I must differ with many,but not all. Of course you want to win every game. But believe it or not, Rutgers is not a national brand name in college hoops. You need,yes you need 2 marquee games on national tv. Not Big Ten games. December games. December games on CBS and ESPN. That only happens if you play a Jimmy V. or the CBS Classic against you name it. OK, you go 1-1 or 0-2, but everyone watches you and the media covers you all over the country. Kids talk about how much fun Rutgers hoops are. If you can't absorb 2 losses in those and still go 11-9 in the Big Ten and Dance with 6 cupcake wins, then there is something dramatically wrong. Ace and Dylan aren't walking through the door in 2025 or 2025 but you can still land 2 or so top 75 kids and be a brand going forward,but it starts with marketing the program nationally. And no,you don't play Princeton because they will return 90% of their scoring and only lose Allocco and that is a low percentage win even at the RAC, when playing against Lee and Pierce as crafty juniors. Names like Mississippi State and Clemson sells you nothing. Choose from Duke,UNC,Bama,Nova,UConn,Aururn,Kansas and make it happen. Losing to Kansas 83-75 is far better than beating Stony Brook 73-61.
Schedule
- Thread starter RU72
- Start date
The Penn State game was a disaster, but otherwise I’ve been trying to say our Big Ten schedule timing might be making things seem worse than they are ..
Purdue
Illinois
@ Illinois
@ Iowa
@ Ohio State
@ Michigan State
(penn state)*
Wins:
Indiana
Nebraska
To me, we’re just where we are because other than Nebby arguably, we haven’t played “up” to win in the Big Ten. We still have Michigan twice, and a bunch of home games to play. Look at the record after 20 games, it’s not fair to compare before with such an unbalanced schedule
Purdue
Illinois
@ Illinois
@ Iowa
@ Ohio State
@ Michigan State
(penn state)*
Wins:
Indiana
Nebraska
To me, we’re just where we are because other than Nebby arguably, we haven’t played “up” to win in the Big Ten. We still have Michigan twice, and a bunch of home games to play. Look at the record after 20 games, it’s not fair to compare before with such an unbalanced schedule
If you are still in the mindset that RU needs UConn, Kansas, Bama, UNC or Duke, then you are not paying attention at all to college sports in general.
RU doesn't do anything for it's recruiting, for it's brand or for it's resume by playing any of those teams. It is that mindset that still clouds the many minds of RU fans, because it is an inferiority complex.
We have Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Gavin Griffiths, Lathan Sommerville and others. We have the RAC and we have a very good fanbase, when energized and has something to root for.
RU needs to stop chasing schools that are not going to remain on top of the college sports world going forward. The NCAA is a dying entity and we are moving towards a big 2 or 3 conference alignment for football and hoops and we don't need UConn, Nova or those other schools.....the actual fact is, they need RU now.
We have the uptick and recruiting and we don't need to prove anything to anyone but ourselves, that we can win. This is not a public relations/hype machine that RU needs to survive. We are in one of the Top 2 conferences and will have plenty of exposure and opportunities within our region and conference.
RU isn't going to outrun UConn, UNC or Duke in basketball hype, it's no longer required to gain exposure. All RU has to do is run its own race in football and hoops and grow organically and methodically year by year and continue to improve.
We have to stop overhyping 2024-25 as if RU sports and enthusiasm ends after next basketball season with Dylan and Ace Bailey. The program is NOT going to be defined by 1 season, it gets defined by being consistent over a 5 to 10 year span.
The goal for next year is to actually try to develop the young players early next year, we will already have enough hype. We don't need UConn or Duke to help RU anymore. We are developing our own standard, we don't need to play them, if anything they need to play RU.
RU doesn't do anything for it's recruiting, for it's brand or for it's resume by playing any of those teams. It is that mindset that still clouds the many minds of RU fans, because it is an inferiority complex.
We have Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Gavin Griffiths, Lathan Sommerville and others. We have the RAC and we have a very good fanbase, when energized and has something to root for.
RU needs to stop chasing schools that are not going to remain on top of the college sports world going forward. The NCAA is a dying entity and we are moving towards a big 2 or 3 conference alignment for football and hoops and we don't need UConn, Nova or those other schools.....the actual fact is, they need RU now.
We have the uptick and recruiting and we don't need to prove anything to anyone but ourselves, that we can win. This is not a public relations/hype machine that RU needs to survive. We are in one of the Top 2 conferences and will have plenty of exposure and opportunities within our region and conference.
RU isn't going to outrun UConn, UNC or Duke in basketball hype, it's no longer required to gain exposure. All RU has to do is run its own race in football and hoops and grow organically and methodically year by year and continue to improve.
We have to stop overhyping 2024-25 as if RU sports and enthusiasm ends after next basketball season with Dylan and Ace Bailey. The program is NOT going to be defined by 1 season, it gets defined by being consistent over a 5 to 10 year span.
The goal for next year is to actually try to develop the young players early next year, we will already have enough hype. We don't need UConn or Duke to help RU anymore. We are developing our own standard, we don't need to play them, if anything they need to play RU.
We need a big game. rather lose to Duke than princeton. Hell we lost to Temple last year which probably cost us the bid.
We just got the shit kicked out of us by a bottom 4 school by 15 at home
"If you can't absorb 2 losses in those and still go 11-9 in the Big Ten and Dance with 6 cupcake wins, then there is something dramatically wrong."
This is the key sentence to me.
Are we there yet?
The current team as evidence by the past 3 years can barely absorb 2 losses and make the Dance.
I don't see the point of upgrading the schedule when we haven't even out grown our current schedule.
Every year it's "out OOC ranking!"
