Pre-season article from Sports Illustrated

[RUich]

They were pretty fair, in general, I think even though they still thought we were the 11th ranked team in the league. Keep this in mind when you read some comments that are critical of this team at this point.
11. Rutgers

After years of futility, the Scarlet Knights matched their conference win total of the last three years (7) combined in 2018–19, and they did it amidst a collective Big Ten season that was miles better than the previous three. Rutgers now enters Year 4 under Steve Pikiell with its most optimism yet, despite seeing its leading scorer and rebounder, Eugene Omoruyi, transfer out. Its next top seven scorers are all back, including junior guard Geo Baker and a host of sophomores who could all make a leap: Montez Mathis, Ron Harper, Myles Johnson, Caleb McConnell and Mamadou Doucoure. In a move that could help make up for losing Omoruyi, Pikiell brought in Stony Brook leading scorer and rebounder Akwasi Yeboah, and the Scarlet Knights are also hoping for more out of senior big man Shaq Carter. Three-star freshman Paul Mulcahy could see time at the point, while Texas transfer Jacob Young is now eligible and will bring experience and scoring potential to the floor. This was a young team that overachieved last season and turned itself into a tricky opponent on the defensive side, but some serious offensive strides (particularly with shooting, where Rutgers ranked 315th in efficiency) will need to be made if it’s to take the next step and appear on the NCAA tournament bubble.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

They were pretty fair, in general, I think even though they still thought we were the 11th ranked team in the league. Keep this in mind when you read some comments that are critical of this team at this point.
11. Rutgers

After years of futility, the Scarlet Knights matched their conference win total of the last three years (7) combined in 2018–19, and they did it amidst a collective Big Ten season that was miles better than the previous three. Rutgers now enters Year 4 under Steve Pikiell with its most optimism yet, despite seeing its leading scorer and rebounder, Eugene Omoruyi, transfer out. Its next top seven scorers are all back, including junior guard Geo Baker and a host of sophomores who could all make a leap: Montez Mathis, Ron Harper, Myles Johnson, Caleb McConnell and Mamadou Doucoure. In a move that could help make up for losing Omoruyi, Pikiell brought in Stony Brook leading scorer and rebounder Akwasi Yeboah, and the Scarlet Knights are also hoping for more out of senior big man Shaq Carter. Three-star freshman Paul Mulcahy could see time at the point, while Texas transfer Jacob Young is now eligible and will bring experience and scoring potential to the floor. This was a young team that overachieved last season and turned itself into a tricky opponent on the defensive side, but some serious offensive strides (particularly with shooting, where Rutgers ranked 315th in efficiency) will need to be made if it’s to take the next step and appear on the NCAA tournament bubble.

Spot on for the most part except picking Rutgers 11th. That part was lazy work. Several of the teams picked by SI to finish ahead of us was based on name only. If they had taken the time to look deeper into the make-up of the teams in the B1G, Rutgers would have been viewed differently. If SI said Rutgers is likely to finish 8th in the B1G, then that matches up with being a bubble team for the NCAA tourney.

 

[RobertG]

I don't think it was lazy at all to give them the 11 spot. There were some serious question marks coming in with the loss Eugene and bringing in the transfers. Can't justify giving them any higher.

 

[YoucancallmeRay]

Fair write-up. Who wrote it?

 

[cubuffsdoug]

I don't think it was lazy at all to give them the 11 spot. There were some serious question marks coming in with the loss Eugene and bringing in the transfers. Can't justify giving them any higher.

Expectations of what SI wrote about Rutgers doesn't match 11th place. Compared to what Rutgers had returning to others B1G teams said otherwise and we see that playing out now. Name on the jersey doesn't justify certain teams from being ranked ahead. Example, Indiana and Minnesota lost a ton of talent, yet they are picked ahead of Rutgers based on what... name recognition. Rutgers was punished because of Eugene Omoruyi much more than other B1G teams who lost 3 and 4 key players. The description of Rutgers was on point, but where Rutgers was selected to finish was lazy. It's easier to figure out where teams will finish when factor in lost players, returning player, schedule, matchups, newcomers, etc. We as Rutgers fans saw it coming, but other were still living in the past.

I'll give you another fake narrative. Rutgers is not a good offensive team. Last year yes at 315th, this year Rutgers is somewhere in the neighborhood of 69th in offensive efficiency out 350+ teams.