I feel so bad for our players

[Degaz-RU]

They played their hearts out for 45 minutes and unfortunately have nothing to show for it than another loss. That defense quite simply stymied one of the best teams in the country. But it's not enough when you can't score the basketball.

It's just not fair. How many times can the team put up a good fight but come away empty?

 

[MadRU]

They played their hearts out for 45 minutes and unfortunately have nothing to show for it than another loss. That defense quite simply stymied one of the best teams in the country. But it's not enough when you can't score the basketball.

It's just not fair. How many times can the team put up a good fight but come away empty?

Don't know about them, but I literally felt sick after the game. These kids played their hearts out and deserved a win today.

Agree with Bac's post about a foundation being built, and I understand the process, brick by brick. But this game was ours. A win means a few bricks, not just one.

 

[Knightmoves]

How about earning the W by finishing out the game ?

No participation trophies in this game, sorry for some.

Not fair ? LOL !

 

[Degaz-RU]

Yeah three hours later I'm still feeling sick about this loss. Just let one slip through our fingers, and it was in slow motion the last 8 minutes, watching a superb game slowly go down the tubes). Sooooo darn frustrating.

And I'm just a fan/alum. I cannot imagine how the players are feeling right now.

I just hope we get a big turnout for Iowa in Tuesday. These kids deserve every bit of support they can get from us (especially after that so-called "home" game at MSG).

 

[MadRU]

No one is asking for a participation trophy or taking a moral victory.

Wisconsin has as much talent as any one in the league and play smart basketball. Our kids left everything on the court and went toe to toe with the best in the league.

 

[RUJMM78]

They played their hearts out for 45 minutes and unfortunately have nothing to show for it than another loss. That defense quite simply stymied one of the best teams in the country. But it's not enough when you can't score the basketball.

It's just not fair. How many times can the team put up a good fight but come away empty?

Defense can keep you in games as seen today but a inept offense will lose you games at the foul line and going over 15 minutes at different parts of the game failing to make a basket.Players in a power conference must be able to perform on offense and defense if Rutgers ever expects to be successful in the B1G.

 

[RU-ROCS]

I was there and it was heartbreaking. FTs were again the biggest nemesis. RU wins going away in regulation if we hit our FTs down the stretch.

 

[knights1212]

The kids did play their hearts out and gave everything they had. we actually outplayed Wisconsin for most of regulation. Our defense was outstanding but we had no answer for Happ. We missed 4 free throws out of our last six attempts when we could have iced the game. We are so much better than we were last year. Pikiell and our entire staff are doing a wonderful job. Many people are too critical. No one expected much at all from our team yet they play hard every game. I see improvement and am hoping we can get several more wins going down the stretch.

 

[rudad02]

Great, great effort by our guys. Our D was lights out for the majority of the game. Wisconsin didn't know whether to scratch their ass or wind their watch.

 

[mrslate]

Sa pretty much lost the game for Rutgers today. Could not convert a wide open dunk that would have ended the game while being fouled, and then missed two ensuing free throws, either of which would have won the game. Plus his stat line was miserable.

 

[njcanesfan]

Sa pretty much lost the game for Rutgers today. Could not convert a wide open dunk that would have ended the game while being fouled, and then missed two ensuing free throws, either of which would have won the game. Plus his stat line was miserable.

In my opinion if we single out a player, it's Gettys... didn't he have about 3 turnovers in the last few mins of reg and OT? What the hell was that double dribble? Really?

 

[mrslate]

In my opinion if we single out a player, it's Gettys... didn't he have about 3 turnovers in the last few mins of reg and OT? What the hell was that double dribble? Really?

Gettys had 5 turnovers for the game, which is 5 too many. But he played his heart out, put up decent numbers, and proved all of you wrong who said he is not a Big Ten player. Sa stood around and picked up a scholarship. It is not his fault, but he needs to be on the bench.

 

[RUsojo]

I'm sure the guys feel bad but I don't feel bad for them. My teammates would've been at each other's throats when guys started missing FTs late while trying to close it out. We wouldn't be talking to one another after this one, but, we would be right back at it against Iowa and ready to go. I'd like to see more fire from the guys and to have them hold each other accountable. I thought a new culture was being built but I still see a team ok with losing. Sad! Need to bounce back against Iowa.

