It's going to be a long season...

[ouchmyknee]

I know it's still very early, but after these 3 games I'm afraid we're in for a long frustrating season. The construction of this roster is head scratching. Yes, I do feel like getting Mag back will help there, but there are some serious flaws to the way this team is constructed. We were all excited about the prospects of having fast guards who could penetrate, get to the rim, or pass out to the wings for open 3s. Yet, we haven't seen any of that. Through 3 games we're not getting much of anything from our backcourt. I think the biggest issue is that Fernandes hasn't given us anything yet. He can't create his own shot, he doesn't take it to the rim, and he doesn't shoot. And this is all affecting Simpson as well - making him spend too much time off the ball where he's not as effective. Our backcourt has been abysmal and I feel like we're play 3 on 5 for large stretches of the game.

This team also lacks toughness and leadership. Someone desperately needs to step up and be a vocal leader. There's no general out there. I'm sorry, but Oscar is a captain. What does that tell you?

I'm not sure how we improve enough to be a middle of the pack team.

Now, there are some positives. I think Gavin is going to be a stud. Hopefully Pike will let him learn through his mistakes. His teammates haven't done him many favors giving him the ball in good spots, but Gavin can create his own shot. The biggest surprise to me so far has been the play of Davis. He should be our starting PG. He is fast, not afraid to shoot, plays good defense, and actually is a great rebounder for someone his size. I also think Wolf is better than people give him credit for. He's a very versatile player who has great hands, quick feet, and plays sneaky good defense.

Moving forward, I think Davis needs to take Fernandes starting spot. Simpson should back Davis up. We need to see more drives to the basket from our guards dishing out to Hyatt and Griffiths on the wings.

I pray I'm wrong, but I see this season being a step back (which I think we all expected). If I were a betting man I think we finish around .500 for the season and below .500 in league.

 

[DirtyRU]

I dunno man, Davis has REALLY unimpressed me so far. Just not seeing it. He's got about a dozen missed layups so far this season, he can't shoot threes, and his shot selection is very very poor. I say u keep riding Fernandes. Remember, he is still shaking off a TON of rust after a season-ending injury last year, and is still getting in game shape, plus adjusting to a new system/program. And let's not forget that Austin Williams is ALSO shaking off injury rust. I firmly believe those two will improve as players as the season progresses.

 

[YoucancallmeRay]

Take a deep breath. Hyatt is playing well, Simpson is coming along, Cliff was great in the 2nd half, Gavin will be solid. Rebounding and defense were good also. Gotta work on turnovers and FTs. At least wait until a couple of B10 games before you write the team off. It's only 3 games and 2-1, not 0-3.

 

[darkcheck]

I know it's still very early, but after these 3 games I'm afraid we're in for a long frustrating season. The construction of this roster is head scratching. Yes, I do feel like getting Mag back will help there, but there are some serious flaws to the way this team is constructed. We were all excited about the prospects of having fast guards who could penetrate, get to the rim, or pass out to the wings for open 3s. Yet, we haven't seen any of that. Through 3 games we're not getting much of anything from our backcourt. I think the biggest issue is that Fernandes hasn't given us anything yet. He can't create his own shot, he doesn't take it to the rim, and he doesn't shoot. And this is all affecting Simpson as well - making him spend too much time off the ball where he's not as effective. Our backcourt has been abysmal and I feel like we're play 3 on 5 for large stretches of the game.

This team also lacks toughness and leadership. Someone desperately needs to step up and be a vocal leader. There's no general out there. I'm sorry, but Oscar is a captain. What does that tell you?

I'm not sure how we improve enough to be a middle of the pack team.

Now, there are some positives. I think Gavin is going to be a stud. Hopefully Pike will let him learn through his mistakes. His teammates haven't done him many favors giving him the ball in good spots, but Gavin can create his own shot. The biggest surprise to me so far has been the play of Davis. He should be our starting PG. He is fast, not afraid to shoot, plays good defense, and actually is a great rebounder for someone his size. I also think Wolf is better than people give him credit for. He's a very versatile player who has great hands, quick feet, and plays sneaky good defense.

