25-26 Current Roster

[MadRU]

Current Roster before Portal:

Bigs 4/5

Ogbole, Lathan, Dortch, Grant, Nwuli, Ware

SG/SF

Derkack, Powers

PGs

JWill, JMike, Mark

​

Did I miss anyone? That makes 11 current roster players.

Is it still 13 or now 15? I forget.

Definitely need at least 1 SG/SF added. If a true Big comes, I’d expect someone to leave.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Not sure I like the 3 bucket system...
grant and Dortch should have their own bucket

 

[MadRU]

Not sure I like the 3 bucket system...
grant and Dortch should have their own bucket

Where ever you put them Nwuli would probably go then too.

 

[bitnez]

We’re dead at the 2/3. Pike better find the money and pick the right guys in the portal.

 

[Scangg]

Where ever you put them Nwuli would probably go then too.

Agreed. WF Wing Forward

 

[Scangg]

We’re dead at the 2/3. Pike better find the money and pick the right guys in the portal.

Guard shooting scoring playmaking is scary

 

[Degaz-RU]

Not sure I like the 3 bucket system...
grant and Dortch should have their own bucket

Yeah, I would bucket them like this:

BIGS -- Sommerville, Ogbole, Ware

FORWARDS -- Grant, Dortch, Nwuli

GUARDS/WINGS -- JWill, JMike, Derkack, Mark, Powers

One things is clear here. We need to subtract a few guys and then add in some "two-way" guards/wings who can both defend and shoot/score (like the guys Maryland got in the portal this past year).

I am torn on Sommerville. He showed a LOT of promise on offense at the 5 spot, and I think he can become a consistent 12-14 ppg scorer as early as next year. But as we all saw, he struggled mightily on defense, and we already know he will never be a rim protector even though he can improve other aspects of his defense and rebounding. So, do you ride with a potential 12-14 ppg center who is relatively weak on defense; or do you move on and try and get a starting-caliber 5 who can rebound and block shots, but who might be a lesser offensive player? It's a tough call, as we haven't had a 5 with LS's offensive skills in a long time.

 

[bitnez]

Not to be provincial, and Richie said it wasn’t happening, but Bashir would be perfect. He can fill it, has some size, and proved he can be at or near best player on floor even against P4/5 teams.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Yeah, I would bucket them like this:

BIGS -- Sommerville, Ogbole, Ware

FORWARDS -- Grant, Dortch, Nwuli

GUARDS/WINGS -- JWill, JMike, Derkack, Mark, Powers

One things is clear here. We need to subtract a few guys and then add in some "two-way" guards/wings who can both defend and shoot/score (like the guys Maryland got in the portal this past year).

I am torn on Sommerville. He showed a LOT of promise on offense at the 5 spot, and I think he can become a consistent 12-14 ppg scorer as early as next year. But as we all saw, he struggled mightily on defense, and we already know he will never be a rim protector even though he can improve other aspects of his defense and rebounding. So, do you ride with a potential 12-14 ppg center who is relatively weak on defense; or do you move on and try and get a starting-caliber 5 who can rebound and block shots, but who might be a lesser offensive player? It's a tough call, as we haven't had a 5 with LS's offensive skills in a long time.

12-14 PPG is way too high of an expectation.....but even if he does. if he is doing it over 15+ possessions that doesnt do us any good.

Lathan is a lot like Ace in that he takes bad shots that find a way of going in. He made at least 3 baskets last night where he didn't square to the basket and threw it up and it went in.

Lathan is Zed Key. Ohio State knew he wasn't a player they could play at center and win.

 

[SBP]

3 shooters and a BIG, 3 shooters and a BIG, I don’t care where they’re from, 3 shooters and a BIG.

 

[Pancho1939]

We’re dead at the 2/3. Pike better find the money and pick the right guys in the portal.

Find the money? You need to give the money.....

 

[Plum Street]

That’s a roster that can get a coach fired

 

[MCKnight2004]

Need a true point guard, with experience, you can not run it back with J Mike, Williams or a true Frosh…

 

[RUJMM78]

That’s a roster that can get a coach fired

Scoring clearly will return to less than 65 points a game.

