Jerry carinos thoughts on practice today

[Shell21]

Caught some of RU's practice. Thoughts:

--Akwasi Yeboah's practicing & looked good. Nice shooting stroke.

--Some intense battles between Caleb McConnell & Jacob Young in halfcourt 5-on-5. McConnell can be real disruptive on D.

--Ron Harper's been a scoring machine in workouts.

 

[Dpgru]

Thanks, nice to read about something other than Schiano returning as football coach, or not. Can’t wait for mbb to start. Think this team turns the corner for us.

 

[OntheBanks]

Thanks, nice to read about something other than Schiano returning as football coach, or not. Can’t wait for mob to start. Think this team turns the corner for us.

Wait ! Where did you hear this about Schiano returning as football coach. :Shocked

 

[BKIn118]

Was there as well...

Agree with JC's thoughts.

Caleb will be a consistent offensive threat all season...

FTs may be more of a concern than I’d hoped...but it’s still early

Myles Johnson looks to be a problem for people inside, swatted many shots today...

Not sure where Peter Kiss fits right now...

Love the approach Pikiell is taking now with the team, not so macro...rather, focusing on defensive detail, positioning and communication

 

[knights1212]

Thanks for the updates.

 

[higgins3]

Great to hear about McConnell and not surprised.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

Was there as well...

Agree with JC's thoughts.

Caleb will be a consistent offensive threat all season...

FTs may be more of a concern than I’d hoped...but it’s still early

Myles Johnson looks to be a problem for people inside, swatted many shots today...

Not sure where Peter Kiss fits right now...

Love the approach Pikiell is taking now with the team, not so macro...rather, focusing on defensive detail, positioning and communication

BK - more than any of us you have a sense of where we’ve been and where we are. Do you think we are an over .500 team? An NIT team? A bubble NCAA team? Would absolutely love to get your thoughts...

 

[ScarletKid2008]

With the infusion of shooting, I'm upset to see the FT trend continue. This is really really a killer. Literally will be the difference between us making the post season or not. Unfortunately you can't just practice out bad free throw shooting. Many in the NBA have tried over the years with thousands of shots and coaches.

 

[BKIn118]

BK - more than any of us you have a sense of where we’ve been and where we are. Do you think we are an over .500 team? An NIT team? A bubble NCAA team? Would absolutely love to get your thoughts...

Obviously we are all rooting for the big NCAA breakthru season, right?

But...we haven't had a winning season in over a decade, or played any post season games at all since 2006.

Have a winning year, get selected for the NIT, and make some noise when you get there. I'd be fine with that for 19/20.

That would show amazing progress as a program, and allow Pikiell to keep building this thing right.

 

[ChrisNalwasky]

Richie and I were there last week

https://rutgers.rivals.com/news/rutgers-hoops-thursday-practice-notebook-9-26-copy-9383

 

[ScarletR30]

Obviously we are all rooting for the big NCAA breakthru season, right?

But...we haven't had a winning season in over a decade, or played any post season games at all since 2006.

Have a winning year, get selected for the NIT, and make some noise when you get there. I'd be fine with that for 19/20.

That would show amazing progress as a program, and allow Pikiell to keep building this thing right.

NIT selection is so much more different now with all the automatic bids handed out that if we are in it, we are probably right in the hunt for the NCAA tourney. usually 2 or 3 games are what separates teams at the level or a nice B1G tourney run.

I do think we have a chance for this if cards break in our favor though.

 

[jeffro5]

With the infusion of shooting, I'm upset to see the FT trend continue. This is really really a killer. Literally will be the difference between us making the post season or not. Unfortunately you can't just practice out bad free throw shooting. Many in the NBA have tried over the years with thousands of shots and coaches.

Mulcahy has good FT mechanics and should do well. He bends the knees.....wish more of the others would make that adjustment. Sounds simplified but I think it would help. Watch Mulcahy.

 

[phlop87]

Was there as well...