Moving forward, I think Davis needs to take Fernandes starting spot. Simpson should back Davis up. We need to see more drives to the basket from our guards dishing out to Hyatt and Griffiths on the wings.

I pray I'm wrong, but I see this season being a step back (which I think we all expected). If I were a betting man I think we finish around .500 for the season and below .500 in league.

I agree on most if not all points.

 

[BigEastPhil]

It's going to be a challenging year !

Saying it's going to be long and frustrating year is a bit premature and over the top.

It's critical that Mag returns healthy / can contribute and thus rest of team can settle in their roles.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Last years team started 3-0 by blowing out overmatched Columbia, Sacred Heart etc....there were easy dunks and wide open 3s to be made. We felt great about things and then we went to Mohegan Sun and were pretty much beaten wire to wire by a decent, but not spectacular Temple team.

RU looked amazing against the cream puffs last year. When the competition and defense stepped up, RU struggled to score....beating Columbia by 40...beating Sacred Heart by 30 or 40 by keeping starters in the game. We all thought things were fine.

Then after a 0-5 from Spencer from 3 point range vs Temple....we visited Miami.....and with a lot of sloppy play, we lost a game against supposedly, mid-level ACC Miami....another bad loss?? ...only 61 points.

The point of this, by the end of December last year, RU had played one really good game against Indiana and Cam Spencer was 3 of 19 from 3 vs Temple, Miami, Ohio State and Seton Hall.

There would be games where Spencer absolutely saved RU (Northwestern, Wisconsin and clearly, vs # 1 Purdue), but over an extended full season of B1G play, it was some good, some not so good.

The scouting reports and film doesn't lie....if you're an opponent of RU and could stay attached to Spencer and reduce his airspace to shoot 3s, he couldn't drive, he wouldn't attack the basket to score or draw fouls.

This year could also be a NIT season.....but there's no way I would run it back with the same, crystal clear limitations we had last year. Changes and improvements in the backcourt were needed. Getting defense and points in transition didn't happen last year, despite good team defense.....good team defense never transitioned to layups or easy baskets.

This year with Gavin Griffiths as your starting guard, you get the same threat to the defense from 3 point range BUT, now you also get a player, who can attack the basket, hit pull up shots, get all the way to the basket and score.....he's also 6'8 and and finish above the rim.

I think when Simpson eventually gets the ball as starter and we pair him with Griffiths and let Fernandes run the 2nd unit as the 6th man off the bench, is when RU will be best. It is an actual competition, which is why Fernandes has an opportunity to win the starting job.

But it's not going to be a situation where Pike feels compelled or overly loyal to keep playing anyone at guard like last year with Mulcahy. Having Mulcahy again, would have been an assumption of 28 to 30 minutes and that wasn't going to be fair for Mulcahy or best for this year's roster. It needed new blood, new energy and more room for growth for Simpson, Davis and Griffiths to develop.

Fernandes is a smart player and has an important role but I never thought his arrival, would stop the growth for Simpson and Davis playing 20+ minutes a game. Fernandes has a role for 18 to 20 minutes a game. That's going to be critical, because he can shoot, pass and run the offense for some possessions on and off the ball.

Let's get through the end of December first.....BUT if we based things off of where we were last year....after December 11th, we were 6-4, just lost to Seton Hall by only scoring 43 points at the RAC..... Spencer was 3-19 from 3 against Temple, Ohio State, Miami and Seton Hall....a 3 point game at Miami and 4 points vs Seton Hall.....

Last year was a veteran roster, with limited upside (other than Mag and Simpson and eventually Woolfolk at the very end of the season).

This year has more upside....(Simpson, Davis, Griffiths, Woolfolk and Mag returning and contributing) exceeds last year.

Anything we get from Fernandes, Austin Williams is gravy in terms of depth, but I believe in them vs last years depth.....last year was Jalen Miller, we didn't play Palmquist until Mag got hurt and Chol was a redshirt.....and Woolfolk was a frosh learning......and we sat on Simpson too long, while playing Mulcahy too many minutes, with not enough productivity.

Let's play it out, but make no mistake.....this is a growth and development season for Simpson, Davis, Woolfolk and Griffiths, so we are better positioned in 2024-25, when that recruiting class arrives.

