Post-Mortem on Exhibition Game - One Person's View

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Bruh, are you smoking crack, or just know nothing about basketball? Ace is about as sure a top 5 pick as there is, and more likely top 3, unless he breaks a leg this year. He would be starting for a bad NBA team right now this year if they would have been allowed to draft him.

(read with heavy sarcasm) Yeah.. you got it right. I am disrespecting Ace. I am saying he wouldn't even get drafted if he comes out. Whatever negative you need to assign for me to argue, go right ahead.. I cannot stop you.

Here's what I am actually saying based on what I saw in the scrimmage: he will be the better player in April 2026 draft than he will be for the April 2025 draft. That is what I actually said. he is still a little bit raw and others PROPERLY pointed out that he would get drafted for his potential and his unlimited upside. I admitted they were correct. Nowhere did I suggest he wouldn't get drafted or be a lottery pick. But still you have some jock-sniffing reason to reply as you did. You should ask yourself why that is.

 

[RUJMM78]

I don't think most B1G teams have the offensive firepower to hang with Rutgers. They won't have a player like Richmond. How many B1G teams will have a dominate 5 as good as SJU?

My concern is the defense.I understand that St.Johns has a Hall of Fame coach that attacks opponents weaknesses which was seen in the exhibition game.Rutgers defense was clueless in defending St.Johns and they allowed far too many offensive rebounds.With so many new players Rutgers should try using a zone defense during games because its easier to teach and the roster has many tall players that can be substituted in for short time intervals.Bailey and Harper must be on the court for at least 30 minutes and not be tired at crunch time where they must make shots to win games.This team will clearly score more points this season but will they be able to hold opponents to less than 70 points remains a unknown right now.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

My concern is the defense.I understand that St.Johns has a Hall of Fame coach that attacks opponents weaknesses which was seen in the exhibition game.Rutgers defense was clueless in defending St.Johns and they allowed far too many offensive rebounds.With so many new players Rutgers should try using a zone defense during games because its easier to teach and the roster has many tall players that can be substituted in for short time intervals.Bailey and Harper must be on the court for at least 30 minutes and not be tired at crunch time where they must make shots to win games.This team will clearly score more points this season but will they be able to hold opponents to less than 70 points remains a unknown right now.

Our roster was created with guys that play man to man and it goes everything against what the program is. Plus if we are worried about defensive rebounding what happens when we play zone.

I am the guy ALWAYS worried about defense. I am concerned about a shot blocking 5. With all that being said I am pretty confident this will end up being a Top 50 defensive team when all is said and done. I think, don't know, Pike will get both Ace and Dylan to rebound. If EO can't play 20 minutes at the 5 Ace will. I think EO will. We have a bunch of pieces that will defend, but they are bricklayers on O.

I am actually more concerned about how we will end up as a Top 50 offense.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

(read with heavy sarcasm) Yeah.. you got it right. I am disrespecting Ace. I am saying he wouldn't even get drafted if he comes out. Whatever negative you need to assign for me to argue, go right ahead.. I cannot stop you.

Here's what I am actually saying based on what I saw in the scrimmage: he will be the better player in April 2026 draft than he will be for the April 2025 draft. That is what I actually said. he is still a little bit raw and others PROPERLY pointed out that he would get drafted for his potential and his unlimited upside. I admitted they were correct. Nowhere did I suggest he wouldn't get drafted or be a lottery pick. But still you have some jock-sniffing reason to reply as you did. You should ask yourself why that is.

Ace should be in this year's draft. He is at Rutgers because he can't.

I think Dylan will be the better college basketball player this year AND Dylan could end up being drafted higher than Ace next year. However If the draft was now I think Ace would be higher than Dylan.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Our roster was created with guys that play man to man and it goes everything against what the program is. Plus if we are worried about defensive rebounding what happens when we play zone.

I am the guy ALWAYS worried about defense. I am concerned about a shot blocking 5. With all that being said I am pretty confident this will end up being a Top 50 defensive team when all is said and done. I think, don't know, Pike will get both Ace and Dylan to rebound. If EO can't play 20 minutes at the 5 Ace will. I think EO will. We have a bunch of pieces that will defend, but they are bricklayers on O.

