Now that we tied for our number of wins last year........

[RuBird]

What more can we expect?

Tougher schedule coming up including B1G games
Still can't shoot the rock
With that said love the "lunch pail" guys like Gettys who know their role.
Does having Piekell as compared to Jordan = another win just based on coaching?

Should be interesting to watch

 

[RutgHoops]

Simply have to start hitting some shots. Guys are playing a step and a half off Corey and Nigel to not allow penetration. On the wing they get up on Thiam because he has shown an inability to put it on the deck thus far.

That written Coach P still needs to focus on defense and rebounding because while better not sure those two areas are "top half of B1G" good which is where we need to get. We'll win games by doing 'something' really well. My opinion is that needs to be defense and rebounding. Those areas seem miles closer to being good than anything we are or can do on the offensive side.

Thought our close outs on three point attempts was really good yesterday. Really good.

 

[Degaz-RU]

The 7-1 record is well deserved and impressive, but it is a little bit of Fool's Gold because of the strength of schedule. For comparison's sake, our OOC schedule last year consisted of:

1. Rutgers-Newark -- W
2. Howard -- W
3. @ St. John's -- L
4. Central Ark. -- W
5. (neutral) Creighton -- L
6. (neutral) Clemson -- L
7. Wake Forest -- L
8. SHU -- L
9. CCSU -- W
10. @ GW -- L
11. Monmouth -- L
12. FDU -- W
13. UMass-Lowell -- W (6-7)

As OOC schedules go, last year was pretty brutal, but this year's is mostly cupcakes. I wonder how this year's team would have fared against last year's OOC schedule.

Now that the tape is out on how to defend RU, you better believe we're going to get zoned to death, and like was stated above, teams will play up on Thiam and play off of Corey and Nigel. Pike has a big coaching job ahead of him to adjust to this.

Maybe it's just a shooting slump we're in (it's been at least 5 games in a row of awful outside shooting), or maybe it's just who we are. I suspect it's a little bit of both. Either way, we are in for some tough sledding against the better competition coming up, and I'm including Fordham, Stony Brook and SHU in that.

I am sticking to my prediction of 10-3 OOC, as I think we're going to lose to SHU and stumble against somebody else. But with the shooting woes and long scoring droughts of the past few games, I'm moderating my expectations for the B1G games. I now think the ceiling is probably about 5-13 in league, but I think 2-16 is not out of the question, though I think our defense and rebounding will make the games closer than last year.

 

[DocRU]

Agree with above. This is probably not a postseason team, due to shooting deficiencies, and exposure of our big men against more talent as we saw in Miami. At this point I'm hoping for 16-15 to finally get that winning season.
Here's 1 non expert fan suggestion for Pikiell: If the scoring droughts continue, play Nigel at the point, and move Corey to the 2 guard to try and exploit his athleticism.

 

[mikefla]

This team is what it is
-a first year team
-under a 1st year coach
-who doesnt have any of HIS guys yet

A team doesnt change like magic over night
Pikiell is doing well with what he has to work with
every win from here on is a record compared to last year

11-2 OOC....
5 wins in the B10
16 wins
I may be wrong but 16 wins is a winning season(16-14.....16-15?.)
(I will have to look up how many games we play)

 

[Pritz99]

Mikefla -- I just don't go along with the "HIS GUYS" argument. This isn't like football (and I don't totally agree with it there either), where you're installing a completely different offense. Basketball is basketball. You shoot, rebound, defend. To what degree is up to your talent, desire, etc. and how you accept coaching.

Did anyone transfer after Pike was named coach? (I think Foreman left before) If coach didn't want any of the holdovers, he could have made sure quietly that they left. In fact, a lot can be said for him re-recruiting who he wanted. If Pike came in with a blank slate, are you saying he wouldn't have offered Freeman, Laurent, Johnson, Williams, and Sanders?

Soooo....I think they are his guys. I think he was surprised at the talent he was able to start with. I'm not saying these guy are good enough to comprise an NCAA or even NIT team. But they're a lot more talented than so many of the non-traditional powers hand over to a new coach. And he's doing a great job with them, as well as the guys he brought in after he was hired.

We all think he's a good hire and on the right track. He's doing what we were expecting with the FB team, maybe getting another win or two in the process. We're going to complain about some of the stuff he does with substitutions, play calling, etc but that's the nature of the beast. I don't know about you or others, but I'm enjoying the ride.

 

[socaldave]

This team wins 19-20 games this season

 

[rubaseball78]

I go into every game expecting the possibility of a win.

 

[willisneverrana43]

The schedule is certainly responsible for RU's record. That said, it's also easy to watch the games and come away believing that RU is much better coached.

 

[dconifer]

The schedule is certainly responsible for RU's record. That said, it's also easy to watch the games and come away believing that RU is much better coached.

I think this is the correct answer. The OOC schedule wasn't strong last year or this year, but the results this year are encouraging. I watched the Drexel game and was shocked at the change in the team. I think there will be a bunch of wins this year including some in the B1G...