You know how you know how you are witnessing a program being built right before your very eyes....This might be the third or fourth time that I am leading off the game recap by saying this win was the biggest of the Pikiell era at Rutgers. In reality, every Big 10 win has had significance this year as it led to taking another step or leap up the ladder. Beating Ohio State at home said Rutgers was going to compete in this league this year, Beating Indiana said not only will RU compete but we now belong in this league as a basketball program. Winning at Penn State meant RU we were finally taking all the good we show at home and translating it to the road. Winning at Northwestern meant RU had finally figured out that it didn't matter if it was a home or road game, they were going to bring the same level of play on the road and shake off the decade label of road kill. Beating Minnesota said revenge is sweet but it doesn't matter because you are better than your opponent. Winning at Iowa said Rutgers is better than their opponent on the road, an opponent going to the NCAA tourney.
A tremendous win tonight. A program changer for perception and expectations. Yes it has not happened over night. This team has worked hard all season, overcome some major adversity in January and then has consistently shown resiliency through some tough losses. The last two losses Iowa and Michigan State both were crushing for what might have but were two losses that a young program has to go through. That Iowa last second shot really did teach them. Today was no accident. This team knew they could win. This team was focused. This team was confident. This team had swagger. We have been waiting for this game. A game in which most of the team was on both offensively and defensively and RU would just dominate their opponent. Make no mistakes about it Rutgers manhandled Iowa in every facet of the game (well not foul shooting). This was a game you would expect to see from a NCAA contender fighting for a NCAA bid. And Iowa is going to the NCAA. Rutgers is not. This was a preview of next season. No doubt the kind of game where it makes a believer out of many including me and can erase the demons that have surrounded this program. Still so much work to do...finishing strong the rest of the year and doing well in the Big 10 and maybe even reaching the NIT. I truly believe today is a milestone win that dissipates the black cloud that has surround this dormant program. This is not "Same ole Rutgers"...its now "Why not Rutgers"
Yet another great start on the road today, RU set the tone with its overriding them which is defense. Holding Iowa to just 30 points and really wreaking havoc causing Iowa turnovers and mishandles. Once again RU's length was such a strength in getting their hands on the ball and clogging up the paint. Bohannon and the rest of the perimeter players were never truly able to get into any rhythm in this game. Offensively Ron Harper was just sick nailing 3s and running the floor in transition and just out of nowhere came Issa Thiam hitting three big treys.....scoring RU's last 9 points in the half at a time when Iowa cut the defecit to 5 and it was critical that RU gain momentum heading into halftime on the road.
It was a quiet half by Eugene who only took one shot with no points being hobbled by foul trouble and injury and Geo who was scoreless and 0-5. I noted that both would have to make some contributions. Eugene's contributions may not seem all that big but his two assists to Doorson inside really signaled that RU wanted this game. Those first few minutes can really change the direction of the game. I love that Pike went inside there and try to reestablish the paint rather than get the points from the perimeter. After a couple of Mathis buckets in the open court, all of sudden RU had breathing space at 49-34. There were some similarities to that Michigan State game where RU throttled Sparty defensively and were playing one of another level offensively. Remember RU took an 11 point lead at one point in the 2nd half and in this game I really felt that lessons learned was going to come into play that when challenged by the home team, the response this time was going to be different...and boy it was. RU's offense got a little stagnant and foul trouble was mounting, it was obvious that Iowa was going to try and draw as many fouls on RU as possible and the refs were all too willing to oblige.
So for me in this game...key juncture...Iowa hits 7 free throws and the 15 point lead cut to 9, RU fouling every possession, Eugene hobbling, Carter ready to foul out. Geo Baker arrives.....an aggressive drive and finish to the hoop ending the 3 minute drought without a basket and then he follows it up with a monster 3 to put RU and then another one a couple minutes later that put RU up 19 with 8:52 and effectively pushing the lead up to a point where it was just a matter of RU being able to hold sway and finish off the game. So lesson learned from MSU game, team didnt panic, team didnt turn it over, team stopped making the silly fouls that put Iowa back in the game. From there on Harper and Mathis used their athleticism to seal the deal after Iowa cut it to 12. As fans we all had that familiar bad feeling about a meltdown coming. But this team is different. Mathis and Harper made sure of it and Caleb McConnell drained his free throws down the strech.
