Late June Top 36 via Andy Katz

[NewJerseyHawk]

The saga continues???

The B1G is well regarded by Katz with 7 teams in his Top 36....i don't take these lists seriously once you get past 16, but adds more fuel to the summer workouts for RU, who wasn't even mentioned in honorable mentions, while Penn State (34th) and Illinois (21st) land higher than Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketbal...ower-36-following?utm_campaign=inline-article

 

[knight82]

Pre season rankings are about as useful as a bucket without a bottom. In the words of the late Al Davis, "just win baby". Everything else will take care of itself

 

[bowlgoal]

Katz likes Rutgers a lot. I wouldn’t worry much about rankings right now. We have a lot to prove and we will. Let’s just get out to Spain and start gelling together. It’s going to be a fun year.

 

[Igniteshield]

I’m just confused by the Illinois hype. I think they improved about as much as we did from two seasons ago, but they’re getting a lot more respect for it.

 

[bowlgoal]

I’m just confused by the Illinois hype. I think they improved about as much as we did from two seasons ago, but they’re getting a lot more respect for it.

I think this is year 2 for one of their 5 star recruits and they just keep getting very highly rated players. I like their coach and his aggressive style. Last year they played one ridiculously hard schedule. Illinois and Rutgers are going to be two very talented programs in the Big 10. I’m not surprised of the ranking and we couldn’t handle their big white guy. (Forgot his name)???

 

[kcg88]

I’m just confused by the Illinois hype. I think they improved about as much as we did from two seasons ago, but they’re getting a lot more respect for it.

Looking around the Big Ten, there aren't too many definite NBA players. Ayo Dosunmu is one, though, and they also have Trent Frazier, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, and a high-rated big guy coming in (Kofi Cockburn)

 

[sct1111]

They'd be mentioned if Gene didn't transfer.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

They'd be mentioned if Gene didn't transfer.

Doubt it....not even an honorable mention.....excluded were Nebraska who will be better than last year and Indiana, who will be a factor. Northwestern appears to have added some pieces although losing Law and Pardon probably has them projected towards the bottom 3.

Will be another 7 to 8 bids coming from the league again IMO. If RU landed a kid like Tillman and a couple of the PFs we are targeting, 2020-21 definitely looks like the season for sure.

 

[RUsojo]

I mean this is just reality. This is still a work in progress. We will always be a tough out but we’re still in an underdog role.

 

[shields]

Nebraska lost a lot though off last year. Palmer , Roby and Copeland.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Nebraska lost a lot though off last year. Palmer , Roby and Copeland.

They have 11 new recruits since Hoiberg was hired....almost impossible to imagine but they're going to be the wildcard of the league.

 

[BigEastPhil]

I like And Katz a lot but Illinois at 20; Wisconsin at 27 and Penn State at 34 seems like stretches to me. Illinois will be vastly improved but I don't see a top 20 squad. I don't think Wisconsin sniffs the NCAA Tourney (post Ethan Happ) as long as Gard is there and PSU always under-achieves.

So according to Katz, we will play the 1,5,7,16,18,20, 27 and 34 ranked teams.

 

[Russ Wood]

I like And Katz a lot but Illinois at 20; Wisconsin at 27 and Penn State at 34 seems like stretches to me. Illinois will be vastly improved but I don't see a top 20 squad. I don't think Wisconsin sniffs the NCAA Tourney as long as Gard is there and PSU always under-achieves.

So according to Katz, we will play the 1,5,7,16,18,20, 27 and 34 ranked teams.

Gard guided Wisconsin to the S16 twice, had a below .500 season, bounced back +8 wins & took his team to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed last season.

 

[BigEastPhil]

Gard guided Wisconsin to the S16 twice, had a below .500 season, bounced back +8 wins & took his team to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed last season.