We need those 4 players getting valuable experience this year, so Bailey, both Dylans, Dortch and Sommerville, are not asked to do it all as freshman.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Last years team started 3-0 by blowing out overmatched Columbia, Sacred Heart etc....there were easy dunks and wide open 3s to be made. We felt great about things and then we went to Mohegan Sun and were pretty much beaten wire to wire by a decent, but not spectacular Temple team.

RU looked amazing against the cream puffs last year. When the competition and defense stepped up, RU struggled to score....beating Columbia by 40...beating Sacred Heart by 30 or 40 by keeping starters in the game. We all thought things were fine.

Then after a 0-5 from Spencer from 3 point range vs Temple....we visited Miami.....and with a lot of sloppy play, we lost a game against supposedly, mid-level ACC Miami....another bad loss?? ...only 61 points.

The point of this, by the end of December last year, RU had played one really good game against Indiana and Cam Spencer was 3 of 19 from 3 vs Temple, Miami, Ohio State and Seton Hall.

There would be games where Spencer absolutely saved RU (Northwestern, Wisconsin and clearly, vs # 1 Purdue), but over an extended full season of B1G play, it was some good, some not so good.

The scouting reports and film doesn't lie....if you're an opponent of RU and could stay attached to Spencer and reduce his airspace to shoot 3s, he couldn't drive, he wouldn't attack the basket to score or draw fouls.

This year could also be a NIT season.....but there's no way I would run it back with the same, crystal clear limitations we had last year. Changes and improvements in the backcourt were needed. Getting defense and points in transition didn't happen last year, despite good team defense.....good team defense never transitioned to layups or easy baskets.

This year with Gavin Griffiths as your starting guard, you get the same threat to the defense from 3 point range BUT, now you also get a player, who can attack the basket, hit pull up shots, get all the way to the basket and score.....he's also 6'8 and and finish above the rim.

I think when Simpson eventually gets the ball as starter and we pair him with Griffiths and let Fernandes run the 2nd unit as the 6th man off the bench, is when RU will be best. It is an actual competition, which is why Fernandes has an opportunity to win the starting job.

But it's not going to be a situation where Pike feels compelled or overly loyal to keep playing anyone at guard like last year with Mulcahy. Having Mulcahy again, would have been an assumption of 28 to 30 minutes and that wasn't going to be fair for Mulcahy or best for this year's roster. It needed new blood, new energy and more room for growth for Simpson, Davis and Griffiths to develop.

Fernandes is a smart player and has an important role but I never thought his arrival, would stop the growth for Simpson and Davis playing 20+ minutes a game. Fernandes has a role for 18 to 20 minutes a game. That's going to be critical, because he can shoot, pass and run the offense for some possessions on and off the ball.

Let's get through the end of December first.....BUT if we based things off of where we were last year....after December 11th, we were 6-4, just lost to Seton Hall by only scoring 43 points at the RAC..... Spencer was 3-19 from 3 against Temple, Ohio State, Miami and Seton Hall....a 3 point game at Miami and 4 points vs Seton Hall.....

Last year was a veteran roster, with limited upside (other than Mag and Simpson and eventually Woolfolk at the very end of the season).

This year has more upside....(Simpson, Davis, Griffiths, Woolfolk and Mag returning and contributing) exceeds last year.

Anything we get from Fernandes, Austin Williams is gravy in terms of depth, but I believe in them vs last years depth.....last year was Jalen Miller, we didn't play Palmquist until Mag got hurt and Chol was a redshirt.....and Woolfolk was a frosh learning......and we sat on Simpson too long, while playing Mulcahy too many minutes, with not enough productivity.

Let's play it out, but make no mistake.....this is a growth and development season for Simpson, Davis, Woolfolk and Griffiths, so we are better positioned in 2024-25, when that recruiting class arrives.

We need those 4 players getting valuable experience this year, so Bailey, both Dylans, Dortch and Sommerville, are not asked to do it all as freshman.

There’s no “coaching for next year” in the world of NIL. Who knows which players will return. It’s a total crap shoot.