What is amazing is if you go back to the Purdue/Minny games which was arguably the worst two game stretch RU had this season you see a lot of youth not ready to play and crumbling without an injured Eugene. But from there to today you saw a bunch of freshmen grow up before our eyes, to a team that was overwhelmed to a team that without relying on Eugene kept making play after play after play. Iowa was a defeated team tonight. There was no real run, no real rally. Rutgers beat them up, physically, mentally, and most importantly on the scoreboard. No doubt in my mind Rutgers is better than Iowa at this point in the season. Just as Penn State and Illiniois and Indiana, all 4 schools are better than their records, all 4 are playing better than Ohio State, Iowa and Minnesota all teams heading to the NCAA tournament.
Individually Harper who broke out in the first game vs Iowa, really had himself a game tonight....9-13 shooting, 27 points, 4-7 from 3, 5-5 ft, 5 boards. That is player of the week stats....and he is only a freshmen. Harper has had a couple of games where he struggled a bit recently. This game was about continuing to work hard and being able to show what talent he really has. Its going to be fun watching him and Mathis running the show in the open floor the next 3 years.
Issa Thiam who had a huge game vs Iowa last year rose from the missing. What a huge part of this victory tonight and the biggest mystery novel this year on the team.. a much needed missing part. I do not know where he has been or the answer but today he delivered everything we needed from him. 4-9 shooting, 4-6 from 3 in just 10 minutes for 13 minutes...wow. Lets just enjoy this performance from him and welcome back Issa.
Montez and Caleb solid games. Montez again a defensive force and his athleticism a difference maker in the 2nd half. Caleb coming on late scoring 8 of his 11 in the last 6:30. Myles quiet offensively but stepped up with 6 boards, solid D and minutes when RU needed him to provide minutes for Eugene and Carter. Truly the kind of team win where everyone contributes.
Where this team is headed. Well like I said tonight is a program changer. There are games to be played this year. One game at a time but goals once thought out of reach could be within grasp such as 500 and the NIT...but again one game at a time. Thats exactly the approach that Pike and company have been sticking to all year long. As fans let us enjoy where we are at right now and feel good about what is to come. Do not put expectations on this team, let those opportunities come to them as they have all season long. Pike has a plan. In Pike we trust.
A tremendous win tonight. A program changer for perception and expectations. Yes it has not happened over night. This team has worked hard all season, overcome some major adversity in January and then has consistently shown resiliency through some tough losses. The last two losses Iowa and Michigan State both were crushing for what might have but were two losses that a young program has to go through. That Iowa last second shot really did teach them. Today was no accident. This team knew they could win. This team was focused. This team was confident. This team had swagger. We have been waiting for this game. A game in which most of the team was on both offensively and defensively and RU would just dominate their opponent. Make no mistakes about it Rutgers manhandled Iowa in every facet of the game (well not foul shooting). This was a game you would expect to see from a NCAA contender fighting for a NCAA bid. And Iowa is going to the NCAA. Rutgers is not. This was a preview of next season. No doubt the kind of game where it makes a believer out of many including me and can erase the demons that have surrounded this program. Still so much work to do...finishing strong the rest of the year and doing well in the Big 10 and maybe even reaching the NIT. I truly believe today is a milestone win that dissipates the black cloud that has surround this dormant program. This is not "Same ole Rutgers"...its now "Why not Rutgers"
Yet another great start on the road today, RU set the tone with its overriding them which is defense. Holding Iowa to just 30 points and really wreaking havoc causing Iowa turnovers and mishandles. Once again RU's length was such a strength in getting their hands on the ball and clogging up the paint. Bohannon and the rest of the perimeter players were never truly able to get into any rhythm in this game. Offensively Ron Harper was just sick nailing 3s and running the floor in transition and just out of nowhere came Issa Thiam hitting three big treys.....scoring RU's last 9 points in the half at a time when Iowa cut the defecit to 5 and it was critical that RU gain momentum heading into halftime on the road.