I will amend the post to state Gard wont sniff the NCAA Tourney post Ethan Happ. Gard was fortunate to inherit a rich roster from Bo Ryan

 

[RU-ROCS]

I will amend the post to state Gard wont sniff the NCAA Tourney post Ethan Happ. Gard was fortunate to inherit a rich roster from Bo Ryan

I think you a right! My Wisky friends are really down on Gard.

 

[RUonBrain]

Katz likes Rutgers a lot. I wouldn’t worry much about rankings right now. We have a lot to prove and we will. Let’s just get out to Spain and start gelling together. It’s going to be a fun year.

If we win all of our games in Spain, maybe we can move up in the pre-season rankings!!!

 

[combes]

Gard guided Wisconsin to the S16 twice, had a below .500 season, bounced back +8 wins & took his team to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed last season.

He is finally out of Bo Ryan players, though, with Happ gone.

 

[Russ Wood]

He is finally out of Bo Ryan players, though, with Happ gone.

Yeah because in 18 years on the Wisconsin bench Gard didn't help recruit any of Bo Ryan's players.

I will amend the post to state Gard wont sniff the NCAA Tourney post Ethan Happ. Gard was fortunate to inherit a rich roster from Bo Ryan

Let us not lose sight that Gard has been on the Wisconsin staff since 2001 recruiting many of the kids that made up that "rich roster" that you say he inherited from Bo Ryan. For all we know, Gard was the lead recruiter on many of those kids he was fortunate to inherit (he wasn't Happ's lead recruiter Gary Close was). Gard got a verbal commitment from Tyler Herro before he reopened.

I'm just sayin...don' t be so quick to think Gard can't get Wisconsin to the NCAA Tournament.

Yeesh, I cannot believe I'm defending Greg Gard because I am SO not a fan of Wisconsin's basketball program.

 

[HallBall'n]

He ranks USF at number 36. They had only 2 players three years ago with a new coach.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Love being under the radar ...chip on the shoulder is the off season motto ...

 

[RUHouston]

Not concerned about being in the top 36. Top 64, yes, not top 36.

 

[rubaseball78]

Gard guided Wisconsin to the S16 twice, had a below .500 season, bounced back +8 wins & took his team to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed last season.

There you go actually trying to bring facts into a discussion.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Love being under the radar ...chip on the shoulder is the off season motto ...

Once in my lifetime I’d like to experience a preseason above-the-radar rating.

 

[G- RUnit]

Nebraska lost a lot though off last year. Palmer , Roby and Copeland.

I thought I heard their new entire roster is over the age of 21?

 

[RutgersMO]

I like And Katz a lot but Illinois at 20; Wisconsin at 27 and Penn State at 34 seems like stretches to me. Illinois will be vastly improved but I don't see a top 20 squad. I don't think Wisconsin sniffs the NCAA Tourney (post Ethan Happ) as long as Gard is there and PSU always under-achieves.

So according to Katz, we will play the 1,5,7,16,18,20, 27 and 34 ranked teams.

Beat them all and we’ve made a statement and planted a flag.

Mo

 

[Degaz-RU]

Doubt it....not even an honorable mention.....

I think what he was saying was that with the transfer of Eugene -- who was widely viewed as our best player and would have been a senior leader -- knocks Rutgers down a few ticks in the eyes of the prognosticators. We all know you didn't think very highly of Eugene as a high volume player, but the PERCEPTION that we lost our leading scorer, leading rebounder, and overall leader, will cause the prognosticators to view RU as having lost a significant piece and thus not on the same plane as Illinois, PSU, etc.

As fans, we all would like to believe that the additions of Yeboah, Young, and Mulcahy; and the expected improvements of Harper, Carter, McConnell, and Johnson, will more than offset EO's departure. But I don't think the prognosticators will view it that way.

 

[dconifer]

LOL, Terrapins at #5. I'll believe it when I see it...

 

[Scangg]

Once in my lifetime I’d like to experience a preseason above-the-radar rating.

