Oh boy….

[bowlgoal]

So much for Merrimacks great zone defense? They were crushed by Army! And Maryland loses at home to George Mason.

 

[gregkoko]

It's almost as if anything could happen on any night in college basketball.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

3 things I am confident about
1. The teams we have played are terrible. I dont want to hear that they are good
2. Just because we are playing like a crap team now doesn’t mean we will be crap in January or even December
3. We have been real bad so far

 

[Scarlet Blind]

4) George Mason is 4-0, and is a team to watch in the A10.
5) We are due to have a breakout game sooner or later.

 

[Shell21]

3 things I am confident about
1. The teams we have played are terrible. I dont want to hear that they are good
2. Just because we are playing like a crap team now doesn’t mean we will be crap in January or even December
3. We have been real bad so far

All true . It’s a long season of twists and turns. Despite definitely having some issues I also think our guys are bored and not focused against these bad teams at home. Once you come out with that attitude , it’s tough to change it mid game.

 

[RUtrumpet92]

ESPN app says Army won the rebound battle, 51-22. WOW.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

All true . It’s a long season of twists and turns. Despite definitely having some issues I also think our guys are bored and not focused against these bad teams at home. Once you come out with that attitude , it’s tough to change it mid game.

I never really looked at the “bored” angle. It would be normal and natural. As fans we can say it shouldn’t be and blame players and coaches, but it is human nature.

 

[Shell21]

I never really looked at the “bored” angle. It would be normal and natural. As fans we can say it shouldn’t be and blame players and coaches, but it is human nature.

I think they are bored but also think we aren’t playing well and maybe not that good either. The last one can definitely change though as we are only three games into the the season and 3 games isn’t enough to make a determination.

 

[wngarbarini]

I hope we wake up against Lafayette

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

I hope we wake up against Lafayette

Depaul tomorrow…

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

4) George Mason is 4-0, and is a team to watch in the A10.
5) We are due to have a breakout game sooner or later.

Could care less about 4. Expecting 5

 

[AreYouNUTS]

I’m starting to think more and more:

- Paul and Caleb are stressed about losing their starting jobs and have been since Game 1

- the weight that we thought was off their shoulders has been replaced by pre-season hype they haven’t handled well to-date WHICH isn’t going helped by playing majorly inferior opponents

…we simply can not be this bad, right?

 

[Mr Magoo]

3 things I am confident about
1. The teams we have played are terrible. I dont want to hear that they are good
2. Just because we are playing like a crap team now doesn’t mean we will be crap in January or even December
3. We have been real bad so fa

So much for Merrimacks great zone defense? They were crushed by Army! And Maryland loses at home to George Mason.

It wasn’t Merrmack’s great zone defense. It was our lack of a zone offense and the inability to shoot.

 

[jordkap]

It’s still weird to me that every team in college basketball seemingly always has some shooters except us. This has been years too, not just one off seasons.

Sure, we have some games we hit some shots, but between 3s and free throws we have been terrible

 

[kcg88]

It’s still weird to me that every team in college basketball seemingly always has some shooters except us. This has been years too, not just one off seasons.

Sure, we have some games we hit some shots, but between 3s and free throws we have been terrible

Rutgers has been outside the top 200 in three point percentage in all but two seasons since Quincy Douby left. In six of those years we've been 300th or worse.

We were 170th (so still bottom half of the country) in 2011.

We were 82nd in 2013 (Myles Mack shot 46%, but as a team we attempted three pointers at the 25th-lowest rate in the country).

 

[RUHouston]

I’m starting to think more and more:

- Paul and Caleb are stressed about losing their starting jobs and have been since Game 1

- the weight that we thought was off their shoulders has been replaced by pre-season hype they haven’t handled well to-date WHICH isn’t going helped by playing majorly inferior opponents

…we simply can not be this bad, right?

Well, I'd rather be a "bad" 3-0 than any alternative!

I don't think we're bad. I think we've performed badly..at times. I think, and I'm not saying you, AYN, but in general, people equate points scored as a measure of good/bad. While we haven't been winning by 40+ against these "bad" teams, our defense has, for the most part, been very, very good.

Yeah, so the dude from NJIT chucked up 3's from New Brunswick and buried them...until we put Caleb on him and slowed it down.