The bottom line is none of the next 3 games are going to be easy for us. Howard lost at Georgia Tech by 3. St Peters lost to SHU by 11 but that was a close game too (St Peters led by 1 at half). Georgetown could easily beat us too. If we lose 2 out of 3, the season is basically over in November… Not enough quality wins available in the BIG to overcome that kind of a start. The year we lost to Lafayette was a strong year for the BIG - very different. Critical stretch coming up for us.

 

[CranfordKnight]

It's like 2021 all over again, writing off the season before it's even gotten off the ground and we have our full team out there. I'll wait to see how it all comes together and have faith in the team and staff they will figure things out.

 

[Scarlet Craig]

It's like 2021 all over again, writing off the season before it's even gotten off the ground and we have our full team out there. I'll wait to see how it all comes together and have faith in the team and staff they will figure things out.

👆🏻

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

The struggles of last year early were because Paul and Caleb were out. Full stop!!!!!

Simpson was thrown to the wolves against Temple and he wasn't ready. We had no other options.

Good news is that we also have an injury this year, Mag.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

The sky is always falling at Rutgers😁

 

[RUInsanity]

There’s no “coaching for next year” in the world of NIL. Who knows which players will return. It’s a total crap shoot.

The bottom line is none of the next 3 games are going to be easy for us. Howard lost at Georgia Tech by 3. St Peters lost to SHU by 11 but that was a close game too (St Peters led by 1 at half). Georgetown could easily beat us too. If we lose 2 out of 3, the season is basically over in November… Not enough quality wins available in the BIG to overcome that kind of a start. The year we lost to Lafayette was a strong year for the BIG - very different. Critical stretch coming up for us.

Your post seems pretty hyperbolic IMO.

While it may seem like a total crap shoot to a fan - I imagine that any astute coach has a good idea of who will be leaving the program on any given year. Of course there could be surprises - but good coaches / programs continue to focus on both present AND FUTURE regardless of NIL. Some players will transfer in / out based on performance, need and/or NIL ......but that does not stop a coach from continuing to develop players with an eye towards how they will perform or be coached in the future when paired with incoming recruits as well as potential transfer candidates.

Also - not sure how anyone could know for sure at this point how many or few quality wins would be available in BIG league play this year.

 

[S_Janowski]

It’s way too early to be concluding what OP is concluding on. Year after year fans overreact about players or the team overall in November & December and but the time February rolls around things look a lot different.

With so many new pieces and the implementation of a different style - we need to have even more patience this season.

There are definitely a number of questions & concerns that we hopefully see resolved over the next 45 days. The biggest ones for me include:

- Who will be our team leaders
- Who will be our go to scorer(s)
- What will Pikiell’s 7-8 man rotation end up being
- Will Mag be able to return to his previous form
- Will our PG’s be able to setup/get the most out of Cliff
- Will be able to defend well enough in BIG10 play with our smaller/lighter guards
- Will our shooting be improved enough to make up for our loss in defense

One thing that makes me feel good is that Pikiell and his staff have proven for the most part to get the most out of their players as the season goes on. Things will look a lot different by February and now isn’t the time to panic.

 

[S.W.A.I.N]

I dunno man, Davis has REALLY unimpressed me so far. Just not seeing it. He's got about a dozen missed layups so far this season, he can't shoot threes, and his shot selection is very very poor. I say u keep riding Fernandes. Remember, he is still shaking off a TON of rust after a season-ending injury last year, and is still getting in game shape, plus adjusting to a new system/program. And let's not forget that Austin Williams is ALSO shaking off injury rust. I firmly believe those two will improve as players as the season progresses.

This post will age like milk. JMike is going to be a freaking stud.

 

[DirtyRU]

This post will age like milk. JMike is going to be a freaking stud.

I hope so!

 

[Salvi's Headband]

I see no reason to be down on JMike at all. I think he was the only one with the athleticism to contain #24 yesterday.

