Last night RU looked like a team that just wanted the long season to end already

[scarletmark]

Ohio State came at the tail-end of a long, grueling season plagued by injury and illness. Reality seemed to set in that it will be another losing season. The outcome would not affect the standings. Another rough road game. The players just looked tired and out of sync.
I think the performance would have been better if it were a meaningful game. There were still opportunities. The game plan got many players open looks, but they could not put the ball in the basket.
Can't shoot threes well.... ok, that is a specially talent.
Can't shoot 9-10 foot jumpers?
Can't hit 1-2 foot gimmies?? Even after 2-3 offensive rebounds
Can't hit free throws???

It does seem that the team is ready for a much needed rest. So are the coaches...and especially so are the fans.

Next year's team is supposed to be reinforced with good shooters.......Right??? We are ready for the good times!!

 

[kcg88]

They also looked that way against Purdue the first time, Ohio State the first time, Penn State, Illinois, and Indiana.

For all the good vibes of the SHU win, almost winning @ Michigan State, keeping up with Purdue the second time... our average margin of defeat in 14 losses was 16.5 points.

Last year, in 15 losses, it was 13.1 points. That's not counting the disaster against Northwestern in round 2 of the B1G tournament because I assume we'd get similarly throttled by whoever we face should we make it there this year.

 

[cRURah]

I think the performance would have been better if it were a meaningful game

When is the last time we played a meaningful game?

 

[mrslate]

This season is as bad as last season, whether or not anyone wants to admit it. And take a look at the opposition last night if you want to see how things can change in one season .

 

[RUChoppin]

I think it also showed just how important a cog Baker is to the success of this team.

Even though he's struggled a bit to put points up lately, he'd only played fewer than 28 minutes three times this year. What little offense we have flows much better when he's on the court.

 

[G- RUnit]

We had a nice run to end the first half. Poor shooters lead to slow starts both halves. Can't recover on the road. Hate to say it but Nigel Johnson would have really helped.

As the announcers also noted, our schedule was ridiculously difficult in league, Purdue 2X, MSU 2X, OSU 2X, Nebraska 2X, PSU away, Minnesota when they were good...

Throw in ridiculous refs...

 

[willisneverrana43]

Ohio State came at the tail-end of a long, grueling season plagued by injury and illness. Reality seemed to set in that it will be another losing season. The outcome would not affect the standings. Another rough road game. The players just looked tired and out of sync.
I think the performance would have been better if it were a meaningful game. There were still opportunities. The game plan got many players open looks, but they could not put the ball in the basket.
Can't shoot threes well.... ok, that is a specially talent.
Can't shoot 9-10 foot jumpers?
Can't hit 1-2 foot gimmies?? Even after 2-3 offensive rebounds
Can't hit free throws???

It does seem that the team is ready for a much needed rest. So are the coaches...and especially so are the fans.

Next year's team is supposed to be reinforced with good shooters.......Right??? We are ready for the good times!!

How do you think Ohio State would have played if they didn’t know that the worst or close to worst team in the B1G was coming in and OSU would win easily? Maybe OSU wouldn’t have chosen to only turn it on in spurts, like when RU shaved down the lead.

This is the team we have.

 

[willisneverrana43]

. . . Poor shooters lead to slow starts both halves. ...

What does that even mean? Poor shooters need to warm up so that they can . . . uh . . . miss shots better? The truth is that poor shooters lead to too few points and losses.

 

[shields]

Williams getting hurt, sorry when Jake plays 8 or 9 minutes we have no chance. Does not shoot, playing 4 on 5.

 

[RURM85]

Blaming the refs, schedule, B1G Office, CIA, etc. is as ridiculous as it gets. The overall results this year was similar to last, noting 3 out of 4 hard fought losses against the top 2 teams in the Conference. Issa and Eugene made strides, Geo is an eye opener as a freshman and hopefully the future brings us more wins. Wouldn't get too hung up on a few points differential in losses.
In summary, the Rutgers kids played real hard in most games, however, the difference in depth against a number of these B1G teams is clearly evident.

 

[Local Shill]

Every team in America has some bright spots and can play well for a few minutes at a time. Doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Face it, this is a bad basketball team at least 2-3 years from even making the NIT barring some kind of elite 2019 class which we all know is not happening.

 

[G- RUnit]

What does that even mean? Poor shooters need to warm up so that they can . . . uh . . . miss shots better? The truth is that poor shooters lead to too few points and losses.

We can make up for poor shooting at home not on the road.