 

[bitnez]

Find the money? You need to give the money.....

I’ll make a trade. I give to NIL and you cover the cost of my kids in college. I’ll come out way ahead. Deal?

 

[fatsam98]

Scoring clearly will return to less than 65 points a game.

Speed limit will need to be 50. Color me skeptical we improve significantly in the portal.

 

[BOGDANOVICH]

Speed limit will need to be 50. Color me skeptical we improve significantly in the portal.

Pike has not shown an ability to get quality players from the portal, so why should we expect anything to be different now?

 

[RutgersClassof2004]

You people unsure about wanting Sommerville back are certified insane.

 

[Ridge 22]

Next year is close to a complete rebuild. Lathan is a bad fit and isn't coming back regardless. The rest are a bunch of spare parts. Pike is starting all over again. Only this time he won't have the benefit of finding projects and developing them over 4 years. And honestly, his work as a player developer is overrated. I give him Ron, Caleb, and maybe Myles as low rated players who got better. But who else did? Most washed out and dropped down a level or stagnated and never got better (see Geo). And his portal work. Yikes. Even worse. At least he's a great game day coach.

 

[needmorecowbell]

This team needs a lot. I would go scoring 2 guard, scoring athletic wing and rim protector. Point guard would be next for me but I understand why someone are saying go PG first. Everyone must be a willing defender and we need experience.

 

[RUskoolie]

I saw this all clearly after the Princeton debacle and declared that he was DOA. I like him a lot. We had some good times but barring a miracle in 4-6 weeks in the portal he is cooked and we will move on a year from now. Thats my prediction. The returning players will struggle to score 45 ppg.

 

[stribucher]

There is 50-60 points per game going out the door from this year’s team. Be lucky to get 30-40 points per game coming in. Back to 55-60 point rock fights if we have any chance of winning

 

[MadRU]

Pike needs to be meeting with each player ASAP. A portal plan needs to be in place fast.

 

[rubs]

All I hear Pike needs to do this or he needs to do that blah, blah , blah! Number one he is a poor evaluator of talent and when he has talent dropped in his lap he doesn’t know what to do with it. He has achieved nothing in nine years. If Rutgers was a serious player he should be gone.

 

[SBP]

All I hear Pike needs to do this or he needs to do that blah, blah , blah! Number one he is a poor evaluator of talent and when he has talent dropped in his lap he doesn’t know what to do with it. He has achieved nothing in nine years. If Rutgers was a serious player he should be gone.

Fair….but$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[RULegion]

I don’t think Pike can’t evaluate talent, I think he does a good job of that, I think the bigger issue is his coaching. He doesn’t know what to do with talent. As soon as I saw what Spencer did at UConn I was like Pike doesn’t know how to coach.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

All I hear Pike needs to do this or he needs to do that blah, blah , blah! Number one he is a poor evaluator of talent and when he has talent dropped in his lap he doesn’t know what to do with it. He has achieved nothing in nine years. If Rutgers was a serious player he should be gone.

Impossible to take your opinion seriously when you don't understand the definition of nothing.

 

[BG1973]

For the life of me I don’t understand why we never saw the two man game with Ace and Dylan.

 

[RUDivision]

Current Roster before Portal:

Bigs 4/5

Ogbole, Lathan, Dortch, Grant, Nwuli, Ware

SG/SF

Derkack, Powers

PGs

JWill, JMike, Mark

​

Did I miss anyone? That makes 11 current roster players.

Is it still 13 or now 15? I forget.

Definitely need at least 1 SG/SF added. If a true Big comes, I’d expect someone to leave.

Need a Point Guard , 2 wings/SH, and a competent center! Lots of work for Pike to do.

 

[RULegion]

For the life of me I don’t understand why we never saw the two man game with Ace and Dylan.

Excellent point. I don’t think Pike knows what that means. He needs to watch a team with a solid two man game like Kentucky they have been running it for years.

