Pike’s ceiling?

[scarletrat]

This season has mostly, thus far, been quite disappointing. A 19-0 run turned this game.

No one can question Pikes positive impact in resurrecting our program, and establishing a defensive identity. Teams plays hard.

Clearly and significantly raised the floor.

But I think we can question if the lack of consistent or dynamic offense is limiting the potential and ceiling. It is not just this season but seems more pronounced now, and with struggles of multiple guys. We got higher caliber recruits known as shooters and don’t see it. Out ceiling may be as first weekend team.

I think we have to see how rest of season and next year goes to see where, if any, there may be issues on offense.

 

[bac2therac]

Honeymoon over after this season

Recruiting was subpar and thats why this team is what it is

 

[rucoe89]

He brings in a top two class next year that coaches at top programs would be able to get them winning right away. How confident are folks Pikiell is going to be able to do that. We are about to find out.

 

[MCKnight2004]

The talent level isn’t there. We lost our 3 best players in Cam, Paul and Caleb. Need to reset expectations for this year. It will be a long year with 5 or 6 conference wins at best. Despite what Coach keeps saying that we will be really good. Only 15 games left and Some stiff competition

 

[ru66]

One of the best coaches we ever had that got us to multiple tournaments , compete season sell outs, best ever recruiting who loves RU and is a great representative of our school and you aholes act like he should leave?? Bandwagon fans who cry after losses suck. And you guys do it time and time again. F you really suck.

 

[ru-baby]

cmon This season just played out bad. Cam and Paul here and Cliff would be dunking and team competing.

No back up big, fun sized guards, Cliff's skill set revealed, no real scorer other than Hyatt all pointed to predictable struggle with occasional good nights. Only Pike thing I have concerns about is what appears to be an inconstent plan with Gavin. He need sto play to see what he is and can be. A few mins and he's pressing and we are not seeing what he truly is.

 

[bac2therac]

He brings in a top two class next year that coaches at top programs would be able to get them winning right away. How confident are folks Pikiell is going to be able to do that. We are about to find out.

expectations are he has to win RIGHT AWAY next season. These are one and done players, you dont bring them in to finish 7th and get a 10 seed in the ncaa tourney and bow out in first round

so Pike wanted to do this dance with one and dones and its up to him to produce plain and simple

 

[bac2therac]

One of the best coaches we ever had that got us to multiple tournaments , compete season sell outs, best ever recruiting who loves RU and is a great representative of our school and you aholes act like he should leave?? Bandwagon fans who cry after losses suck. And you guys do it time and time again. F you really suck.

who is acting like he should leave..no one so join our discussion here for expectations next year

 

[RUJMM78]

Talent wise this seasons roster is on a downward spiral which simply can't compete on the road against league competition.

 

[PhillyRU]

He's remedied the thing that's — at least seemingly — caused this poor play: recruiting. So he's earned faith going into next year.

 

[JayDogSmooth]

Wel see what he’s made of next season
I expect a big rebound

Ace & Dylan are one and dones
He needs to make a deep run & buikd on it

 

[Scangg]

It's wait and see what Pike does with elite talent. No point in assuming he will fail. Let it play out

 

[Bayonnebomber79]

He brings in a top two class next year that coaches at top programs would be able to get them winning right away. How confident are folks Pikiell is going to be able to do that. We are about to find out.

The pressure on pike to win next year will be enormous. I hope he’s up to the task

 

[ru66]

who is acting like he should leave..no one so join our discussion here for expectations next year

F you. You still blow-- big baby after losses. Never change. Everything is great after a win but dire after a loss. Don't give me this discussion crap -- just crybabies when we lose.

 

[darkcheck]

WORST OFFENSE IN POWER SIX BASKETBALL. That’s what he’s built.

 

[S_Janowski]

This season has mostly, thus far, been quite disappointing. A 19-0 run turned this game.

No one can question Pikes positive impact in resurrecting our program, and establishing a defensive identity. Teams plays hard.

Clearly and significantly raised the floor.

But I think we can question if the lack of consistent or dynamic offense is limiting the potential and ceiling. It is not just this season but seems more pronounced now, and with struggles of multiple guys. We got higher caliber recruits known as shooters and don’t see it. Out ceiling may be as first weekend team.

I think we have to see how rest of season and next year goes to see where, if any, there may be issues on offense.

Pretty pointless to talk about his ceiling right now - that conversation can wait until next year.

Did you honestly think we were gonna take a step forward from last year after losing Caleb and then Cam/Paul at the last minute?

This team lacks talent and is poorly constructed.

 

[RUBlackout]

F you. You still blow-- big baby after losses. Never change. Everything is great after a win but dire after a loss. Don't give me this discussion crap -- just crybabies when we lose.

