Pike gets out-coached in every big game

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

I'm just wondering at what point are we actually allowed to have high expectations. Pike is in year 7 at Rutgers now and people constantly bring up how bad we were before he got here when any valid criticism is brought up. How long is that going to last? In 5 years when Pike is in year 12 are people still going to bring up how bad it was with Eddie Jordan.

Yup. Were going into year 8 and still all people can discuss is how bad things were.

1) top 20 salaried coach
2) top 10 basketball facility
3) top 5 home court advantage
4) donors willing to buy 5* players

I think its fair that in 2024-2025 we raise our expectations to be a 2nd weekend team. Next year may be another step back type of year like this was unless we bring some quality transfers in

 

[bac2therac]

I'm just wondering at what point are we actually allowed to have high expectations. Pike is in year 7 at Rutgers now and people constantly bring up how bad we were before he got here when any valid criticism is brought up. How long is that going to last? In 5 years when Pike is in year 12 are people still going to bring up how bad it was with Eddie Jordan.

I think its very fair at this point to legit criticize Pike for this terrible finish to the year and tonight specifically. Lots to clean up but there are some head scratching decisions in this game.

Best player fouls out for Hofstra but you cant really take advantage of it and defensively doing the same exact thing over and over and over again and getting burned

 

[bethlehemfan]

This is a fair take.

That plus the big ten stinks and theres not exactly world beaters in the conference so when you get your guys up to play you can play with almost anyone

It’s really about defense. When you have great defense you can beat anybody. But you can also lose to almost anyone. When you have really good offensive players who also play defense you can take the next step. Hopefully that’s on the horizon. Not taking anything away from the current group because they did so much for rutgers. Very thankful as a fan.

 

[fatsam98]

Every fanbase after every loss ever: "we were out-coached!"

 

[AZBlues]

No one bring up recruits because until they step on campus they are not here. If your Dylan what do you do?? Just watch RU not make the tournament and get embarrassed in the NIT. Duke will be playing in the tournament.

These losses matter

This is a little more concerning now.. Four commits aren't signed yet, and now they'll be watching teams in the NCAA tournament that also offered some of them, teams that may still put effort into convincing them to decommit. I'd rather wait until they're signed before talking about how much better the future is going to be with all of them. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[newell138]

2 years in a row our team was supposed to be built on defense and once we play a non-Big Ten team in a tournament setting we get absolutely exposed.

2021: Choked away a lead vs Houston by playing not to lose

2022: Gave up 89 points to Notre Dame

2023: Gave up 88 points to Hofstra in a home loss

Maybe it's time for us all to realize that the Big Ten may be a fraud of a basketball conference. Every time we play a solid non-Big Ten team in a big game we get exposed. I'm sure all the apologists will get mad at this but nobody could convince me they would actually rather have Pike than Speedy Claxton as our coach after tonight.

Fake news

 

[RutgersMO]

He said non Big Mo...take your scarlet colored glasses off

Yeah yeah....Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys- Democrat vs Republican, Non Big Vs B!g: Same difference.

MO

 

[IL Lusciato]

I'm 100% all in on Pike.

but what about this post is inaccurate or wrong? The BIG plays a slower plodding style of ball. Giving up 80+ to most formidable OOC teams in the postseason is not going to get us where we want to go.

I have faith Pike will correct this and is getting higher rated recruits in, but its an issue. Maybe w the teams mentality idk. But the D and hustle on the boards wasn't there tonight the way it should have or could have been.

 

[RutgersChow]

If you only count the last game of each season as a “big game” you’re bound to be disappointed unless you expect him to win titles every year. Seriously illogical thought process you’ve got going on.

I don't see that as illogical at all. There have been plenty of games to win after losing in the first round - between that game and the NCAA championship.

 

[GORU2014]

I don't see that as illogical at all. There have been plenty of games to win after losing in the first round - between that game and the NCAA championship.

It’s illogical because if you’re only counting the final game of each season as a big game, by definition we would only succeed in big games if we won the final game of any given season. The only way to win the final game of any given season is to win a championship (either NCAA or NIT).