Agree with JC's thoughts.

Caleb will be a consistent offensive threat all season...

FTs may be more of a concern than I’d hoped...but it’s still early

Myles Johnson looks to be a problem for people inside, swatted many shots today...

Not sure where Peter Kiss fits right now...

Love the approach Pikiell is taking now with the team, not so macro...rather, focusing on defensive detail, positioning and communication

thanks for the insight. Can't wait for the season to start.

 

[kcg88]

NIT selection is so much more different now with all the automatic bids handed out that if we are in it, we are probably right in the hunt for the NCAA tourney. usually 2 or 3 games are what separates teams at the level or a nice B1G tourney run.

I do think we have a chance for this if cards break in our favor though.

We need the #1 seeds in the tiny conferences to win their tournament and open up for at-large spots.

Free throw shooting is what is. Even going from where we are to middle of the pack is only worth about 1.4 points per game. More gains to be made with better three-point shooting, three-point defense, rebounding, tunrovers, etc.

 

[ScarletKid2008]

Obviously we are all rooting for the big NCAA breakthru season, right?

But...we haven't had a winning season in over a decade, or played any post season games at all since 2006.

Have a winning year, get selected for the NIT, and make some noise when you get there. I'd be fine with that for 19/20.

That would show amazing progress as a program, and allow Pikiell to keep building this thing right.

Yea but we're all starved and greedy. NIT would mean we're at least sniffing the NCAA as a bubble team. And that alone would create HUGE excitement and a level of disappointment in the moment of getting that close. So I'm going in hoping for NCAAs and then after the season we can look back on it with more objective and reasonable expectations lol. I think this team has something special brewing and in 2020/21 it would be even more amplified because you would *hopefully* bring back all the key pieces and nearly the same team for a second year in a row.

 

[RUPete]

With the infusion of shooting, I'm upset to see the FT trend continue. This is really really a killer. Literally will be the difference between us making the post season or not. Unfortunately you can't just practice out bad free throw shooting. Many in the NBA have tried over the years with thousands of shots and coaches.

I couldn't agree more. Don't want to be negative too early, but this seems to be part of the this team's identity now and that's not good.

 

[ouchmyknee]

Was also at practice. I echo what BK said, but wanted to add just how dominant a player Harper has become. He’s by far the best player on the floor and much improved from last year. He also seems to have developed some hops.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

We need to pump the breaks with our expectations. I realize before the season we all can dream. A .500 record to me would definitely keep us on the right trend line and be a nice improvement.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Not sure why people are worried about free throw shooting. Games haven’t started.

 

[ChrisNalwasky]

Not sure why people are worried about free throw shooting. Games haven’t started.

Rutgers hasn't shot well from the line and I pointed it out in my questions piece last week

 

[kcg88]

It's just not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Teams with bad FT% tend to be poor but that's because free throw shooting correlates with overall shooting. Rutgers should be able to shoot around 67-68% and that's fine. As I said, there are other areas that impact the game more and we're better off spending time on drills refining those areas than shooting free throws.

When Michigan made the title game against Villanova, they were a 66% free throw shooting team. If Beilein ran more shooting drills they probably could've gotten up to 70%, but they'd have sacrificed practice time doing that instead of perfecting their defense. Good coaches adapt to their personnel. We don't have the personnel to be a 75% team from the line. So be it.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Rutgers hasn't shot well from the line and I pointed it out in my questions piece last week

In practice?

There is little to no correlation between foul shooting in practice and games. No one knows this better than me, unfortunately.

 

[Scangg]

First let's start with Bad Take FIG saying caleb isn't even an average defender. That's not gonna age well

We need to pump the breaks with our expectations. I realize before the season we all can dream. A .500 record to me would definitely keep us on the right trend line and be a nice improvement.

.500 this year is a lame goal. This team needs to set it's sights much higher. The team is way too talented for such a low goal. This would be the type of goal set if a loser like Ash was the coach. Goals shouldn't be easily attainable expectations. They should be something to strive for if you give your best. Goal should be NCAA tournament with NIT as a nice consolation prize.