It was a quiet half by Eugene who only took one shot with no points being hobbled by foul trouble and injury and Geo who was scoreless and 0-5. I noted that both would have to make some contributions. Eugene's contributions may not seem all that big but his two assists to Doorson inside really signaled that RU wanted this game. Those first few minutes can really change the direction of the game. I love that Pike went inside there and try to reestablish the paint rather than get the points from the perimeter. After a couple of Mathis buckets in the open court, all of sudden RU had breathing space at 49-34. There were some similarities to that Michigan State game where RU throttled Sparty defensively and were playing one of another level offensively. Remember RU took an 11 point lead at one point in the 2nd half and in this game I really felt that lessons learned was going to come into play that when challenged by the home team, the response this time was going to be different...and boy it was. RU's offense got a little stagnant and foul trouble was mounting, it was obvious that Iowa was going to try and draw as many fouls on RU as possible and the refs were all too willing to oblige.
So for me in this game...key juncture...Iowa hits 7 free throws and the 15 point lead cut to 9, RU fouling every possession, Eugene hobbling, Carter ready to foul out. Geo Baker arrives.....an aggressive drive and finish to the hoop ending the 3 minute drought without a basket and then he follows it up with a monster 3 to put RU and then another one a couple minutes later that put RU up 19 with 8:52 and effectively pushing the lead up to a point where it was just a matter of RU being able to hold sway and finish off the game. So lesson learned from MSU game, team didnt panic, team didnt turn it over, team stopped making the silly fouls that put Iowa back in the game. From there on Harper and Mathis used their athleticism to seal the deal after Iowa cut it to 12. As fans we all had that familiar bad feeling about a meltdown coming. But this team is different. Mathis and Harper made sure of it and Caleb McConnell drained his free throws down the strech.
What is amazing is if you go back to the Purdue/Minny games which was arguably the worst two game stretch RU had this season you see a lot of youth not ready to play and crumbling without an injured Eugene. But from there to today you saw a bunch of freshmen grow up before our eyes, to a team that was overwhelmed to a team that without relying on Eugene kept making play after play after play. Iowa was a defeated team tonight. There was no real run, no real rally. Rutgers beat them up, physically, mentally, and most importantly on the scoreboard. No doubt in my mind Rutgers is better than Iowa at this point in the season. Just as Penn State and Illiniois and Indiana, all 4 schools are better than their records, all 4 are playing better than Ohio State, Iowa and Minnesota all teams heading to the NCAA tournament.
Individually Harper who broke out in the first game vs Iowa, really had himself a game tonight....9-13 shooting, 27 points, 4-7 from 3, 5-5 ft, 5 boards. That is player of the week stats....and he is only a freshmen. Harper has had a couple of games where he struggled a bit recently. This game was about continuing to work hard and being able to show what talent he really has. Its going to be fun watching him and Mathis running the show in the open floor the next 3 years.
Issa Thiam who had a huge game vs Iowa last year rose from the missing. What a huge part of this victory tonight and the biggest mystery novel this year on the team.. a much needed missing part. I do not know where he has been or the answer but today he delivered everything we needed from him. 4-9 shooting, 4-6 from 3 in just 10 minutes for 13 minutes...wow. Lets just enjoy this performance from him and welcome back Issa.
Montez and Caleb solid games. Montez again a defensive force and his athleticism a difference maker in the 2nd half. Caleb coming on late scoring 8 of his 11 in the last 6:30. Myles quiet offensively but stepped up with 6 boards, solid D and minutes when RU needed him to provide minutes for Eugene and Carter. Truly the kind of team win where everyone contributes.
Where this team is headed. Well like I said tonight is a program changer. There are games to be played this year. One game at a time but goals once thought out of reach could be within grasp such as 500 and the NIT...but again one game at a time. Thats exactly the approach that Pike and company have been sticking to all year long. As fans let us enjoy where we are at right now and feel good about what is to come. Do not put expectations on this team, let those opportunities come to them as they have all season long. Pike has a plan. In Pike we trust.