It is obviously unrealistic to expect to win these “big games”, using his definition, on a regular basis.

 

[Ryanmt222]

2 years in a row our team was supposed to be built on defense and once we play a non-Big Ten team in a tournament setting we get absolutely exposed.

2021: Choked away a lead vs Houston by playing not to lose

2022: Gave up 89 points to Notre Dame

2023: Gave up 88 points to Hofstra in a home loss

Maybe it's time for us all to realize that the Big Ten may be a fraud of a basketball conference. Every time we play a solid non-Big Ten team in a big game we get exposed. I'm sure all the apologists will get mad at this but nobody could convince me they would actually rather have Pike than Speedy Claxton as our coach after tonight.

Bro just shut the **** up. You sound so god damn dumb.

 

[RutgersDom]

2 years in a row our team was supposed to be built on defense and once we play a non-Big Ten team in a tournament setting we get absolutely exposed.

2021: Choked away a lead vs Houston by playing not to lose

2022: Gave up 89 points to Notre Dame

2023: Gave up 88 points to Hofstra in a home loss

Maybe it's time for us all to realize that the Big Ten may be a fraud of a basketball conference. Every time we play a solid non-Big Ten team in a big game we get exposed. I'm sure all the apologists will get mad at this but nobody could convince me they would actually rather have Pike than Speedy Claxton as our coach after tonight.

Geez, Do you think Sunday night maybe just maybe sucked the life out of them...Defense takes intense effort all game, wasn't there tonight...Houston is NOT on him! Alleyoop dunk and game over...5 point swing...

 

[goru7]

2 years in a row our team was supposed to be built on defense and once we play a non-Big Ten team in a tournament setting we get absolutely exposed.

2021: Choked away a lead vs Houston by playing not to lose

2022: Gave up 89 points to Notre Dame

2023: Gave up 88 points to Hofstra in a home loss

Maybe it's time for us all to realize that the Big Ten may be a fraud of a basketball conference. Every time we play a solid non-Big Ten team in a big game we get exposed. I'm sure all the apologists will get mad at this but nobody could convince me they would actually rather have Pike than Speedy Claxton as our coach after tonight.

You are lost or just have a bad memory. I can rattle off 20 great wins over good to great teams in the last 4 years that these boards clearly saw Pike had a game plan that worked to perfection Or another 10 +games that after a tough devastating gut wrenching loss , he picked the boys back up and got the win. . But I am sure you were no where near these boards and only come on after a loss. You my friend are the biggest loser with the worst memory of any poster in history.

The question you should be asking is the Big 10 grind and the defensive intensity , effort and hustle necessary to win , take a toll by year end that we don’t have the normal legs and we either mentally , Physically or both cannot play the defense or rebound or hustle and dive on the floor like we just did back to back against Michigan and Purdue and throughout the year. I doubt you have ever played competitive sports because the stuff that you type is garbage.

 

[NickRU714]

Every fanbase after every loss ever: "we were out-coached!"

Also every fanbase after every loss: “Hard to win 8 on 5. Refs screwed us with their calls and/or non-calls.”

 

[pmvon]

I'm just wondering at what point are we actually allowed to have high expectations. Pike is in year 7 at Rutgers now and people constantly bring up how bad we were before he got here when any valid criticism is brought up. How long is that going to last? In 5 years when Pike is in year 12 are people still going to bring up how bad it was with Eddie Jordan.

Pike has overachieved with 3 stars. Their weaknesses are apparent. If we see the same with the 4-5 stars, we can make a better assessment. If they come.

 

[Scangg]

Every big game 🤣

 

[ancienthooper]

Are OP and Imbad one and the same? It would seem statistically impossible to find two different people this stupid and obnoxious.

 

[RU MAN]

Don’t compare Pike and Ru to Duke and Coach K please. I think he has a much stronger list season track record so one loss gives him a pass.

