Path to the NCAA Tournament

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

why not dream big, right?

If we have any shot at the tourney the following would have to happen. Not saying it will but here's the path.

1) we dont have any quality wins right now, at the same time we dont have any bad losses. We'd have to pick up 2 extremely impressive wins for the committee as well as avoid a wtf loss (the committee could view losing to nebraska at home as a wtf loss).

So we'd have to win 2 of the following games to go down as quality wins, Wisconsin, Wisconsin (we get 2 cracks at them), @maryland, vs Maryland, @indiana, @mich st, @Purdue, heres where you start to notice the league did us no favors playing all the top teams in the league on the road).

Remaining schedule would have to look like this to make the tourney

@wisc- L
PSU- W
@mich st- L
@Iowa- L
Northwestern- W
@Indiana- L
Nebraska- W
@Maryland- L
Wisconsin- W
Iowa- W
@psu- W
@ohio st- L
Minny- W
@purdue- L
@NW- W
Michigan- W
Maryland- W
Illinois- W

Then win 2 games in the B1G tourney

This would put us at 24-10 and put us in the tourney talk imo. Two quality wins over Maryland and Wisconsin and a few solid wins in here. Finishing strong always leaves an impression on the committee so winning 4 in a row to end the year plus 2 B1G tourney games would get us in imo. So whether you think finishing up like this is realistic or not, here is your path to the tourney.

 

[HallX2]

why not dream big, right?

If we have any shot at the tourney the following would have to happen. Not saying it will but here's the path.

1) we dont have any quality wins right now, at the same time we dont have any bad losses. We'd have to pick up 2 extremely impressive wins for the committee as well as avoid a wtf loss (the committee could view losing to nebraska at home as a wtf loss).

So we'd have to win 2 of the following games to go down as quality wins, Wisconsin, Wisconsin (we get 2 cracks at them), @maryland, vs Maryland, @indiana, @mich st, @Purdue, heres where you start to notice the league did us no favors playing all the top teams in the league on the road).

Remaining schedule would have to look like this to make the tourney

@wisc- L
PSU- W
@mich st- L
@Iowa- L
Northwestern- W
@Indiana- L
Nebraska- W
@Maryland- L
Wisconsin- W
Iowa- W
@psu- W
@ohio st- L
Minny- W
@purdue- L
@NW- W
Michigan- W
Maryland- W
Illinois- W

Then win 2 games in the B1G tourney

This would put us at 24-10 and put us in the tourney talk imo. Two quality wins over Maryland and Wisconsin and a few solid wins in here. Finishing strong always leaves an impression on the committee so winning 4 in a row to end the year plus 2 B1G tourney games would get us in imo. So whether you think finishing up like this is realistic or not, here is your path to the tourney.

You know you could get there. But your road wins are against the bottom teams. I'd think two road wins against good teams would be necessary. I think to 2006 when we beat Pitt and NC State on the road. Those are the games that counted most with committee. But best of luck rest of Way

 

[BellyFullOfWhiteDogCrap]

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

I love kyk and the optimism, but we have a great staff and are playing team basketball.....it will take an enormous home court advantage to win the first 2 RAC B1G games vs Penn State and Northwestern....road games in the B1G are very much challenges against real home court advantages.

I am taking one game and one week at a time approach and letting the players develop over the next 18-20 games....that projection of the wins and losses would be something to shoot for in Year 2 of this rebuild, (assuming the OOC schedule next year was as manageable as this year) and getting a full year and off season into this process. We are going to find out about some unknowns, get exposed against consistent or likely/better athletes most nights, get challenged and get better these next 2-3 months.

The key for any chance of RU success is getting points out of the Small Forward position.....whether that's Omoyuri, Laurent or a healthier Thiam, that position needs to generate double digit points each game, to have any chance at success. How the staff brings that group of players through a challenging schedule of opponents, while developing them at the same time is the key. I like the fan enthusiasm being back, it's needed to help move things forward, but right now, we are still in discovery mode as a fanbase and I think, as a coaching staff as well.

 

[seels2662]

You would need a couple huge upsets to get in. Top 25 wins is a major statistic. And we would desperately need to build the RPI.

If we are establishing that we need two major upsets to get in, then to me the easiest path is becoming the 10 seed in the Big 10 Tournament. The #10 seed gets a bye in the first round, plays the 7 seed in the second round, and avoids the #1 seed until the championship game. A couple big upsets and hope that the #1 seed gets knocked off early and we are cutting nets down.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

1 path is getting enough wins to get the 12 seed in the B1G and then win 4 straight games.

We do have 10-11 in the rotation.

Realistically that is the primary path.

 

[soundcrib]

Our home court needs to be a true home court.