I am actually more concerned about how we will end up as a Top 50 offense.

I think the rebounding issue last night will be troublesome vs those teams, like St. Johns, that went and got experienced big men. Big Ten refs allow a lot of contact and I expect Big Ten coaches to talk about how "physical" Rutgers is before proceeding to beat us up in the paint.

BUT.. we can hit shots this year. So it is opponents's 2nd-chance points that have me worried. but that's me.. I see risk everywhere and hope I am wrong.

Hopefully, that end game has elevated the players' attention to details late in games from now on. If our stars took over that St. Johns game late and choked off St. Johns comeback I would probably be way too confident in teh upcoming season... but it would have been nice.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I think the rebounding issue last night will be troublesome vs those teams, like St. Johns, that went and got experienced big men. Big Ten refs allow a lot of contact and I expect Big Ten coaches to talk about how "physical" Rutgers is before proceeding to beat us up in the paint.

BUT.. we can hit shots this year. So it is opponents's 2nd-chance points that have me worried. but that's me.. I see risk everywhere and hope I am wrong.

Hopefully, that end game has elevated the players' attention to details late in games from now on. If our stars took over that St. Johns game late and choked off St. Johns comeback I would probably be way too confident in teh upcoming season... but it would have been nice.

We had a defensive rebounding problem last year in November and December. Pike fixed it. He has identified it as a problem publicly already and we are in October. Only difference this year is he has 40% of his players that are lottery picks that can't be benched. I am very confident they will buy in.

 

[RUnTime]

FWIW, initial thoughts, from what I see from this game, This team better score 90-100pt every game, because they can’t rebound or block shots losing Cliff to NIL huge

 

[lion1983]

FWIW, initial thoughts, from what I see from this game, This team better score 90-100pt every game, because they can’t rebound or block shots losing Cliff to NIL huge

FYI, RU had 7 blocked shots - which is pretty good. Ogbole had 2 blocked shots. Derkack had 3, 2 of which were weakside help (the other was on a fast break, I think). Bailey had a weakside help blocked shot.

Obviously the defense has to tighten up - but you forget there are still 3 weeks of full practice with no games, plus another 2 weeks of 5 relatively easier games before the heart of RU's schedule really starts. That is a lot of time for Pikiell and the staff to work on Pike's defensive schemes ... his schemes cannot be picked up by new players in just the 4 weeks of full practice they have had this Fall. And by January the defense would seem likely to be even better yet.

It is the defensive rotations and weak side defense that have to be developed and practiced ... which takes time ... some of which (time that is) at least is still available for the next 3-5 weeks, plus experience during games. And RU HAS players who due to their athleticism and length have a chance to be very effective help defenders, and weakside defenders (like Bailey, Derkack, Harper). They just have to learn.

Now, whether they will learn in time ... that is another question. But Pikiell and this staff have shown themselves to be very good at teaching this stuff.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

We had a defensive rebounding problem last year in November and December. Pike fixed it. He has identified it as a problem publicly already and we are in October. Only difference this year is he has 40% of his players that are lottery picks that can't be benched. I am very confident they will buy in.

Indeed.. think we had the same problem last year. IIRC, all the preseason talk last year was about how we'd get out and run on offense.. and, I'd guess, that adversely affected defense and rebounds. And, then, of course, we missed a lot of those shots.. which shouldn't be a big problem this year. But maybe the cause of defense/rebound problems is the same.. offense focused.

Are they focused on scoring.. or winning? Defense travels.

We shall see. I did not see a disinterest in playing defense.. I think every fan base of every team can remember players who exhibited that poor attitude. Don't see that here.

 

[fatsam98]

I know it's a largely different roster, but under Pitino last season St John's was third in the country in offensive rebounding rate

And Towson was second.

Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Indeed.. think we had the same problem last year. IIRC, all the preseason talk last year was about how we'd get out and run on offense.. and, I'd guess, that adversely affected defense and rebounds. And, then, of course, we missed a lot of those shots.. which shouldn't be a big problem this year. But maybe the cause of defense/rebound problems is the same.. offense focused.

Are they focused on scoring.. or winning? Defense travels.

