Talor Battle on Penn State a few years ago is one example. Heck, Tim Frazier from PSU too. Different position but Jordan Murphy on Minnesota. Sindarius Thornwell at South Carolina. The lost list on and on.
This to me is the biggest issue. His shot hasn't really improved (in fact his 3P% has gone down every year), his passing and ballhandling are only slightly better than as a freshman, and his attitude and decision-making don't seem like they've come along very much.
This to me is the biggest issue. His shot hasn't really improved (in fact his 3P% has gone down every year), his passing and ballhandling are only slightly better than as a freshman, and his attitude and decision-making don't seem like they've come along very much.
Agree. We could lose Freeman and it wouldn't matter much. Without Sanders we would have only one guy who bring the ball past half court. I also think he has improved. He used to turn it over 2 or 3 times a game for no reason. Last night he did that, but problem has basically stopped. I also think he has improved his shooting stroke. Take away all of those times where he forced to shoot before the shot clock expires and he is shooting ok. Sanders had a bad shooting game and got frustrated.
Freeman stopped playing hard 5 or 6 games ago. He takes every other play off on defense. Hustle was his best quality last year. this year he's given up.
Again, this is unfair criticism and what makes Carino an expert? Is Corey the only upperclassman to get pulled from a game for lack of hustle? This happens in every game all the time across the entire country. And it is more likely to happen when the team stinks as things get frustrating. I’ve been there. The reason Corey throws up some clunkers from time to time is not lack of focus or effort. He is just not that great of a shooter so he is prone to going cold. Nothing wrong with that. We he put expectations on him like he should be a savior, why? He wasn’t sone can’t miss five star stud. Corey is a nice piece on a good team. We ask him to do too much so he tries to do too much and he gets frustrated. It’s very simple.
In previous years/decades players comparable in talent to Sanders have transferred because the lack of team success has impacted their performances .Winning really is important in sports and players react when losing permeates team results.Long suffering fans just shake their heads and speak the usual refrain "wait until next year " and then there is the stand bye "wait until 2021".
“Is Corey the only upperclassman to get pulled from a game for lack of hustle? This happens in every game all the time across the entire country. And it is more likely to happen when the team stinks as things get frustrating.”
Thanks for being such an enabler.
Every game, all the time, across the country? Wow, Just wow. Hyperbole much?
Thanks for being such an enabler.
Every game, all the time, across the country? Wow, Just wow. Hyperbole much?
It’s not hyperbole. A coach thinks a guy didn’t play D or made a lackadaisical pass they get taken out. Yes, that literally happens in every game all the time. I watch every game and I haven’t noticed anything crazy with Corey. He hustles. He plays D HARD.
I am not saying coach should accept. He takes him out and he should. All players have mental lapses. Holding Corey to a standard that he should never have one is ridiculous.
I know I saw him sprint out and slap Souf on the back excitedly after our little spurt. Such BS narrative. God forbid he’s totally pissed bc its his worst performance of the year.
You simply don’t get 10 boards against a Big Ten team if you’ve given up. Or else everyone would. I call BS.
Zero offensive rebounds for Freeman yesterday. ONE for the entire frontline. Laughable for anyone to suggest that the bigs wanted it.
Clearly I was referring to the previous game, I didn’t imagine 9 other rebounds last night. Assertion was made he wasn’t trying last 5 games. I dispute that.
When i said 5 or 6 games i speaking without looking it up. I just checked the stats and since the SHU game his rebounding totals are 6, 7, 2, 4, 2, 0, 8, 11, 10, 8. Picked up the last few games, but overall those numbers are pretty bad for a very capable rebounder. The effort is not there like it was last year IMO.
I was only referring to his defense which is obviously harder to show statistically, but when I watch I see him taking a lot of plays off, not helping out, etc.
I wasnt at the game but watched it all on TV and Corey was just way off on offense and he was frustrated and the crowd was on him. It happens so Pike sat him.
In any case, he's going to have off days and we have no depth. Let it go! Next.
In any case, he's going to have off days and we have no depth. Let it go! Next.
Anyone who thinks we could lose Freeman & it wouldnt matter has their head up their keester
He leads the team in REBS & double doubles
I dont understand the hate toward Freeman.
He leads the team in REBS & double doubles
I dont understand the hate toward Freeman.