 

[BoroKnight]

Put up a good fight and come away empty? This isn't Little League, people. Look, I had no expectations whatsoever, and I am far more optimistic about Pikiell than I am about Ash (not that I don't think he's capable, I just see more evidence faster from Pikiell). BUT these are young men, on scholarship, here to play basketball. Do I expect them to win against far superior opponents? No, I don't. But when they are in a position to win against ANY opponent and don't, I don't "feel bad" for the players. They are the ones who didn't score one more point today. They also are not the ones who have seen a few hundred losses since the last NCAA berth.

Of course I'm very realistic about this team. I didn't expect the one conference win we have. But when you are in position to win and don't, feeling bad for the players who were in that position and choked is not the first thing on my mind.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

I'm sure the guys feel bad but I don't feel bad for them. My teammates would've been at each other's throats when guys started missing FTs late while trying to close it out. We wouldn't be talking to one another after this one, but, we would be right back at it against Iowa and ready to go. I'd like to see more fire from the guys and to have them hold each other accountable. I thought a new culture was being built but I still see a team ok with losing. Sad! Need to bounce back against Iowa.

Yeah, because being in a teammmate's throat down the stretch of a game when he "started missing free throws late" is a such a super productive thing to do. Great teammates you must've had. So stupid.

 

[gef21]

Learning how to win, for a losing program, is very very difficult. You could see it on our players faces during the Wisconsin rally they they feared losing. They were not trying to win at the end they were trying to avoid the loss. I love our guys. They fight but the culture of losing is a VERY very hard thing to overcome.

 

[Knightmoves]

Gettys had 5 turnovers for the game, which is 5 too many. But he played his heart out, put up decent numbers, and proved all of you wrong who said he is not a Big Ten player. Sa stood around and picked up a scholarship. It is not his fault, but he needs to be on the bench.

Agree about Gettys. He scores and rebounds, something other RU big men don't do. Yesterday's stats for Diallo, Sa and Doorson combined:

Minutes - 37
FG - 0-2
FT - 0-4
Rebounds - 2 ( in 37 minutes)
TO - 4
PF - 7 Extra credit to Diallo for fouling out in 9 minutes.

And yet some fans complain about the play of Gettys ? Just imagine if he didn't come to RU this season and we had to see more of these other guys instead ?

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

Agree about Gettys. He scores and rebounds, something other RU big men don't do. Yesterday's stats for Diallo, Sa and Doorson combined:

Minutes - 37
FG - 0-2
FT - 0-4
Rebounds - 2 ( in 37 minutes)
TO - 4
PF - 7 Extra credit to Diallo for fouling out in 9 minutes.

And yet some fans complain about the play of Gettys ? Just imagine if he didn't come to RU this season and we had to see more of these other guys instead ?

Getty's was a little sloppy with the ball but the refs weren't exactly kind to him and if that pass to his feet was HIS TO then that is wrong. Another EO terrible pass.
His play is why he has been getting more minutes vs. the previous rotations early season.

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

We have to develop some scoring in the next season(s)..because I can't imagine another RU basketball program based on super D while committing too many TOs and an inability to score (already have one of those).

 

[bac2therac]

people are not giving credit to Wisconsin, they played like sh!t for much of the game, but this is a top 15 team, they made plays and shots down the stretch, they have been there before and have experienced players.

 

[winfield102]

I think we gave away 9-10 possessions in the 1st half (unaware of shot clock, traveling, 3 moving screens, at least 4 totally lazy passes). Add that to our free throw shooting at the end of the 1st and 2nd half and you get a loss.

Wisconsin missed contested and many uncontested shots for 40 minutes. They were begging for a loss.

I don't expect to see any improvement with shooting 2's, 3's or free throws. We can't shoot. If you can't shoot, you can't throw away possesions without getting a shot. It's like the team doesn't realize how valuable each possesion is. Until that sinks in, winning ain't happening.

 

[RUJMM78]

Put up a good fight and come away empty? This isn't Little League, people. Look, I had no expectations whatsoever, and I am far more optimistic about Pikiell than I am about Ash (not that I don't think he's capable, I just see more evidence faster from Pikiell). BUT these are young men, on scholarship, here to play basketball. Do I expect them to win against far superior opponents? No, I don't. But when they are in a position to win against ANY opponent and don't, I don't "feel bad" for the players. They are the ones who didn't score one more point today. They also are not the ones who have seen a few hundred losses since the last NCAA berth.

Of course I'm very realistic about this team. I didn't expect the one conference win we have. But when you are in position to win and don't, feeling bad for the players who were in that position and choked is not the first thing on my mind.

Sometimes tough love is required to get out of the morass of losing league games.Feeling bad for the players is a natural reaction but it must end because fans have heard similar comments in close defeats in the past.The players need to hold each other accountable because there is a lack of a go to player like Happ who can carry the team to victory.There is simply no margin for error even after holding Wisconsin to 45 points in regulation time.