 

[RUJMM78]

Fans need to understand that mens basketball has been ignored for decades and the only thing that has changed is the names of the coaches and players.Rutgers has been over matched in talent since joining the Big East to the present and except for a few positive blips with a NIT bid the results have been very disappointing .Wasted scholarships have become the norm because the perception of the program is so bad .Winning matters in attracting higher level talent because recruits have choices in selecting a school.Being a member of the B1G isn't enough to change impressions.

Pikiell has now been the head coach for two seasons and the won/loss record against league competition still places Rutgers at the bottom of B1G rankings.There must be a sense of urgency to change the status quo and that means further roster changes are needed for next season.Rutgers can't continue having players on the court that lack offensive skills.Defense and rebounding have shown improvement but games are won by teams that have multiple scoring threats on the court at all times.The clock is ticking and Rutgers must stop kicking the can down the road.

 

[TheHandOfChaos]

We suck pretty bad compared to the rest of our conference. There's really no other way to slice it.

Felt like I could have scraped together a team at the Y that could have beaten the team I witnessed last night.

I've become embarassed to watch both RU FB and BB conference games anymore in front of/together with anyone else. My wife, since we've been together (the past 3 years), has come to think Im a complete masochist due to my emotional investment in these teams that get constantly outclassed. if the day ever comes that we are good at something, it will feel nice to be proud to watch RU games in public/together with others.

 

[mrslate]

We suck pretty bad compared to the rest of our conference. There's really no other way to slice it.

Felt like I could have scraped together a team at the Y that could have beaten the team I witnessed last night.

I've become embarassed to watch both RU FB and BB conference games anymore in front of/together with anyone else. My wife, since we've been together (the past 3 years), has come to think Im a complete masochist due to my emotional investment in these teams that get constantly outclassed. if the day ever comes that we are good at something, it will feel nice to be proud to watch RU games in public/together with others.

Pretty much sums up the life of a Rutgers fan, at least for the last 5 years or so.

 

[RUJMM78]

Pretty much sums up the life of a Rutgers fan, at least for the last 5 years or so.

Its been a lot longer than five years.For starters 12 straight losing seasons and for us long suffering fans 27 years and counting without one NCAA bid.A nightmare that seems to have no ending.

 

[soundcrib]

They’re not having fun. The assistant coaches don’t seem to be having fun either.

 

[MGSA99]

Haven’t watched a single game this year. Glad I didn’t. Won’t watch again unless they show a pulse or come down this way for the ACC challenge since they actually won the last one I attended.

 

[ruman]

Its been a miserable trip since Seton Hall

 

[Debtbubble]

Same old Rutgers.

 

[shields]

Go away Debtdope.

 

[Debtbubble]

Go away Debtdope.

Yah it’s my fault they suck.

Attack the fans that are realistic. That’s what’s left of the sunshine pumpers here do. Message the mods and report me. I’ve been banned before for nothing really. DGAF. 1 more year of this regime without results and everyone needs to be fired. Clean house.

 

[BOGDANOVICH]

Every team in America has some bright spots and can play well for a few minutes at a time. Doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Face it, this is a bad basketball team at least 2-3 years from even making the NIT barring some kind of elite 2019 class which we all know is not happening.

A more realistic projection:
2018-19--another losing season
2019-20--winning season
2020--21--NIT
2021--22--NIT
2022-23--NCAA finally.

Kevin Willard took seven years to get the Hall to the NCAAs. Chambers took seven years to get Penn State to become a likely NCAA team. The great Jay Wright took 6 years to get Hofstra into the NCAAs.


Rutgers will take 6 or 7 years. Patience. Patience. Patience.

 

[shields]

Chambers, been there 7 years. And a long time to get Carr and Stevens into the program.

 

[TheHandOfChaos]

A more realistic projection:
2018-19--another losing season
2019-20--winning season
2020--21--NIT
2021--22--NIT
2022-23--NCAA finally.

Kevin Willard took seven years to get the Hall to the NCAAs. Chambers took seven years to get Penn State to become a likely NCAA team. The great Jay Wright took 6 years to get Hofstra into the NCAAs.


Rutgers will take 6 or 7 years. Patience. Patience. Patience.

Stop it with the patience platitudes man. For the past 25 years, it will take 5-7 years.

Telling Rutgers fans that they need to have patience is very much akin to Lumburgh from "Office Space" telling the guy with the Swingline stapler (milton?) to keep moving his desk.

 

[nacorwin]

Yah it’s my fault they suck.

Attack the fans that are realistic. That’s what’s left of the sunshine pumpers here do. Message the mods and report me. I’ve been banned before for nothing really. DGAF. 1 more year of this regime without results and everyone needs to be fired. Clean house.

"fan"

 

[RUonBrain]

Stop it with the patience platitudes man. For the past 25 years, it will take 5-7 years.