I'd rather be nit-picking a 3-0 record than if we were 0-3 and the tar and feathers would be out.

I don't hear anyone really lauding the start of RHJ...the man has THREE double-doubles...and who knows, had Cliff not gotten knocked in his package maybe he has three as well. And Geo? Maybe he had gotten a big head with NIL or NBA-itis-gone south but he certainly showed up against NJIT.

Pike said this is his best team. I think he's earned the right to that opinion. It might not be showing up in the box score, or any of the games been pretty, but I distinctly remember him saying Defense wins games, Offense by how much...and the last time I checked, we've successfully done it three times thus far.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Pike said this is his best team. I think he's earned the right to that opinion.

This…BUT…there HAS to be a reason that we’ve looked, “off,” To start the season for three straight games against very weak opponents. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

 

[bowlgoal]

The rebounding is a big concern and getting to loose balls. I don’t need to see the stats of the Merrimack game to know that their shorter guys outmuscled our bigger guys. Cliff is not close to the rebounder that Myles was and he looks bigger and stronger; but that doesn’t matter. Cliff needs to impose his will on the glass on both the offensive and defensive sides. And if Agee can’t be quality back up, we have to give Reiber a shot. I feel like Reiber doesn’t have the confidence in himself. We need to get production from our bench. Mawot should be hitting the glass on rebounds as well. Once you start focusing on the dirty work, all of sudden, you start to get shots. That’s how Mathis did it and by no means was he a great offensive player, but he was productive.

REBOUND, Play great defense and set great picks. That’s the message for our team. Forget last year and making the tournament and any hype for this year. That’s done and in the past. This year is a clean slate and whether we were over confident or whatever. We don’t look like a post season team just yet!

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I’m starting to think more and more:

- Paul and Caleb are stressed about losing their starting jobs and have been since Game 1

- the weight that we thought was off their shoulders has been replaced by pre-season hype they haven’t handled well to-date WHICH isn’t going helped by playing majorly inferior opponents

…we simply can not be this bad, right?

Maybe it is a little of all 3.

 

[superfan01]

This…BUT…there HAS to be a reason that we’ve looked, “off,” To start the season for three straight games against very weak opponents. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

We're not a good shooting team. And when your not a good shooting team you look very bad when your off from your already low average shooting

it's unfathomable we have not been able to develop even "average" college level shooters the last few years. I just don't get it.

 

[RUJMM78]

Rutgers has been outside the top 200 in three point percentage in all but two seasons since Quincy Douby left. In six of those years we've been 300th or worse.

We were 170th (so still bottom half of the country) in 2011.

We were 82nd in 2013 (Myles Mack shot 46%, but as a team we attempted three pointers at the 25th-lowest rate in the country).

I think your stats show a pattern of poor shooting that has lasted far too long under different coaching staffs.Its starts with recruiting and the lack of player development.

 

[Scarlet Blind]

2017-18 Geo was #3, to Corey and DeShawn
EO 29-57 last 8 games

2018-19 Offense Geo #1 EO #2 Mathis #3 RHJ #4
EO 17-32 first 3, RHJ 41-81 last 9 games

2019-20 Offense RHJ #1 Geo #2 Mathis #3
RHJ 10-23 first 3, JY 32-77 last 9 games

2020-21 Offense RHJ #1 JY #2 Geo #3
JY 18-38 first 3, Paul 19-36 last 8, Caleb 13-40 last 8

Neither were ready to step into a bigger role based on how they finished last year, Paul a little more than Caleb based on shooting %. Hyatt 13-33 last 8 games, Gonzales-Agee 44-71 last 8 games could've eased the transition of a 3rd or 4th offensive option with Cliff, where Paul or Caleb didn't show that kind of easy transition to a starting 3rd-5th offensive option from how they finished last season like EO, RHJ, or JY did.

 

[bitnez]

At some point we have to accept who we are (and not worry about what we're not). We are not a great shooting team, but historically we rebound and play tough defense. When we're locked in teams know they have a tough game. I appreciate it's only 3 games but I think a lot of our angst will go away if we just focus on what we do well.
And I do think there is some merit to the guys not being up for these early games. I'm not saying they shouldn't be, but it makes some sense. Tonight will be telling.