Not sure why people are worried about free throw shooting. Games haven’t started.

Why wouldn't we be worried about FT shooting? It's been an area we have struggled mightily at and may be the difference between a bunch of wins and losses this season

#BTF

 

[cubuffsdoug]

We need to pump the breaks with our expectations. I realize before the season we all can dream. A .500 record to me would definitely keep us on the right trend line and be a nice improvement.

Obviously we are all rooting for the big NCAA breakthru season, right?

But...we haven't had a winning season in over a decade, or played any post season games at all since 2006.

Have a winning year, get selected for the NIT, and make some noise when you get there. I'd be fine with that for 19/20.

That would show amazing progress as a program, and allow Pikiell to keep building this thing right.

Fans can dream. It's up to the players to fulfill their goals and accomplishments. Stop being a Killjoy.

 

[playorbplayd]

Not sure why people are worried about free throw shooting. Games haven’t started.

Mostly for me it's because the margin for error has been so slim for us in games that giving away any points is deadly. When you're easily the more talented team it doesn't matter so much-- when you need most things to go right to win it becomes a pretty big deal.

 

[Degaz-RU]

We need to pump the breaks with our expectations. I realize before the season we all can dream. A .500 record to me would definitely keep us on the right trend line and be a nice improvement.

At the risk of sounding impolitic... F*ck pumping breaks, F*ck trend lines, and F*ck nice improvements.

Sorry, but I would stack up our players against any of the teams below MSU, MD, OSU, and Purdue. Any of them. This team is ready to EXPLODE on the scene, and it's going to be more than an incremental "trend line" improvement from 7-13 to 9-11.

Yeah, I'm feeling a little salty, but I think we're all conditioned to think our team sucks, and that we're just going to improve gradually. It's the whole idea of the "soft bigotry of low expectations" as someone once famously said. But I think this is the year that our team makes that giant leap and becomes the talk of the Big Ten.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

At the risk of sounding impolitic... F*ck pumping breaks, F*ck trend lines, and F*ck nice improvements.

Sorry, but I would stack up our players against any of the teams below MSU, MD, OSU, and Purdue. Any of them. This team is ready to EXPLODE on the scene, and it's going to be more than an incremental "trend line" improvement from 7-13 to 9-11.

Yeah, I'm feeling a little salty, but I think we're all conditioned to think our team sucks, and that we're just going to improve gradually. It's the whole idea of the "soft bigotry of low expectations" as someone once famously said. But I think this is the year that our team makes that giant leap and becomes the talk of the Big Ten.

 

[Scangg]

At the risk of sounding impolitic... F*ck pumping breaks, F*ck trend lines, and F*ck nice improvements.

Sorry, but I would stack up our players against any of the teams below MSU, MD, OSU, and Purdue. Any of them. This team is ready to EXPLODE on the scene, and it's going to be more than an incremental "trend line" improvement from 7-13 to 9-11.

Yeah, I'm feeling a little salty, but I think we're all conditioned to think our team sucks, and that we're just going to improve gradually. It's the whole idea of the "soft bigotry of low expectations" as someone once famously said. But I think this is the year that our team makes that giant leap and becomes the talk of the Big Ten.

My man! This! Exactlyyy.

If you don't see it yet, not sure why, but don't worry, you will. Sit back and enjoy what is going to be a legendary season for Rutgers Basketball

 

[higgins3]

This is the season the team can make it near or to .500

Competitive depth that will push players everyday is critical to have.

6th man is important!

 

[RUPete]

Was also at practice. I echo what BK said, but wanted to add just how dominant a player Harper has become. He’s by far the best player on the floor and much improved from last year. He also seems to have developed some hops.

Well, that’s really great to hear because he really improved so much from game one to the end of the season last year. If he has taken that to another level - wow!

