PISCATAWAY (3/6/20) – There is still much basketball to be played, as Rutgers enters its final weekend of the 2019-20 regular season. With the season’s “second season” approaching in the form of the Big Ten Conference Tournament next week in Indianapolis, the Scarlet Knights have already achieved numerous firsts under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Steve Pikiell. Rutgers…
- Joined the rankings for the first time in 41 years, since the final 1978-79 AP Poll (No. 18). The Scarlet Knight were No. 24/25 & No. 25/25 in the Jan. 20 & 27 polls, respectively.
- Has earned 10 conference wins for the first time in 29 years, since 1990-91 (14-4; A-10) and its most regular season victories since ‘90-91.
- Has ensured its first winning season in 14 years, since 2005-06 (19-14).
- Has secured the most home regular season wins in the nation (18) and set a program record for home wins in a season.
- Has earned its first opening round bye in a conference tournament in 25 years, since the 1995 Atlantic 10 Championship at the Palestra.
- Sold-out a record 10 games at the RAC, including the final nine of the regular season. RU welcomed 8,329 fans vs. Seton Hall, its largest crowd in 18 seasons.
- Has four double-digit victories over ranked opponents, its most ranked wins in 18 years, since the 2001-02 campaign (4). The most double digit ranked wins in a season prior was two.
- Ranks ninth nationally in defensive efficiency (90.4) per Ken Pomeroy, as well as ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense (38.5) per NCAA statistics.
- No. 31 in the NCAA Net rankings, Rutgers has more or equal the amount of Quadrant 1 wins as eight teams in the AP Top 25 and eight victories against teams with a Net ranking of 52 or better.
- Is the nation’s only team with its final five regular season games all designated as NCAA Quadrant 1 opportunities.
- Has suffered one Big Ten loss by double-digits, tied for the fewest in the Conference with Michigan State.
- Entering Saturday’s game at Purdue, has played one road game against teams currently in the bottom five of the Big Ten standings.
- Has played 90% of its Big Ten games away from the RAC in Quadrant 1/3. With Quad 1 road games defined as those against foes with a NET ranking of 75 or better, RU has nine league games against opponents with Net rankings of 37 or lower. Collectively, the teams boast an average NCAA Net of 20.7, placing them in the top 28% of Quad 1 road game parameters. Including Nebraska, the average NET of RU’s Big Ten opponents away from the RAC is 39.8.
- Was four games over .500 in conference play (7-3) for the first time in 21 years, since the 1998-99 Big East campaign (9-5).
- Held opponents to 65 points or fewer in nine straight games during the season, RU’s longest stretch in 70 years, since 1949-50 season.
- 12-3 start was its best through 15 games in 44 years, since the 1975-76 undefeated regular season.
- Opened conference play 3-1 for the first time in 25 years, since 1994-95 (4-1) as a member of the Atlantic 10.
- 20-point win over No. 22 Seton Hall was its largest margin of victory over a ranked foe in program history.
- Earned its largest comeback victory in 24 years, overcoming an 18-point deficit to defeat Northwestern at the RAC on Feb. 9.
- Has made significant progress despite a young squad that ranks 242nd in experience per Ken Pomeroy. There is only one scholarship student-athlete on the roster competing in his third season at Rutgers.
- Has also excelled in the classroom, entering the spring 2020 semester with a 3.04 cumulative team grade point average. In the most recent NCAA APR, achieved a 984, the fourth highest score among Big Ten programs.