 

[RAC93]

I know it's still very early, but after these 3 games I'm afraid we're in for a long frustrating season. The construction of this roster is head scratching. Yes, I do feel like getting Mag back will help there, but there are some serious flaws to the way this team is constructed. We were all excited about the prospects of having fast guards who could penetrate, get to the rim, or pass out to the wings for open 3s. Yet, we haven't seen any of that. Through 3 games we're not getting much of anything from our backcourt. I think the biggest issue is that Fernandes hasn't given us anything yet. He can't create his own shot, he doesn't take it to the rim, and he doesn't shoot. And this is all affecting Simpson as well - making him spend too much time off the ball where he's not as effective. Our backcourt has been abysmal and I feel like we're play 3 on 5 for large stretches of the game.

This team also lacks toughness and leadership. Someone desperately needs to step up and be a vocal leader. There's no general out there. I'm sorry, but Oscar is a captain. What does that tell you?

I'm not sure how we improve enough to be a middle of the pack team.

Now, there are some positives. I think Gavin is going to be a stud. Hopefully Pike will let him learn through his mistakes. His teammates haven't done him many favors giving him the ball in good spots, but Gavin can create his own shot. The biggest surprise to me so far has been the play of Davis. He should be our starting PG. He is fast, not afraid to shoot, plays good defense, and actually is a great rebounder for someone his size. I also think Wolf is better than people give him credit for. He's a very versatile player who has great hands, quick feet, and plays sneaky good defense.

Moving forward, I think Davis needs to take Fernandes starting spot. Simpson should back Davis up. We need to see more drives to the basket from our guards dishing out to Hyatt and Griffiths on the wings.

I pray I'm wrong, but I see this season being a step back (which I think we all expected). If I were a betting man I think we finish around .500 for the season and below .500 in league.

Agree with much of this, but let’s get Mag back and then see what they look like. Only issue is that Mag’s not a guard so the guards have to improve their play. This team will ride or die with Fernandes and Simpson, they are the keys. If their play improves then this team could be something. If they don’t come around, agreed this team is in for a long year. Simpson looked good yesterday against Bryant, that was encouraging. Big Ten play will arrive soon so they have time but the clock is ticking….

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Your post seems pretty hyperbolic IMO.

While it may seem like a total crap shoot to a fan - I imagine that any astute coach has a good idea of who will be leaving the program on any given year. Of course there could be surprises - but good coaches / programs continue to focus on both present AND FUTURE regardless of NIL. Some players will transfer in / out based on performance, need and/or NIL ......but that does not stop a coach from continuing to develop players with an eye towards how they will perform or be coached in the future when paired with incoming recruits as well as potential transfer candidates.

Also - not sure how anyone could know for sure at this point how many or few quality wins would be available in BIG league play this year.

With the recruiting class that is expected to come in PLUS potentially Dylan Harper Pike has no idea of what next year looks like. It is possible next year you have only 2-3 players return.

If some of these players are 2/3 as good as we expect what does that mean for minutes.

What potential role does Simpson and Woolfolk have? If we have Bailey and Harper for 1 year wouldn't it make sense and try and get a 1 year rental at PG?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It’s way too early to be concluding what OP is concluding on. Year after year fans overreact about players or the team overall in November & December and but the time February rolls around things look a lot different.

With so many new pieces and the implementation of a different style - we need to have even more patience this season.

There are definitely a number of questions & concerns that we hopefully see resolved over the next 45 days. The biggest ones for me include:

- Who will be our team leaders
- Who will be our go to scorer(s)
- What will Pikiell’s 7-8 man rotation end up being
- Will Mag be able to return to his previous form
- Will our PG’s be able to setup/get the most out of Cliff
- Will be able to defend well enough in BIG10 play with our smaller/lighter guards
- Will our shooting be improved enough to make up for our loss in defense

One thing that makes me feel good is that Pikiell and his staff have proven for the most part to get the most out of their players as the season goes on. Things will look a lot different by February and now isn’t the time to panic.

The season is now 10% complete. Your list pretty much sums it up for me. I am definitely running out of patience. I will be in full panic mode, regardless of the outcome, if we don't at least start getting some confidence with these after the St. Peter's game. The Mag one may be non negotiable at this point

 

[richthedentist]

I dunno man, Davis has REALLY unimpressed me so far. Just not seeing it. He's got about a dozen missed layups so far this season, he can't shoot threes, and his shot selection is very very poor. I say u keep riding Fernandes. Remember, he is still shaking off a TON of rust after a season-ending injury last year, and is still getting in game shape, plus adjusting to a new system/program. And let's not forget that Austin Williams is ALSO shaking off injury rust. I firmly believe those two will improve as players as the season progresses.