 

[BigEastPhil]

Obviously we are all rooting for the big NCAA breakthru season, right?

But...we haven't had a winning season in over a decade, or played any post season games at all since 2006.

Have a winning year, get selected for the NIT, and make some noise when you get there. I'd be fine with that for 19/20.

That would show amazing progress as a program, and allow Pikiell to keep building this thing right.

As always, BK is spot on. Goal / expectations for this year should be a winning season and hopefully an NIT bid along with it. Should we contend for dance, that’s an extra bonus! Not to say it can’t happen this year but only if all breaks go our way.

 

[Scangg]

As always, BK is spot on. Goal / expectations for this year should be a winning season and hopefully an NIT bid along with it. Should we contend for dance, that’s an extra bonus! Not to say it can’t happen this year but only if all breaks go our way.

See this is the problem. Goals are not the same thing as expectations. If you're expectations are as high as your goals then you aren't setting your goals high enough

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

At B1G media we were picked 13th out of 14. I realize people can be wrong and Rutgers has a stigma.

If I had to guess we win 5 or 6 games and finish some where in 10 to 13th.

Outside of a few I am as big as a fan as anyone. I just don’t see what everyone else sees.

Love to be wrong here.

 

[sct1111]

At B1G media we were picked 13th out of 14. I realize people can be wrong and Rutgers has a stigma.

If I had to guess we win 5 or 6 games and finish some where in 10 to 13th.

Outside of a few I am as big as a fan as anyone. I just don’t see what everyone else sees.

Love to be wrong here.

I think the media is over emphasizing the loss of Omoruyi. They don't realize the depth on this team. Also a lot rides on the development of the Sophomores.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

I think the media is over emphasizing the loss of Omoruyi. They don't realize the depth on this team. Also a lot rides on the development of the Sophomores.

Media like most fans only see the name on the front of the jersey. If you happen to have a player they are aware of and he leaves, then the program is back to square one. Had they taken the time to learn more about Rutgers, they would realize this team is deep and better than some of the teams they voted ahead of Rutgers.

 

[RUChow]

Obviously we are all rooting for the big NCAA breakthru season, right?

But...we haven't had a winning season in over a decade, or played any post season games at all since 2006.

Have a winning year, get selected for the NIT, and make some noise when you get there. I'd be fine with that for 19/20.

That would show amazing progress as a program, and allow Pikiell to keep building this thing right.

It's early and it's practice. We'll be OK from the line, maybe even very good. Likely starters Yeboah, Young, Baker & Harper all have a nice stroke. Johnson's a slight question mark but he will be better.

 

[Scarlet Blind]

If they learn how to finish close games early in the season, they can dance. They lost a few games last year because they didn't know how to close and cost them their winning record

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I think the media is over emphasizing the loss of Omoruyi. They don't realize the depth on this team. Also a lot rides on the development of the Sophomores.

Watch the 3 games he was out and the last 3 games he was playing on one leg. I think our fans are under emphasizing his loss.

I dare anyone to rewatch the Nebraska game where a walkon was killing us.

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/game-31-nebraska-bad-taste.164528/

 

[sct1111]

Watch the 3 games he was out and the last 3 games he was playing on one leg. I think our fans are under emphasizing his loss.

I dare anyone to rewatch the Nebraska game where a walkon was killing us.

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/game-31-nebraska-bad-taste.164528/

I definitely think we're better if he's on the team this year. Like NCAA bubble good. Which is just so weird considering one of the reasons he left was he didn't think so.

You can also look at games like the one against Iowa where Harper dropped 27. I think big jumps from Harper or Mathis or even Carter can somewhat make up for his absence. I think 12th in the conference is just too low. I think 8-11 is more realistic.

 

[Scangg]

I think the media is over emphasizing the loss of Omoruyi. They don't realize the depth on this team. Also a lot rides on the development of the Sophomores.

Plus Young and Yeboah. This team is better than last year's team