 

[Shelby65]

12-14 PPG is way too high of an expectation.....but even if he does. if he is doing it over 15+ possessions that doesnt do us any good.

Lathan is a lot like Ace in that he takes bad shots that find a way of going in. He made at least 3 baskets last night where he didn't square to the basket and threw it up and it went in.

Lathan is Zed Key. Ohio State knew he wasn't a player they could play at center and win.

Key wasn’t the poster boy for defensive futility….actually, co-poster boy. Forgot Davis.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Can't keep cutting corners and thinking it's going to work the next time, when its failed 3 years in a row via the portal.

Its gotta be 1, maybe 2 portal kids tops.....pay them if they're starting caliber B1G level athletes, otherwise save the money for the 2026 HS kids who fit the criteria as a starter when they hit campus in 15 months.

There's not enough on this roster to support a NCAA run next year IMO. I would be shocked to be wrong. Recruit and retain is how we got good in 2017 to 2019.....we need to complete the cycle with summer and fall recruiting for 2026.

 

[ru8081]

Need a Point Guard , 2 wings/SH, and a competent center! Lots of work for Pike to do.

Absolutely

 

[soundcrib]

Back to 40-50 point games.

 

[soundcrib]

For the life of me I don’t understand why we never saw the two man game with Ace and Dylan.

This. Should’ve ran pick and roll with these two and shooters on the wings all day and night.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

Can't keep cutting corners and thinking it's going to work the next time, when its failed 3 years in a row via the portal.

Its gotta be 1, maybe 2 portal kids tops.....pay them if they're starting caliber B1G level athletes, otherwise save the money for the 2026 HS kids who fit the criteria as a starter when they hit campus in 15 months.

There's not enough on this roster to support a NCAA run next year IMO. I would be shocked to be wrong. Recruit and retain is how we got good in 2017 to 2019.....we need to complete the cycle with summer and fall recruiting for 2026.

For a so called expert on this board, you really have no clue here.

 

[BillyC80]

Can't keep cutting corners and thinking it's going to work the next time, when its failed 3 years in a row via the portal.

Its gotta be 1, maybe 2 portal kids tops.....pay them if they're starting caliber B1G level athletes, otherwise save the money for the 2026 HS kids who fit the criteria as a starter when they hit campus in 15 months.

There's not enough on this roster to support a NCAA run next year IMO. I would be shocked to be wrong. Recruit and retain is how we got good in 2017 to 2019.....we need to complete the cycle with summer and fall recruiting for 2026.

Respectfully disagree.

Pike built this year’s team with players from high school, community college, and mid-majors. Not one player on the roster was obtained from another P5 school.

In the past this would work for him, with key guys staying multiple years in his system. Those days are gone.

 

[RUby RED]

Can't keep cutting corners and thinking it's going to work the next time, when its failed 3 years in a row via the portal.

Its gotta be 1, maybe 2 portal kids tops.....pay them if they're starting caliber B1G level athletes, otherwise save the money for the 2026 HS kids who fit the criteria as a starter when they hit campus in 15 months.

There's not enough on this roster to support a NCAA run next year IMO. I would be shocked to be wrong. Recruit and retain is how we got good in 2017 to 2019.....we need to complete the cycle with summer and fall recruiting for 2026.

Hard to be more wrong. If Pike has any interest in keeping his job — he needs to cut the dead weight off the current roster and attack the portal hard. Needs to lock down a go-to scorer and then round out the rest of the roster with older guys that bring length / athleticism and can fit his defensive scheme. And while I don’t think Lathan should be shown the door — I do think the funds needed to retain him would be better utilized getting a defensive minded 5. Better fit for a Pike team

Steve has to focus on winning now. Retaining the whole roster, refusing to get aggressive in the portal and going all in on HS recruiting in the 2026 class is conceding that this team will not sniff the tourney for another 3+ years. Dead man walking at that point

 

[BillyC80]

And, will we be able to retain our best HS recruits?

Lathan and Grant will be a litmus test for that.