Couple of tourney/Pikiell thoughts...

[RU848789]

This tourney was definitely the best RU hoops since the NIT run under Waters and probably just as good as some of the key games under Waters and Bannon when a couple of those teams were fighting for NCAA bids. Still remember being crushed when we were all sitting there watching Bannon and Company on selection Sunday and hoping we'd get picked, but didn't.

While I've felt, since last year, that Pikiell was finally the coach who could truly revive this moribund program and thought we were on our way to a winning season this year after the FSU/MSU close losses and the SHU win, I did lose a bit of confidence this season after the Stonyford debacle and then some of the bad losses later in the season.

But every time we played really well it reminded me that turning the corner was hard and we all knew this team was offensively challenged. We also hit a bit of a funk without Williams and O in the lineup and I have to think we'd have won at least one or two more games if they had been healthy. But this run cemented my confidence that he's the guy who's going to get us to at least respectability and, I think, the NCAAs. It's not going to be easy, especially if Sanders leaves early, but I think we finally have the right guy and I'm at least guardedly optimistic for the future.

 

[G- RUnit]

Liked Rice too and can’t help but wonder if we did the right thing. Seems that lots of schools do a lot worst with far fewer implications.

 

[soundcrib]

Pikiell is so positive. If Pikiell’s hits it out of the park with 2019 recruiting, Pikiell > Rice.

 

[Scarlet83]

Liked Rice too and can’t help but wonder if we did the right thing. Seems that lots of schools do a lot worst with far fewer implications.

Yup!!

 

[RUDead]

Liked Rice too and can’t help but wonder if we did the right thing. Seems that lots of schools do a lot worst with far fewer implications.

I felt like he lost that team before the news came out. He got off to a great start but his constant yelling wore people down.

 

[RUinFla]

Really thought Mike Rice was the guy, as well. But the videos, spliced together though they were--hard to take.
TL

 

[SkilletHead2]

I was enthusiastic about Rice when first hired, but that was misplaced. I wish him well, but he had to go.

 

[kcg88]

Pikiell is so positive. If Pikiell’s hits it out of the park with 2019 recruiting, Pikiell > Rice.

Yup, this is what it comes down to. He needs to capitalize on the first positive press for Rutgers basketball in ages plus the fact that the 2019 recruits will be the ones opening up the new practice facility.