 

[bac2therac]

Lol is thread for real....ru has no top 100 wins...no top 50 wins..one of the worst Sos ooc in the country....rutgers will need to finish 11-7 to have a decent shot given the sos...remember osu last year at 11-7 not getting in

Lets just beat Penn State first

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Lol is thread for real....ru has no top 100 wins...no top 50 wins..one of the worst Sos ooc in the country....rutgers will need to finish 11-7 to have a decent shot given the sos...remember osu last year at 11-7 not getting in

Lets just beat Penn State first

Why dont you just read the ****ing OP first. No where did i say this is likely or will happen but simply the path.

 

[cyrock3]

Bac is trying to say the only thing you'll get out of making a thread based on a 0.5% chance is laughter.

Between this thread & the "why do recruits go to SHU thread," you feed into the perception of Rutgers fans having no clue what they are talking about when it comes to hoops.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Bac is trying to say the only thing you'll get out of making a thread based on a 0.5% chance is laughter.

Between this thread & the "why do recruits go to SHU thread," you feed into the perception of Rutgers fans having no clue what they are talking about when it comes to hoops.

So laying out a hypothetical path means knowing nothing about hoops? sure. Just as many on here said wed be lucky to get out of non conference play at 8-5, just as 80% of posters here cant explain what a hedge is, etc. My opinion remains the same, I have zero clue why anyone with even a decent other option would choose seton hall, that school offers nothing. Whitehead was going to the nba no matter where he went to school. They made the tourney last year, wonderful. Before that their entire fanbase was calling for the coaches head and players were showing up at teammates apartments with guns threating to kill them, star player got shot, this all within 5 years. But i know nothing, right.

 

[djrc89]

Appreciate the effort but every game will be a struggle. I'm taking one game at a time. I'm interested to see how they handle prolonged stretches where they aren't the favorite. It really is hard to know what to expect so I'm trying not to have any as far as ws and ls. As a Rutgers fan the only thing I can compare to is the 89 team. They lost to Miami northwestern and syracuse early on but played with heart. The rac became a monster of a homecourt advantage and we began stealing some road games as the season wore on. They built something that propelled them and had some luck. This situation is so different as far as scheduling it's hard to have any idea

 

[ScarletKid2008]

This is awesome! I think about it . It's a dream right now but we have a chance. And we can hang and beat any team at any point in time. We're no longer going into games without even having a chance.

I like the hypothetical and that's what it's all about. We're all dreaming (not expecting ). Making the NIT would be great this year. But making the tourney is the ultimate prize

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

The whole Seton Hall thing is kinda overblown at this point....there are 18-19 other games we have to play and there are 8-10 other schools we have to compete against for recruits other than Seton Hall.....winning Friday night would have been great, but not a game changing or program defining win....RU is doing fine and if anything, established themselves on the map again in the tristate area....if anyone read the post-game quotes, SHU's Delgado clearly stated we earned their respect because "We know they can beat us"....

There's Villanova, St. Johns, Temple, Maryland, Syracuse, UVA and the true "blue-bloods like Duke, Kentucky, Carolina that all raid this area for players.

I can only state this enough, appearances on game days, ultimately matter to recruits.....what is your home crowd like??? Where are your fans on those key games...?? Is your game or does your game feel like a college event, on your campus?? RU has a LOT to offer recruits in the area and everything I'm hearing since the season started has been eye-opening....

If the RAC can get back to being the toughest venue in the Northeast again like years ago, the recruits will notice....it is a "fan-driven" event.....

AD in place.....check box....

Head coach with a game plan and vision in place......check box

Assistant coaches with elite track records of recruiting and coaching.....check box

Facilities about to approach levels not ever seen at RU......check box....

Recruits in region noticing things changing and not stagnating like other places......check box.....

Revenue stream coming to continue to pay your coaching staff at elite levels.....check box.....

Last pieces are "is your building loud, are your students loud.....is your game an "event"....??....Coming soon folks.....

There are very few places that have the checkboxes of an on campus arena, elite staff, facilities and the type of fan support that's coming.....there's 2500 at Seton Hall on a Friday before Christmas, with no history of winning behind the program.....does anyone honestly feel like that fan support can't be 5000 at an SHU game, if RU is winning consistently around 18-19 games a year or more.....the building would be 50-50 split, with the upper levels opened up.

There's MSG events, there's all types of positive exposure coming from our start and recruiting....just get to the RAC and the rest takes care of itself.....

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

The whole Seton Hall thing is kinda overblown at this point....there are 18-19 other games we have to play and there are 8-10 other schools we have to compete against for recruits other than Seton Hall.....winning Friday night would have been great, but not a game changing or program defining win....RU is doing fine and if anything, established themselves on the map again in the tristate area....if anyone read the post-game quotes, SHU's Delgado clearly stated we earned their respect because "We know they can beat us"....

There's Villanova, St. Johns, Temple, Maryland, Syracuse, UVA and the true "blue-bloods like Duke, Kentucky, Carolina that all raid this area for players.