We shall see. I did not see a disinterest in playing defense.. I think every fan base of every team can remember players who exhibited that poor attitude. Don't see that here.

I saw some guys spectating and not going after loose balls and rebounds.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I know it's a largely different roster, but under Pitino last season St John's was third in the country in offensive rebounding rate

And Towson was second.

Just something to keep in mind.

definitely worth noting, but Pike also mentioned it as an issue in practice. If this was Iowa or ND killing us on the boards then it might be time to panic (1/2 joke)

 

[NickRU714]

(read with heavy sarcasm) Yeah.. you got it right. I am disrespecting Ace. I am saying he wouldn't even get drafted if he comes out. Whatever negative you need to assign for me to argue, go right ahead.. I cannot stop you.

Here's what I am actually saying based on what I saw in the scrimmage: he will be the better player in April 2026 draft than he will be for the April 2025 draft. That is what I actually said. he is still a little bit raw and others PROPERLY pointed out that he would get drafted for his potential and his unlimited upside. I admitted they were correct. Nowhere did I suggest he wouldn't get drafted or be a lottery pick. But still you have some jock-sniffing reason to reply as you did. You should ask yourself why that is.

This reasoning is always flawed.

Which path makes Ace a better player in April 2026:

A. Drafted in June 2025 and then spends the entire year with a NBA staff, working a NBA schedule and having a professional basketball life, practicing against and playing NBA players.

B. Another year as a college athlete, going to classes, limited practice time, playing and practicing against non-NBA players.

There is not even a false "improving his draft status" angle.
He's going to be a top pick and subsequently receive world class training.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

This reasoning is always flawed.

Which path makes Ace a better player in April 2026:

A. Drafted in June 2025 and then spends the entire year with a NBA staff, working a NBA schedule and having a professional basketball life, practicing against and playing NBA players.

B. Another year as a college athlete, going to classes, limited practice time, playing and practicing against non-NBA players.

There is not even a false "improving his draft status" angle.
He's going to be a top pick and subsequently receive world class training.

I hope you are right.. because that means this season will prove his value.

 

[robjknight]

I think Pike will show Derkack and JaMike clips of what not to do in transition. Need to get Ws and not worry about being macho

Like JaMike needs to stop driving into the trees. He got stuffed 3-4 times

 

[needmorecowbell]

Like JaMike needs to stop driving into the trees. He got stuffed 3-4 times

RU needs him to drive but he needs to kick it to the perimeter when the defense collapses. They have plenty of shooters to take advantage of that. Hopefully it’s an adjustment he can make.

 

[Scangg]

RU needs him to drive but he needs to kick it to the perimeter when the defense collapses. They have plenty of shooters to take advantage of that. Hopefully it’s an adjustment he can make.

For whatever reason, Rutgers teams do not have lead guards who drive looking to create and dish... Paul in theory would but he didnt have the explosiveness to get by his man

 

[RUfan1977]

Indeed.. think we had the same problem last year. IIRC, all the preseason talk last year was about how we'd get out and run on offense.. and, I'd guess, that adversely affected defense and rebounds. And, then, of course, we missed a lot of those shots.. which shouldn't be a big problem this year. But maybe the cause of defense/rebound problems is the same.. offense focused.

Are they focused on scoring.. or winning? Defense travels.

We shall see. I did not see a disinterest in playing defense.. I think every fan base of every team can remember players who exhibited that poor attitude. Don't see that here.

Does defense travel? I watch a lot of Big Ten basketball games and it seems to me that what the refs see as a great defensive play by the home team would be considered a foul by the away team. The Big Ten refs appear to consistently call the games in favor of the home team. Given how intense home crowds are, it isn’t surprising that the home teams get the calls, but it seems obvious that they do way more than they should.

 

[RUChoppin]

Does defense travel? I watch a lot of Big Ten basketball games and it seems to me that what the refs see as a great defensive play by the home team would be considered a foul by the away team. The Big Ten refs appear to consistently call the games in favor of the home team. Given how intense home crowds are, it isn’t surprising that the home teams get the calls, but it seems obvious that they do way more than they should.

Especially at Iowa and Purdue, imo