Dude we have the WORST offense in ALL OF BASKETBALL POWER 5

That is a major issue and red flag. Something needs to change

 

[goru7]

expectations are he has to win RIGHT AWAY next season. These are one and done players, you dont bring them in to finish 7th and get a 10 seed in the ncaa tourney and bow out in first round

so Pike wanted to do this dance with one and dones and its up to him to produce plain and simple

Are you criticizing him bringing in the #2 and #3 player in the country with a Fab 5 and questioning why he would bring in 1 and done players that happen to be in the top 10 on NBA draft boards in 2025 ? You must be shitting me

 

[Fat Koko]

Pike isn't going anywhere. His contract runs into 2031 when it pays $4,250,000. We have 8 more seasons to identify Pike's ceiling.

Perhaps the peak was 2021-2022, when Rutgers went 16-12 and made the second round of the NCAA tournament. Hopefully, the peak has yet to be achieved, and Rutgers makes the Sweet 16.

Rutgers has never finished the season ranked in the top 25 with Pike in charge. Next season should be informative of Pike's ceiling height.

 

[Rutgers25]

Pretty poor offensive coach but the elephant in the room is next years recruiting class. Just have to wait out the next 10 months.

 

[Scangg]

Pretty pointless to talk about his ceiling right now - that conversation can wait until next year.

Did you honestly think we were gonna take a step forward from last year after losing Caleb and then Cam/Paul at the last minute?

This team lacks talent and is poorly constructed.

All the things we needed to happen for this year's team to be good haven't happened

Noah legit B1G experienced starting PG that was a good 3 point shooter.... no

Gavin legit sniper 3 point shooter who would be a double digit scorer... no

Simpson making a jump to becoming a more efficient scorer.... no

Cliff a double double machine... no

 

[RUInsanity]

Didn't take long for the fire Pike talk to warm up.

 

[ScarletDave]

Is the OP’s ceiling that he will post this same thread after every loss this year? Did MSU fans call for Izzo’s “ceiling” after each of their 4 big ten losses this year starting 1-4?

We all know it’s a down year, we have 15 Big Ten games to go, probably 10 losses at least, so will you post this thread 10 more times?

 

[sct1111]

We've gotten to the point where down years are unacceptable. That's BECAUSE of Pike.

 

[ScarletDave]

Honeymoon over after this season

Recruiting was subpar and thats why this team is what it is

You’re right Pike’s recruiting has been subpar. Maybe we should fire him and they next guy can have the #1 class instead of thr #3.

Do some of you people listen to yourselves? Bac as a long time poster on here you should know better than to make posts that make you sound like a complete idiot which you do a lot of lately.

 

[ru66]

Dude we have the WORST offense in ALL OF BASKETBALL POWER 5

That is a major issue and red flag. Something needs to change

It doesn't take a genius or bullshyt experts to tell us over and over that our offense is an issue right now. This assine " discussion " crap about threatening Pikes ability is a load of nonsense.

 

[GORU2014]

This year’s team wasn’t going to be very good.

I still don’t understand how anyone watched last year’s NIT team, saw us lose our best scorer, best defender, and a senior guard and replace them with a 5’8 mid-major guard and a handful of okay players, and thought we’d improve.

Next year is the year.

 

[rubjk]

Imagine this year with 4-5 extra 3s going down and 40-45% shooting. Better offense will also lead to better defense since we are much better in half court defense than handling fast pace.

We don’t need to be first in offense just middle of pack.

Seems reasonable. Top defense in b10 with mediocre offense.

That’s what Ace and Dylan bring at worst. Somerville has 3 point touch as well. Gavin will get some muscle hopefully and will be able to five open 3s much easier.

 

[bac2therac]

Are you criticizing him bringing in the #2 and #3 player in the country with a Fab 5 and questioning why he would bring in 1 and done players that happen to be in the top 10 on NBA draft boards in 2025 ? You must be shitting me

i am saying if he is going to bring in #2 and #3 he will have to win at a significantly high level right away

 

[bac2therac]

You’re right Pike’s recruiting has been subpar. Maybe we should fire him and they next guy can have the #1 class instead of thr #3.

Do some of you people listen to yourselves? Bac as a long time poster on here you should know better than to make posts that make you sound like a complete idiot which you do a lot of lately.

recruiting was subpar and that is why we are a mess this year...roster full of 7th through 10th spots on most Big 10 schools. When Hyatt is your leading offensive player you know recruiting didnt go well across the board.

what poster said to fire him in this thread or on the board actually or even thinking about firing him...can you give receipts on that one

 

[BillyC80]

Pike’s team of under-recruited overachievers was one dunk (or one box-out rebound, take your pick) from advancing to the Sweet 16, with a clear path to Final Four. So to me, his ceiling, not yet accomplished of course, is the Final Four. I’ll take it, after the decades (yes, decades) of RU hoops futility.