I can only state this enough, appearances on game days, ultimately matter to recruits.....what is your home crowd like??? Where are your fans on those key games...?? Is your game or does your game feel like a college event, on your campus?? RU has a LOT to offer recruits in the area and everything I'm hearing since the season started has been eye-opening....

If the RAC can get back to being the toughest venue in the Northeast again like years ago, the recruits will notice....it is a "fan-driven" event.....

AD in place.....check box....

Head coach with a game plan and vision in place......check box

Assistant coaches with elite track records of recruiting and coaching.....check box

Facilities about to approach levels not ever seen at RU......check box....

Recruits in region noticing things changing and not stagnating like other places......check box.....

Revenue stream coming to continue to pay your coaching staff at elite levels.....check box.....

Last pieces are "is your building loud, are your students loud.....is your game an "event"....??....Coming soon folks.....

There are very few places that have the checkboxes of an on campus arena, elite staff, facilities and the type of fan support that's coming.....there's 2500 at Seton Hall on a Friday before Christmas, with no history of winning behind the program.....does anyone honestly feel like that fan support can't be 5000 at an SHU game, if RU is winning consistently around 18-19 games a year or more.....the building would be 50-50 split, with the upper levels opened up.

There's MSG events, there's all types of positive exposure coming from our start and recruiting....just get to the RAC and the rest takes care of itself.....

Couldnt agree more. Fan support will take this thing to a whole different level. If we can get near sell outs for the most of our Big Ten schedule it will help the team but perhaps even more importantly catch the eyes of some key recruits for the 2018 class

 

[bac2therac]

Why dont you just read the ****ing OP first. No where did i say this is likely or will happen but simply the path.

Its such a longshot...what is your point...enjoy the progress and stop putting unrealistic expectations and thoughts on the team...its going to be a fun season even though most likely the team finishes under 500 in league

 

[Vegas pj]

Why dont you just read the ****ing OP first. No where did i say this is likely or will happen but simply the path.

I thought the Path was the train from Newark to NYC.

 

[Debtbubble]

It's better not to be a 15 seed and get crushed. After seeing the last game, team isn't ready for that.

Not that it's going to happen this year but if there was a choice it's just better to not do it.

 

[dpwhite]

It's better not to be a 15 seed and get crushed. After seeing the last game, team isn't ready for that.

Not that it's going to happen this year but if there was a choice it's just better to not do it.

Rutgers hasn't been to the NCAAs since 1991. If they went this year (which they won't), I wouldn't care if they lost by 1000...come on now.

 

[BoroKnight]

This is so far-fetched it isn't even fun to think about. Right now, I'm dreaming about a .500 overall record, and if you won't think that will be a challenge, you are only pretending you realize how weak our schedule is.

 

[Local Shill]

It's better not to be a 15 seed and get crushed. After seeing the last game, team isn't ready for that.

Not that it's going to happen this year but if there was a choice it's just better to not do it.

A high major would never be a 15 seed. Come on with that nonsense.

 

[Debtbubble]

Ok 13 or 14

 

[RUBand]

Never a bad idea to dream, but take everything one step at a time.

 

[RUonBrain]

I'll have a slice, please!

 

[Mr Magoo]

Our path to the NCAA tournament is as follows:

• Add 1+ year to today's current date.
• Hope our recently committed big man reclassifies and is as good as advertised.
• Keep Sanders here for one more year.
• Repeat this year's OOC record.
• go .500 in B1G 2017-2018 season.

 

[Kbee3]

Our path to the NCAA tournament is as follows:

• Add 1+ year to today's current date.
• Hope our recently committed big man reclassifies and is as good as advertised.
• Keep Sanders here for one more year.
• Repeat this year's OOC record.
• go .500 in B1G 2017-2018 season.

I'm not so sure about the third one anymore.
My friends were laughing when I told them that this kid explored his NBA draft possibilities after last season.

 

[drewbagel423]

Our path to the NCAA tournament is as follows:

• Add 1+ year to today's current date.
• Hope our recently committed big man reclassifies and is as good as advertised.
• Keep Sanders here for one more year.
• Repeat this year's OOC record.
• go .500 in B1G 2017-2018 season.

I'm not so sure about the third one anymore.
My friends were laughing when I told them that this kid explored his NBA draft possibilities after last season.

Add at least 1 or 2 years to the first bullet.

 

[Mr Magoo]

I'm not so sure about the third one anymore.
My friends were laughing when I told them that this kid explored his NBA draft possibilities after last season.

Yeah, he is really struggling this season.

 

[RUforJERSEY]

Was the OP drunk? The only path to the dance for the gang that couldnt shoot straight would be to purchase tickets.

 

[willisneverrana43]

Can someone also sketch out RU's path to the NBA championship, not saying it will happen, just the path.