Just gotta make it to next season. Hang in there

 

[kcg88]

Seton Hall at 7 is insanity

 

[Russ Wood]

Seton Hall at 7 is insanity

Exactly. Even ESPN only has them at No. 13.

 

[Scangg]

The higher SHU is ranked the better until we play them. Gives us a chance at a high ranked win. Let us be the ones to spoil that party.

 

[kcg88]

The higher SHU is ranked the better until we play them. Gives us a chance at a high ranked win. Let us be the ones to spoil that party.

If they're in the top 10 when we play them then they'll deserve it. They play MSU in the Gavitts and also are a part of a strong Battle 4 Atlantis field.

 

[combes]

I am an Illinois fan but I really like your team. I think people are overlooking Rutgers. You’ve got some players. Anyone overlooking you is going to get their butts kicked.

As for Illinois ranked so high by Katz, I think it is too soon to think that. They need to prove it. Illinois was very young last year and played one of the hardest schedules in the country. They took their lumps and lost confidence early. Got better later in the year. They have three players who are three of the six best freshmen scorers in UI history. Freshmen Ayo and Giorgi were co-MVPs and Trent Frazier had a good not great sophomore year fighting through injuries. But those three are a solid core. Add in highly ranked 7-foot, 299 pound Kofi Cockburn (14% body fat at that size) plus four star wing Tevian Jones and Illinois might have something. Andres Feliz was really good in the Big Ten. A comeback by Kipper Nichols would help. Two seasons ago he was a double figure scorer with several 30 point nights. Last season he was really bad. There are some other good roster pieces, too, but they need to take the next step from freshmen to sophomores.

Anyway, good luck to your team. I will be pulling for you in every game except the Illinois game.

 

[Scangg]

I am an Illinois fan but I really like your team. I think people are overlooking Rutgers. You’ve got some players. Anyone overlooking you is going to get their butts kicked.

As for Illinois ranked so high by Katz, I think it is too soon to think that. They need to prove it. Illinois was very young last year and played one of the hardest schedules in the country. They took their lumps and lost confidence early. Got better later in the year. They have three players who are three of the six best freshmen scorers in UI history. Freshmen Ayo and Giorgi were co-MVPs and Trent Frazier had a good not great sophomore year fighting through injuries. But those three are a solid core. Add in highly ranked 7-foot, 299 pound Kofi Cockburn (14% body fat at that size) plus four star wing Tevian Jones and Illinois might have something. Andres Feliz was really good in the Big Ten. A comeback by Kipper Nichols would help. Two seasons ago he was a double figure scorer with several 30 point nights. Last season he was really bad. There are some other good roster pieces, too, but they need to take the next step from freshmen to sophomores.

Anyway, good luck to your team. I will be pulling for you in every game except the Illinois game.

Illinois is in a similar situation as Rutgers and on the rise in the conference. I expect you guys to be really good this season and one of the top teams in the conference

 

[TDIrish27]

Seton Hall at 7 is insanity

I agree----way too high.

To me they'll be much like last season but the conference will be much better top to bottom.

They are like most teams-----the " other " guys need to get better and the transfer Big has to have an impact.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

No Eugene and we aren’t in the conversation.

 

[RUsojo]

Illinois is in a similar situation as Rutgers and on the rise in the conference. I expect you guys to be really good this season and one of the top teams in the conference

IIRC Illinois is recruiting better than us each year which is why they are getting a better benefit of the doubt.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

IIRC Illinois is recruiting better than us each year which is why they are getting a better benefit of the doubt.

On paper they are recruiting much better than us. Games are played on the court. Judgement reserved.

 

[combes]

On paper they are recruiting much better than us. Games are played on the court. Judgement reserved.

Agreed. Games are played on the court. I’m also reserving judgment on how good Illinois will be this year. They have a chance but need to prove it.

Giorgi shocked everyone last season. Illinois hasn’t had a player with better footwork around the hoop in 30 years. It will be interesting if he takes another leap forward. If he does, Illinois will be tough.