 

[RUsojo]

Yeah, because being in a teammmate's throat down the stretch of a game when he "started missing free throws late" is a such a super productive thing to do. Great teammates you must've had. So stupid.

It's all about knowing your teammates and what they respond to. It's a huge problem if you can't tell at your teammate and then get passed it and move on to the next play.

 

[RU-ROCS]

people are not giving credit to Wisconsin, they played like sh!t for much of the game, but this is a top 15 team, they made plays and shots down the stretch, they have been there before and have experienced players.

True. It also helped that they had a lot of fans cheering them on down the stretch at MSG, which was at best a neutral court. I'm still really steamed RU gave a way a home game for this. If it's at the RAC maybe that's the difference, but we'll never know.

 

[Knightmoves]

True. It also helped that they had a lot of fans cheering them on down the stretch at MSG, which was at best a neutral court. I'm still really steamed RU gave a way a home game for this. If it's at the RAC maybe that's the difference, but we'll never know.

Stop. It wasn't the Wisc fans that made the plays at the end of regulation for them while we choked it up at the FT line.

I'm not naming names, but there's a few big men on our roster I'd like to ship out after this season.

 

[mikefla]

Gettys is a good choice(walking, missed rebounds...MISSED defensive block totally in the last 2 minutes). But LOTS of guys "folded".
Even Sanders who drove & had his "layin" basically taken out from his hands. (cleanly)
and a 5 man bench that only contributed THREE buckets ALL game

Sooo close...I cant tell you how many times its pooped in my head since yesterday

 

[RUinFla]

Sojo saying, there is still a losing culture, so why did we dismiss EJ? He has been chirping more since conference season started. That's OK--you have to respect his loyalty. Probably thought FHJ deserved more time, as well.
TL

 

[bowlgoal]

Our guys are working really hard. Free throws are in their heads and that's something they have to conquer. I think it's in their heads, anyway? I'm sure there's no shortage of practicing them?

The word I want to use to describe what's going on is EXCITEMENT. This was probably the first or second best team in the Big 10 and we had them beat. We shut down Nigel Hayes completely. Nobody has done that. This was the first team we played twice this year and Pikiell had a winning game plan. If that can't get you excited in his first year, I wouldn't bother coming. Every Big 10 game we play will be a war. We will win some and we will lose some. But a coach that has taken a team with hardly any outside shooters who can't make free throws and put that team in a position to beat Wisconsin because of a smothering defensive and rebounding group of fearless players is a championship coach.

Come out to the RAC tomorrow. Iowa gets a beat down by our team. Rutgers wins another league game and this time by a convincing margin.

 

[jvdavy]

Make free throws and we win that game. I don't feel bad for them. They should be pissed that they let is slip away and that all the country sees is a 1-8 Big 10 team in the standings - but they are the bottom dweller that can scare anyone with their defense and rebounding. Hopefully they will eventual learn to do the little things that win games. Pikiell is showing to be a very good coach - defense, rebounding and positioning are light years ahead of where we were under Hill or Jordan (Rice could coach but was a lunatic). He'll win eventually but for the remainder of this season, we need an outside shooter to step up or Sanders has to score 25+ per game to win these games.

 

[njcanesfan]

Gettys had 5 turnovers for the game, which is 5 too many. But he played his heart out, put up decent numbers, and proved all of you wrong who said he is not a Big Ten player. Sa stood around and picked up a scholarship. It is not his fault, but he needs to be on the bench.

For the record, I like Gettys and what he's brought to the team. My reply was simply in response to the comment about SA. And yes, when SA touches the ball... I cringe at the thought of what's coming next. Still loving this team though... minus the turnovers. I can deal with the bad shooting.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Stop. It wasn't the Wisc fans that made the plays at the end of regulation for them while we choked it up at the FT line.

I'm not naming names, but there's a few big men on our roster I'd like to ship out after this season.

Yeah, but you cant ignore the massive role home court advantage plays in college basketball. So at home, maybe we don't choke quite so bad at the free throw line.

 

[rubaseball78]

I don't feel bad for them. Losing tough games is part of sports.

 

[RUJMM78]

What should really bother all Rutgers fans is the consistency of losing seasons .Changing coaches staffs every 3-5 years hasn't worked because all fans hear is the cupboard is bare to explain the lack of talent.Fans know there is a lack of talent but no coaching staff has been able to alter the poor recruiting that has perpetuated the losing.