Telling Rutgers fans that they need to have patience is very much akin to Lumburgh from "Office Space" telling the guy with the Swingline stapler (milton?) to keep moving his desk.

Patience, grasshopper

 

[RUJMM78]

A more realistic projection:
2018-19--another losing season
2019-20--winning season
2020--21--NIT
2021--22--NIT
2022-23--NCAA finally.

Kevin Willard took seven years to get the Hall to the NCAAs. Chambers took seven years to get Penn State to become a likely NCAA team. The great Jay Wright took 6 years to get Hofstra into the NCAAs.


Rutgers will take 6 or 7 years. Patience. Patience. Patience.

What you are saying is that it will be over 30 years without one NCAA bid.The count doesn't stop with the changes in head coaches.Its the cumulative effect of non interest by the athletic department for decades and Pikiell is the latest head coach asked to stop the status quo.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Thank god for Gary Waters: he's the last coach since Tom Young to have a cumulative winning record.

 

[Local Shill]

A more realistic projection:
2018-19--another losing season
2019-20--winning season
2020--21--NIT
2021--22--NIT
2022-23--NCAA finally.

Kevin Willard took seven years to get the Hall to the NCAAs. Chambers took seven years to get Penn State to become a likely NCAA team. The great Jay Wright took 6 years to get Hofstra into the NCAAs.


Rutgers will take 6 or 7 years. Patience. Patience. Patience.

State Penn is NIT bound barring a deep run in Manhattan next week.

 

[TDIrish27]

and a win in Lincoln which I don't believe will happen

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Fans need to understand that mens basketball has been ignored for decades and the only thing that has changed is the names of the coaches and players.Rutgers has been over matched in talent since joining the Big East to the present and except for a few positive blips with a NIT bid the results have been very disappointing .Wasted scholarships have become the norm because the perception of the program is so bad .Winning matters in attracting higher level talent because recruits have choices in selecting a school.Being a member of the B1G isn't enough to change impressions.

Pikiell has now been the head coach for two seasons and the won/loss record against league competition still places Rutgers at the bottom of B1G rankings.There must be a sense of urgency to change the status quo and that means further roster changes are needed for next season.Rutgers can't continue having players on the court that lack offensive skills.Defense and rebounding have shown improvement but games are won by teams that have multiple scoring threats on the court at all times.The clock is ticking and Rutgers must stop kicking the can down the road.

I agree...but I think the players coming in have us another step toward this path...but it really looks like a four year cycles

Let’s set our first major objective....9-9 in league and bubble in 3 years (call it 20-11 going into the the Big ten tournament

So what do we have

Baker ...bonfide big ten starter
Doucoure...at least, should develop into a solid 3rd and 4th big man, if not more

So we have 1 major piece and 1 soild role player

Of the kids coming in next year (let’s not count carter as we are talking 3 years out and he is here for 2) ...can we get 1 bonfide big ten starter and at least solid roll player out of

Mathis (think he is a bonfide big ten starter but time will tell)

And at least one solid role player out of
Kiss
Harper
Johnson

Think that this time next year ...we will be saying that for two years out, we have two legit big ten starter (baker and Mathis) and three legit complementy solid role players in Doucoure and 2 of the three of kiss, Harper and Johnson ....plus the potential of what we sign in the class of 2018

As long as we keep adding a couple of legit big ten pieces every year, we progress

Must keep the progress going with the class of 2019...

Only way out of this is recruiting better, which has starter, and must continue over the 4 year cycle ...and beyond

 

[rubigtimenow]

But we did beat Seton Hall!!!
(I was there and on the court afterwards, so, as bad as this season has become, I'll take it for that 1 lasting memory. Similarly, if 2018 football goes 4-8 but beats a ranked state penn, I'd sign for that right now).

 

[Virginiarufan]

It could be worse. You could all be Uconn fans LOL.

 

[RUChoppin]

It could be worse. You could all be Uconn fans LOL.

Pretty much a universally applicable statement. :)

 

[derleider]

A more realistic projection:
2018-19--another losing season
2019-20--winning season
2020--21--NIT
2021--22--NIT
2022-23--NCAA finally.

Kevin Willard took seven years to get the Hall to the NCAAs. Chambers took seven years to get Penn State to become a likely NCAA team. The great Jay Wright took 6 years to get Hofstra into the NCAAs.


Rutgers will take 6 or 7 years. Patience. Patience. Patience.

When your plan is to make the NIT in year 5, you really have no plan, just hope that you luck into being a better team.

 

[MGSA99]

When you have been as bad as we are, you have to set your goals super low. Start with simply not finishing last in the conference and we can do that with a win this weekend. Baby steps.