I can feel you slipping away from me.
A little bit further now every day.
I'm holding on, but I can't believe
This is how you want it to be.
Oh, you're slipping away.
Oh, you're slipping away.
It feels like walking down a long, dark road.
You never talk to me the way you did before.
You ride through the city with your head held high.
And all I can do is watch you go by.
Oh, you're slipping away.
Oh, you're slipping away.
I'm gonna give it all I've got to give.
I've got to hold on, see what tomorrow brings.
You're slipping away, but give me one more try.
One more chance to wipe these tears from my eyes.
You're slipping away.
Oh, you're slipping away
I can't remember how this got started
But I can tell you exactly how it will end
Every day is exactly the same
Every day is exactly the same
There is no love here and there is no pain
Every day is exactly the same
There are so many things I want to say but I feel as if I am said them already in virtually every recap this year. Every game is literally exactly the same. Those astute enough knew is not a sustainable way to play basketball and win 19-20 games. It all started with St Johns. Sure wow did RU look fantastic on offense yet crumbled in crunch time defensively. It really didnt go away against 4 abhorrent teams at the RAC. A couple of them had no pulse so it wasnt close. Being tied with St Peter's late was frightening. Whether it was Kennesaw, Notre Dame, Alabama, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Penn State, Seton Hall and today's calimitous performance vs Princeton, these were all variations of the same game. Rutgers defense never rising to beyond average and most of the time subpar to woeful as it was all day today. Rutgers could score oh yeah they could do that but they would always go through a rough patch where they couldnt even get their vaunted NBA players to contribute. Never enough bench and not getting enough stops. You play like this, you dance with the devil. Sometimes you will win like Notre Dame and Seton Hall...other times you will lose like Kennesaw and Princeton. Sometimes some fans want to throw parties and stick their heads in the sand over beating an awful Seton Hall calling it a rivalry game...wonder if they will fall back on that excuse today...but then again what rivalry. Princeton now has won 5 of 6 against Rutgers
It was obvious from Day 1 this was a historically bad defense team. Even the most negative of us thought perhaps we would see it get better as the season went on. Certainly the effort in Vegas kept alot of optimism alive. Reality is that the OSU game on its heels was an utter disaster vs a team who isnt that good. RU was desperate to cling to a win vs Penn State after running up a 17 point lead. RU got bullied by Seton Hall and needed a last second shot to win the game but if you were paying attention you were in a groundhog day loop. Such a poorly constructed roster with many players providing virtually nothing.....and I just do not know why Pike recruiting offensive players on a team with two offensive superstarts and then no one to play defense or rebound. Surely its not all about NIL is it.
Pointless to recap individual plays today. The fact that this game was close and back and forth in the first half basically told you it was going down to the last possessions. There was a glimmer in the 2nd half when RU went up 6 maybe they would do something but that was quickly snuffed out as Princeton went on a big run and took control of the game. For this game Princeton had the 2 best guys on the court today. Lee was sensational today even as his late turnovers gave RU a shot. 21 points, 11 assists, 6 boards yes only 7-22 shooting but I would take 10 Lees on my team for his passion and ability to take contact. Pierce was a monster and Pike had no answer for him....10-17 fg, 21 points and 14 boards...absolutely abused Rutgers. Harper was excellent but Dylan could only do so much and I believe Harper was limited to just 5 points in the 2nd half???? Ace was a brutal 6-16 fg and even has he hit 2 big ones late and possibly game winner...alot of mistakes and sorry for top 10 NBA draft pick not good enough when the opponent is rising to the challenge. Princeton took 7 more shots than RU and won the offensive board battle 19-12. Unbelivably they went just 8-18 at the free throw line and still won with RU going 18-23.
Credit Mitch because once again Pike was badly outcoached for the 2nd straight game. Whats interesting is that PU shot 18 3s in the first half but only 9 in the 2nd where they went 4-9 and became a more efficient offense. I thought one potential mistake he made was taking the air out of the ball a bit too soon and Princeton was scoreless for almost 2 and half minutes before their game winning bucket by Pierce who easily got the hoop unresisted. Double edge sword for Pike. He didnt bring in enough talent for a ncaa team this year and overall the team just refuses to committ to play defense....that battle was lost in the early games...yet perhaps it was lost by signing Ace/Dylan. On the other hand how do you prepare for each opponent. Its clear most coaches know exactly how to play Rutgers...they know to keep attacking. Pike looks like his hands are in the air at this point. Perhaps nothing can be done. The Rutgers program signed a deal with the devil and its misfiring spectacularly with time ticking out for a turnaround and we have not even hit 2025.
Oh sidenote...Rutgers should not be playing this game. Pike knows it. Tuned in fans know it. People like RU72 and NJ beat writers love it and treat it as a Super Bowl game. You cannot convince me otherwiseThe reality is that it does nothing for a teams resume and that is what EVERYTHING is about. Let us talk resume. Rutgers resume now at 7-5 with 2 Quad 3 losses and ZERO out of conference wins of note is in the trash. Its going to take 11-7 in the Big 10 to just get into discussion at 19-12 and more likely needing to finish 12-6 the rest of the way and yeah that Columbia game is no gimme either. Any and all discussion about NCAA should be on hold unless this team can win 3 of their next 4 Big 10 games. Its a very very narrow path. I wouldnt say over but I would firmly say SLIPPING AWAY ON A ROAD TO NOWHERE.
If someone wants to claim what an exciting game this was and claim RU never gives up and gives them their moneys worth well I am going to disagree. Players of a lifetime for one year and it looks like a total wasted season that could have major implications down the road. The program is giving me a sour taste right now. Save all the excuses, tired of excuses. If you bring in 2 top 5 draft picks you better have the program headed somewhere and it is very hard to have faith right now. Maybe come March this thread will be bumped up to say see you got it wrong...maybe but until then every game is exactly the same.