Agree 100% with you on Davis he is a good defender and obviously can rebound but unfortunately he is a terrible shooter and foul shooter which is why his minutes need to be limited
I am surprised by Fernandes he just seems very hesitant but as you say that could be the rust and wanting to work in with his teammates but he needs to shoot and drive more

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It took Cam Spencer quite a few games to come out of his shell and i am really hoping the same holds true for Fernandes.

I am in the minority here........I am hoping and expecting (confidence waning a bit) that Noah is the point guard and will be the guy getting the majority of the minutes and being on the floor down the stretch as the guy.

I know the A10 is not the B1G, but we have data showing he can be the guy and he can knock down shots.

We also have data that he always gets hurt.

 

[darkcheck]

It took Cam Spencer quite a few games to come out of his shell and i am really hoping the same holds true for Fernandes.

I am in the minority here........I am hoping and expecting (confidence waning a bit) that Noah is the point guard and will be the guy getting the majority of the minutes and being on the floor down the stretch as the guy.

I know the A10 is not the B1G, but we have data showing he can be the guy and he can knock down shots.

We also have data that he always gets hurt.

Cam did the little things though, leadership things. Hustle, steals, help outside of his position. It was only the shooting that took a bit to come around.

 

[fatsam98]

Thread title is a little over the top, but agree with a lot of the points.

One thing I'll add is that if you listen to Pike's post game press conferences so far this year, he's made a point of mentioning that the teams we've faced so far are playing differently than he expected. And we weren't as prepared as he would have liked as a result.

Hoping that shouldn't be an issue going forward...

 

[FIJI'83]

Our Achilles has and remains lack of scoring. For the most part, we will win when Hyatt and/ or Griffiths hit their shots and will lose when they run both run cold at the same time. Yes, this is a generalization but I believe it will prove true … and this is not such a bad reality.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Your post seems pretty hyperbolic IMO.

While it may seem like a total crap shoot to a fan - I imagine that any astute coach has a good idea of who will be leaving the program on any given year. Of course there could be surprises - but good coaches / programs continue to focus on both present AND FUTURE regardless of NIL. Some players will transfer in / out based on performance, need and/or NIL ......but that does not stop a coach from continuing to develop players with an eye towards how they will perform or be coached in the future when paired with incoming recruits as well as potential transfer candidates.

Also - not sure how anyone could know for sure at this point how many or few quality wins would be available in BIG league play this year.

Green already responded appropriately to you first paragraph. With the recruits we have coming in there is no telling who is going to end up sticking around from this roster.

On your second point - I guess we’ll see but so far the BIG hasn’t looked very good at all.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Last years team started 3-0 by blowing out overmatched Columbia, Sacred Heart etc....there were easy dunks and wide open 3s to be made. We felt great about things and then we went to Mohegan Sun and were pretty much beaten wire to wire by a decent, but not spectacular Temple team.

RU looked amazing against the cream puffs last year. When the competition and defense stepped up, RU struggled to score....beating Columbia by 40...beating Sacred Heart by 30 or 40 by keeping starters in the game. We all thought things were fine.

Then after a 0-5 from Spencer from 3 point range vs Temple....we visited Miami.....and with a lot of sloppy play, we lost a game against supposedly, mid-level ACC Miami....another bad loss?? ...only 61 points.

The point of this, by the end of December last year, RU had played one really good game against Indiana and Cam Spencer was 3 of 19 from 3 vs Temple, Miami, Ohio State and Seton Hall.

There would be games where Spencer absolutely saved RU (Northwestern, Wisconsin and clearly, vs # 1 Purdue), but over an extended full season of B1G play, it was some good, some not so good.

The scouting reports and film doesn't lie....if you're an opponent of RU and could stay attached to Spencer and reduce his airspace to shoot 3s, he couldn't drive, he wouldn't attack the basket to score or draw fouls.