Pike has NO record in the lost season.
3 years ago in the tournament Pike choked away the win against Houston . Go watch the game and watch Pike go to essentially four corners WAY WAY too early hopes his D would close
2 years ago play in game . Step back from previous year got out coached against Brea.
This year 8 games left ranked team 2nd in the big ten and melted down to being left out of the dance . Then a number 1 overall seed and a home loss to Hofstra .

The program has gone backwards 3 years now and this season is an absolute failure.

No one bring up recruits because until they step on campus they are not here. If your Dylan what do you do?? Just watch RU not make the tournament and get embarrassed in the NIT. Duke will be playing in the tournament.

These losses matter

Okay, then what should we do? Fire the guy? And sorry Division, but the program has NOT gone backwards. For four years we have been in the thick of things in the NCAA's. Your examples about Pike's failures are debatable but not absolute. And sorry, but my example of Coach K is spot on. Coach K's team lost less than a decade ago, when K was at the pinnacle of his career.

As for Pike's questionable endgame tactics, read my other post on another thread and you will see I agree with you. But I aske you again---what should we do with Pike? Fire the guy? Or, as many of us here who has watched $hitty BB for nearly 35 years, appreciate that we now have competitive teams, Jersey Mike's is full, and we now compete for the NCAA tourney and top kids. I'll take that with the expectations that Pike will get it done. If he doesn't we then move on from him.

 

[Rhuarc]

Rutgers defense wasn't great last night. Rebounding was bad and the lack of boxing out and getting beat for a 50/50 ball was pretty alarming. However, a team that shoots 57 percent for the game is also having a fantastic night and sometimes that happens. Brick 3's going in off the backboard, 3's with hands in faces multiple times. If just one of those doesn't go in, we win.

I'm not going to beat the $hit out of a team that felt robbed of a NCAA bid, went out and actually played a good offensive game and looked like they had fun doing it. I'll let all the keyboard warriors stomp all over our team so you can feel better about yourselves.

 

[RUInsanity]

Yes. That’s how a segment of this fan base operates.

Does how you conduct your own RU expectations and fandom have any more impact on the program than how another fan might go about his/her expectations/fandom?

I'll answer for you......NO.

Are you like the "fandom" police? ...thinking that fan "expectations" actually mean anything.

Here's a tip....if you really care....donate a bunch of cash to the program or NIL to help attract the best available talent or pay for the best available coaching. Anonymous complaints about needing to have higher expectations (and liking these complaints) like the OP mean squat to how the program will fare.

 

[fluoxetine]

2 years in a row our team was supposed to be built on defense and once we play a non-Big Ten team in a tournament setting we get absolutely exposed.

2021: Choked away a lead vs Houston by playing not to lose

2022: Gave up 89 points to Notre Dame

2023: Gave up 88 points to Hofstra in a home loss

Maybe it's time for us all to realize that the Big Ten may be a fraud of a basketball conference. Every time we play a solid non-Big Ten team in a big game we get exposed. I'm sure all the apologists will get mad at this but nobody could convince me they would actually rather have Pike than Speedy Claxton as our coach after tonight.

Nah

 

[fluoxetine]

but what about this post is inaccurate or wrong? The BIG plays a slower plodding style of ball. Giving up 80+

I mean citing point totals in OT and 2OT games is real stupid. Is that a good place to start?

 

[Nycrusupporter]

While I have also gotten frustrated in game with some of the decisions we make, a think a good portion of that has to do with the limited talent on the roster, and I want to see how Pike will do with more talented players coming in. It is amazing how much smarter a coach looks when he has a killer that he can just give the ball to and ask him to win the game.

 

[Treeman]

You can spin it 500 ways if you want, and many do, but you can't lose to Hofstra here. Well, I guess you can. But then don't complain about the tournament. You weren't going to make it far, if anywhere. They ended where they belonged. Unless you believe Hofstra is some crazy sweet 16esque team(2 major amazing world beating national championship level teams snubbed!!!!). Sucks for all. But you are what you are, and we all got ahead of ourselves. This year's team was an NIT first round out team. That was the case in February, and was the case in the end. Pike has build what he's build and still has things to prove. You can't pause the season in early February.