 

[Shelby65]

This year’s team wasn’t going to be very good.

I still don’t understand how anyone watched last year’s NIT team, saw us lose our best scorer, best defender, and a senior guard and replace them with a 5’8 mid-major guard and a handful of okay players, and thought we’d improve.

Next year is the year.

Noah is far down the list of reasons for failing so far. Reasons 1 and 1a are Cliff having no offensive talent or any clue where to be on offense or defense, and neither Simpson nor Davis having basketball IQ. Right at the start Simpson forced his dribble into traffic and fell, and then later we saw the embarrassing Davis MJ imitation from too far away and was an offensive foul to boot.

These three players are costing us games by missing too many shots and TOs. Simpson’s Stonehill game winner doesn’t excuse the bad play all season.

Reason 2 is lack of productive depth.

 

[GORU2014]

Noah is far down the list of reasons for failing so far. Reasons 1 and 1a are Cliff having no offensive talent or any clue where to be on offense or defense, and neither Simpson nor Davis having basketball IQ. Right at the start Simpson forced his dribble into traffic and fell, and then later we saw the embarrassing Davis MJ imitation from too far away and was an offensive foul to boot.

These three players are costing us games by missing too many shots and TOs. Simpson’s Stonehill game winner doesn’t excuse the bad play all season.

Reason 2 is lack of productive depth.

You lost me when you said our senior transfer point guard, who was expected to start and replace the scoring of Cam and the assists of Paul, and is instead barely playing and has scored under 5 points in 4 of our last 5 games, is “far down the list of reasons for failing.”

You’re basically saying we can afford to get no production from the one guy who came in and was 100% expected to give production.

 

[Shelby65]

It would be absurd to expect him to replace the production of our best player, who btw is also UConn’s leading scorer, and Paul’s defensive rebounding at 6’7”. That’s not his fault. On the court, he plays within himself.

Nor do I blame Gavin. Sure, expected more from both but they aren’t losing us games with poor play because they are largely on the bench now. Gavin was 0-1. He didn’t lose it for us. How many misses and TOs for Simpson ?

The guys I mention have played like shit, missing too many shots and turning the ball over. I bet Simpson has a bruise on his chest from constantly tapping it in his ‘my bad’ acknowledgment to his teammates.

 

[RepeatedCrown6]

Offense is talent and scheme.

Defense is scheme and effort.

Defense will always be good under pike, needs the talent (coming) or an elite offensive assistant (don’t have)

 

[scarletrat]

Pretty pointless to talk about his ceiling right now - that conversation can wait until next year.

Did you honestly think we were gonna take a step forward from last year after losing Caleb and then Cam/Paul at the last minute?

This team lacks talent and is poorly constructed.

Not necessarily step forward but I thought a different team that could fight for post season. A different team with smaller guards who can effectively penetrate and dish to Cliff and 3 point shooters, better and more consistent shooting from Noah and Gavin that haven’t seen. Yet we see the same O as in past years—iso, one on one, but we don’t have the physically mature players to play that bully ball. My concern is lack of evolving the O to fit our team, and how that may translate to next year.

 

[rubjk]

Not necessarily step forward but I thought a different team that could fight for post season. A different team with smaller guards who can effectively penetrate and dish to Cliff and 3 point shooters, better and more consistent shooting from Noah and Gavin that haven’t seen. Yet we see the same O as in past years—iso, one on one, but we don’t have the physically mature players to play that bully ball. My concern is lack of evolving the O to fit our team, and how that may translate to next year.

What offense do you suggest? What do we shoot well?

 

[darkcheck]

Pretty pointless to talk about his ceiling right now - that conversation can wait until next year.

Did you honestly think we were gonna take a step forward from last year after losing Caleb and then Cam/Paul at the last minute?

This team lacks talent and is poorly constructed.

Good points, especially your last sentence. How did we get there, because we’ve declined over 2 years. Last year we were pretty thin with talent too. I really like most of your thoughts and posts, when you’re not attacking me.

 

[RutgersChow]

expectations are he has to win RIGHT AWAY next season. These are one and done players, you dont bring them in to finish 7th and get a 10 seed in the ncaa tourney and bow out in first round

so Pike wanted to do this dance with one and dones and its up to him to produce plain and simple

He's 33-32 the last four years vs B1G comp, all with his own recruited players.

 

[shields]

Cliff is a problem. Some of the dumbest fouls ever. 2nd foul today was just stupid.