This year could also be a NIT season.....but there's no way I would run it back with the same, crystal clear limitations we had last year. Changes and improvements in the backcourt were needed. Getting defense and points in transition didn't happen last year, despite good team defense.....good team defense never transitioned to layups or easy baskets.

This year with Gavin Griffiths as your starting guard, you get the same threat to the defense from 3 point range BUT, now you also get a player, who can attack the basket, hit pull up shots, get all the way to the basket and score.....he's also 6'8 and and finish above the rim.

I think when Simpson eventually gets the ball as starter and we pair him with Griffiths and let Fernandes run the 2nd unit as the 6th man off the bench, is when RU will be best. It is an actual competition, which is why Fernandes has an opportunity to win the starting job.

But it's not going to be a situation where Pike feels compelled or overly loyal to keep playing anyone at guard like last year with Mulcahy. Having Mulcahy again, would have been an assumption of 28 to 30 minutes and that wasn't going to be fair for Mulcahy or best for this year's roster. It needed new blood, new energy and more room for growth for Simpson, Davis and Griffiths to develop.

Fernandes is a smart player and has an important role but I never thought his arrival, would stop the growth for Simpson and Davis playing 20+ minutes a game. Fernandes has a role for 18 to 20 minutes a game. That's going to be critical, because he can shoot, pass and run the offense for some possessions on and off the ball.

Let's get through the end of December first.....BUT if we based things off of where we were last year....after December 11th, we were 6-4, just lost to Seton Hall by only scoring 43 points at the RAC..... Spencer was 3-19 from 3 against Temple, Ohio State, Miami and Seton Hall....a 3 point game at Miami and 4 points vs Seton Hall.....

Last year was a veteran roster, with limited upside (other than Mag and Simpson and eventually Woolfolk at the very end of the season).

This year has more upside....(Simpson, Davis, Griffiths, Woolfolk and Mag returning and contributing) exceeds last year.

Anything we get from Fernandes, Austin Williams is gravy in terms of depth, but I believe in them vs last years depth.....last year was Jalen Miller, we didn't play Palmquist until Mag got hurt and Chol was a redshirt.....and Woolfolk was a frosh learning......and we sat on Simpson too long, while playing Mulcahy too many minutes, with not enough productivity.

Let's play it out, but make no mistake.....this is a growth and development season for Simpson, Davis, Woolfolk and Griffiths, so we are better positioned in 2024-25, when that recruiting class arrives.

We need those 4 players getting valuable experience this year, so Bailey, both Dylans, Dortch and Sommerville, are not asked to do it all as freshman.

Paul and Caleb missed the Miami and Temple games. That may of had something to do with the losses.

Correction- Caleb played vs Miami but the team was missing at least one starter for all of Nov.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Illinois game will be very telling
As will at Wake.

Then Seton Hall in Newark.

imagine Pike going winless in the last 3 games vs SHU?

 

[Nycrusupporter]

It took Cam Spencer quite a few games to come out of his shell and i am really hoping the same holds true for Fernandes.

I am in the minority here........I am hoping and expecting (confidence waning a bit) that Noah is the point guard and will be the guy getting the majority of the minutes and being on the floor down the stretch as the guy.

I know the A10 is not the B1G, but we have data showing he can be the guy and he can knock down shots.

We also have data that he always gets hurt.

We absolutely need Noah to start playing better and shooting 3s. When we play better teams, if none of our guards are threats from 3, we will lose a lot of games.

 

[RUPete]

Illinois game will be very telling
As will at Wake.

Then Seton Hall in Newark.

imagine Pike going winless in the last 3 games vs SHU?

We’ll find a way to survive.

 

[RUJMM78]

Cam did the little things though, leadership things. Hustle, steals, help outside of his position. It was only the shooting that took a bit to come around.

Rutgers half court offense had very few plays to get Spencer open 3 point shots.The same thing is happening with Griffiths.He does,however,have the ability to create shots off the dribble with his height.

 

[S.W.A.I.N]

This post will age like milk. JMike is going to be a freaking stud.

Like rancid, spoiled milk. Love this kid!