Look how amped up this board was for Rider. Yes Rider. Can you imagine the enthusiasm about playing St.John's and Cuse at Barclays, or the tremendous trips to the Virgin Islands or Hawaii.
Please A Holiday Tournament
- Thread starter RU72
- Start date
Isn't this something for Pikiell? My understanding is he controls some of this scheduling.
Do they still have the ECAC holiday tournament? I remember going to that at MSG.
Pike avoids these like the plague
Lost cause at this point
Lost cause at this point
The question about November/December in-season tournaments has been asked of Pikiell numerous times at Court Club meetings the past few years. His response is always the same. He has NEVER come right out and said he won't play in one. His standard answer, paraphrasing:
"It's difficult to get dates lined up. With classes, finals, getting the right dates and opponents is tough... I like the players to be home for Thanksgiving."
"It's difficult to get dates lined up. With classes, finals, getting the right dates and opponents is tough... I like the players to be home for Thanksgiving."
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There are plenty of tournaments the weekend before Thanksgiving. If Steve wanted to, he could get it done. Everyone else in this conference manages to.
I wonder why. If he has a good team why not play in a good tournament?
No doubt. I agree with Pike most of the time. His persistent avoidance of in-season tourneys is one item I vehemently disagree with him on.
I would absolutely love virgin islands or Hawaii. 100% would make a vacation out of it and go
The Holiday Classic at the Garden with us, Cuse, St.John’s and someone else would be a doubleheader sellout. Either a local like Iona or better yet an SEC team like KY would be perfect.
Creighton vs Arkansas was a tremendous game last night out in Maui. Very nice turnout by both teams fans as well.
Richmond took care of Temple at Barclays last night and will face St. John’s in the final.
I don’t think there is an ECAC tournament at MSG. Doubt we would do it if also playing a conference game there every year.
Richmond took care of Temple at Barclays last night and will face St. John’s in the final.
I don’t think there is an ECAC tournament at MSG. Doubt we would do it if also playing a conference game there every year.
Given how grueling the Big 10 schedule is, I get the feeling that he sees the OOC schedule as a way to tune up and season the team to get ready for that part of the schedule.
That actually makes some sense maybe we see it
It makes sense to play always. Would you like to be at Atlantis playing Kansas?Full house.It matters in March both who you play and who you beat. Mostly from a seeding perspective. This is not a vintage Big Ten on any level and some real crap at the bottom. ACC and Big 12 are every bit as good. By Sunday Izzo will have played:
UConn, UNC,Bama,Kentucky,Nova and Gonzaga and this is a very good,not a great Spartan team.
It's for the fans and for March.
It's not complicated.
Please explain this to Pike. Maybe you can influence him.
I respect Pike for approaching it this way. We will play 24 real games with 12 being away from the RAC. Family is important and school is important. Making fans happy is secondary.
We have played poorly in neutral court games but other schools play in them every year. Hawaii is way too far. Go to puerto rico or the Bahamas or even florida or myrtle beach.
It's not just about making "fans" happy, though. It's about making Rutgers visible to the college basketball world, making us relevant and a team to get excited about, which ultimately helps in recruiting big time players who want to feel that they're going to a big time school.
Yes, some of this is accomplished by playing Big Ten games at the RAC, but Feast Week tournaments contribute to this process.
What if the Steve Pikiell pitch to parents and players is one where the talk is about how important spending holidays with families is and the commitment to academics? While other programs are playing in Thanksgiving our team is home with their families. While they are away during the crucial 3 weeks before finals our schedule allows the student athlete to focus on academics.
A few years ago my wife sent me to the store for last minute things the day before Thanksgiving. Guess who I saw doing the same thing. He wasn't in Puerto Rico or Bahamas.
Academics is importtant.Spending time with family during Thanksgiving is nice but not essential because some players live far away from Piscataway.What is important is building a resume showing competition against quality out of conference opponents.away from the RAC.Other Big Ten teams thinks its a worthwhile experience, why not Rutgers ?Rutgers experience as a mediocre road team probably has relevance for Pikiell knowing how difficult it has been for Rutgers getting NCAA bids.Every win matters because the margin for error is slim without a dynamic offense as seen in the Temple game.
That is a take that I hadn’t considered. Good point.
Though the argument could still be made that there are a few NYC area November tournaments RU could play in. First hand sources tell me that Pike barely even discusses playing in one.
I guess you could make a case for some warm-weather locale so fans can enjoy the Rum Swizzles and a 4-day tan, but I don't think it does bupkis for resume building. MSG, sign me up. Resort location, maybe. Totally don't get the appeal of Barclay's or that UBS thing out in LI.
Great Big Ten wins today for Ohio State and Wisconsin. Must be nice to enter conf play with great showings vs quality teams.
What is right and works for Ohio State, Michigan or Michigan State may not be the same for Rutgers.
Pike built the program with a unique identity. I think I am going to trust him on this one.
That was the formula in the past and it worked fine. Saw some great doubleheaders there back in the day, including ones in which we played.
Richmond-Temple was the consolation game. St.John’s beat Syracuse in the final
Rutgers Cuse Hall Johnnies at the garden would be cool imo.
Would be amazing for fans but not for scared coaches
Yep, 1978 Classic was the best. We beat OH St. In the final (3 OT’s) after beating the Johnnies in the first game. #1 Duke lost twice - first to OH St and then to St John’s in the consolation. Some great basketball.
Do teams from the same conference often play in the same early season (OOC?).
Like the idea but might have to sub Hall or St John’s for someone else.
Maybe another ex-BE that isn’t in ACC…?…WVU?
Rotate the matchups..set opponents so you dont play conference foe
Ru nova temple shu sju cuse uconn pitt
Ru nova temple shu sju cuse uconn pitt
Pike wants no part of a pre season tournament unfortunately. I remember asking him about this several years ago at a court club meeting and he gave me some jive that the conference has to Pre approve etc.
That’s funny. Most of the B1G teams are in Holiday Tournaments. Also, almost every Top 25 program is in a Holiday Tournament. It doesn’t have to be every year, but we should at least act like the top teams.
Pike’s scheduling philosophy has worked and resulted in 3 straight ncaa teams . He gets a pass here for now
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