#20 Rutgers Scarlet Knights!

[ScarletDave]

The AP voters have gotten with the times! Top-20 already. Keep it up!

https://apnews.com/afs:Content:2947360259

 

[Drayon10]

I had been watching all morning for this poll, we came in higher than I expected which is great... go RU!

 

[rondi]

About Time! [banana]

Congrats, Ladies! Well deserved. Proud alum here.

Go RU!
Diane

 

[ScarletteK80]

Like the format of this poll better, creature of habit I guess.
http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/rankings

 

[BeKnighted]

Going through the vote list:

3 votes for #15
2 votes for #16
3 votes for #17
4 votes for #19
3 votes for #20
5 votes for #21
1 vote for #22
3 votes for #23
4 votes for #25
2 voters did not include RU on their ballots*

*The article says it's 3, but I counted twice and 28 voters had RU on their ballots.

 

[RUChoppin]

Great job!

 

[RU MAN]

The AP voters have gotten with the times! Top-20 already. Keep it up!

https://apnews.com/afs:Content:2947360259

This is very nice to see and well deserved. I thought we would be in the top 25 last week, but we did come out from receiving no votes to being ranked 27th. It's nice to see us move comfortably into the top 25. We just need to keep winning and everything will take care of itself.

Now with that said we have two tough upcoming games against Purdue and Michigan State, but they're home. Let's go ladies. You're home now and can feed off of some home cooking and get these wins!

 

[sammybb]

Rankings of B10 Teams:

#9 Maryland (#25 RPI)
#17 Michigan St (#21 RPI)
#20 Rutgers (#20 RPI)
#22 Iowa (#14 RPI)
#23 Minnesota (#84 RPI)
#25 Indiana (#16 RPI)

Given the cluster in the AP, wouldn't be surprised if Coaches tomorrow looks a lot different.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Congrats Lady Knights !

 

[MADHAT1]

[thumb2]
now to stay there and move up [banana]:cool2:

 

[MSRU71]

This team is different. The defensive intensity is there as with all CVS teams. But there is no "go to" player like Cappie, Piph, Tyler, and others. So the old offense where you had to pass the ball six times before you cleared out and let the star create something is over. The ball movement has been great, but when we go down low and they kick the ball out, we can hit a three. Noga, CC, Charise, Ariella, and Sierra (when she gets untracked) are legit 3 pt. shooters. No more packing in the zone against the Ladies. We have shooters! And the transition game is rocking. Dare I say that CC is the fastest to the hoop than anyone since Matee.

And we have depth. Can't remember Viv going 10-11 deep in significant games. I am cautiously getting really excited. Need the student body to come out and support this team!

 

[dmd78]

Going through the vote list:

3 votes for #15
2 votes for #16
3 votes for #17
4 votes for #19
3 votes for #20
5 votes for #21
1 vote for #22
3 votes for #23
4 votes for #25
2 voters did not include RU on their ballots*

*The article says it's 3, but I counted twice and 28 voters had RU on their ballots.

That’s impressive... 12 voters think that we should be ranked even higher than #20.

 

[sammybb]

This team is different. The defensive intensity is there as with all CVS teams. But there is no "go to" player like Cappie, Piph, Tyler, and others. So the old offense where you had to pass the ball six times before you cleared out and let the star create something is over. The ball movement has been great, but when we go down low and they kick the ball out, we can hit a three. Noga, CC, Charise, Ariella, and Sierra (when she gets untracked) are legit 3 pt. shooters. No more packing in the zone against the Ladies. We have shooters! And the transition game is rocking. Dare I say that CC is the fastest to the hoop than anyone since Matee.

And we have depth. Can't remember Viv going 10-11 deep in significant games. I am cautiously getting really excited. Need the student body to come out and support this team!

I agree MSRU that our balance and depth and lack of a superstar are what's making the team dangerous and on track right now. Last year the team too often waited around for Scaife to bail them out on offense. There's no one on the team playing that role this year, which means everyone is empowered to step up and make plays. It also means that if one person is having a bad shooting night, it's not going to bring down the entire offense. I would also expect as an opposing coach, it's much harder to plan to defend us, since you could legitimately see 10 players on the floor and you never know who will be hot.

That being said, if/when RU finds itself in a late game situation when we need a bucket, we will need someone with confidence to step up and make a play when the offense breaks down. That could be Arella, CC, Charise, even Stasha if she gets room to operate. But we can't have the overpassing we had too often at end of Nebraska where open shooters passed up good shots.

 

[RC66]

IMO, Tyler just wasn't yet in physical shape to carry the team for a whole season. Hence the second-half disappointments. (That's not to say that we didn't deserve the bid we didn't get.)

With the wider talent and spread of minutes this year, that kind of late season problem should not repeat.

 

[Knight Time Fan]

Viv's teams have always seemed to have that balance problem between the star and the other players. She talked about it in the Cappie years, and so did Cappie, for that matter. In the first half Cappie would try to involve her teammates, often unsuccessfully, so in the second half it became "Cappie Time". Unfortunately, opponents knew that as well.

Rutgers has never really ever been a one horse pony show - but at times in the past it seems the team has acted like that's the case. So, yes, this years lack of a defining star carrying the team is definitely beneficial.