But that's not true. Its our results against a terrible OOC.
We aren't swapping Duke for StoneHill.
It's swapping Duke for Princeton.
Is losing to Duke by 20 better than losing to Princeton by 5?
How much better?
The only reason to upgrade is if you assume next years team will be significantly better than any recent Rutgers team.
Is that assumption justified?
This is the key sentence to me.
Are we there yet?
The current team as evidence by the past 3 years can barely absorb 2 losses and make the Dance.
I don't see the point of upgrading the schedule when we haven't even out grown our current schedule.
Every year it's "out OOC ranking!"
But that's not true. Its our results against a terrible OOC.
We aren't swapping Duke for StoneHill.
It's swapping Duke for Princeton.
Is losing to Duke by 20 better than losing to Princeton by 5?
How much better?
The only reason to upgrade is if you assume next years team will be significantly better than any recent Rutgers team.
Is that assumption justified?
Playing Stonehill and LIU helps no one for next year
Playing these teams for exposure and hype is secondary. The reason to play them is to become battle tested and expose yourself to different styles of play. These elite teams play stellar out of conference schedules not for the value they have early in the year, but for the benefit they get at the end of the year.
But what if you aren't playing at the end of the year?
Would playing Duke and getting "battle tested" have made us a tournament team this year?
Or just a bigger loss on the schedule.
We can't make it through our current OOC schedule unblemished and easily make the Dance.
Do we need to be battle tested for Sweet 16, Elite 8 or Final 4 games at this point?
Give me at least 1-2 cupcakes to open up with. And then yeah, 2-3 exciting P5 games either at MSG or home and home arrangements. Seems like a holiday tourney is out of the question already. Plus Seton Hall. The rest can be cupcakes, but only 1-2 300+ cupcakes.
That's what I want to see every year though, Dylan/Ace or not.
That's what I want to see every year though, Dylan/Ace or not.
You do if you have ambitions of being an elite team. Ace and Dylan fly all over the country to play the best competition in high school. They are not coming here to play Stonehill.
It seems so obvious and yet there are those who can’t see it.
Neither does playing Duke or UConn.
Our fanbase somehow feels afraid to be challenged and take the next step
Playing Duke will give the program more stain than playing FDU at home
Plus it will make Ace and Dylan better
.
We already play a very good schedule....
We have SEVEN B1G losses at the start of February 2024.
We are in literally no position to give away losses next year, trying to satisfy a handful of posters on here. Even as crazy as this season has gone, if RU was 12-8 today and 2-7 in the B1G, it would still have an outside shot of making the NCAAS, if they could rally and get to 10 B1G wins.
Can we get through February 2024, with nonsense about an OOC game in December 2024. If RU makes some improvements in February and into early March, I am willing to revisit this topic.
If RU finishes 5-15 in the B1G this year and shows little improvement....
If I get little to no impact from Mag the rest of this season other than 6 PPG....
If I get no signs of improvements from Simpson.....
And you want to ramp up and play a team loaded with 8 to 11 4 or 5* star players??
No one pays much attention to CBB until after NFL football playoffs end. All we need to do is get off to a good start, build some confidence and depth and get back to a winning mindset.
The hype is already going to be through the roof.....let Ace and Dylan get acclimated to CBB. We don't need to give UConn or Duke/UNC any more publicity in our marketplace. As this decade moves forward, we can grow our brand without overscheduling or adding unnecessary losses or potential losses to our schedule.
Non conference performance matters
Ask Nebraska right now. They beat Purdue and Wisconsin but their net languishes in the 50s and their nin conference sos at 328 is a big red flag
Ask Nebraska right now. They beat Purdue and Wisconsin but their net languishes in the 50s and their nin conference sos at 328 is a big red flag
Again
We brought in 2 one and dones to win immediately
Yet a disconnect with our fanbase who now feel the risk to play tough teams aint worth...what are you afraid of
We brought in 2 one and dones to win immediately
Yet a disconnect with our fanbase who now feel the risk to play tough teams aint worth...what are you afraid of
Why.
Gifted players 100 percent, absolutely get better and benefit by playing against the best competition.
There is no weak competition and no amount of practice that comes close to making the jump and improving like playing against the best competition
That is a losers mentality, and this team will never be competitive at the highest levels scheduling that way. You might steal a game or two here and there, but if we want to toughen your team, you have to play some games against the best teams. And no, the Big 10 schedule does not do that. The league is mediocre as a basketball conference, and other than Iowa, everyone plays the same plodding style. If you do not anyone else, you will not be prepared to deal with teams that play faster and shoot better.
Also no one is saying play 5 dukes
Replacing Princeton with Duke and Miss St with Auburn is perfectly fine
Consider we lost both.
Players get better by playing against the best
Replacing Princeton with Duke and Miss St with Auburn is perfectly fine
Consider we lost both.
Players get better by playing against the best
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It’s why the whole league gets killed year after year. They overestimate how good they are in league play, and then have to face teams that play differently and they collapse. And that has largely been against middling competition, not top seeds.
This isn't just about Dylan and Ace....
You are acting as if the B1G schedule is somehow 3 notches below everyone else.
Let me ask the question this way, since you bac and others are talking out if both sides of you mouth.
If RU goes 5-15 in the B1G this year, how many more conference wins, do you think we ADD to the 5 win total next year??
The same fans complaining about recruiting, recruiting, recruiting, can't even tell me who else is starting with Dylan and Ace next year??
I think it will be Sommerville at Center, which I am 100% OK with.
I have Griffiths likely to be much better next year, but I'd like to see some more improvement THIS MONTH.....
It is hilarious that the same fans wanting to play an OOC schedule, can't tell me or anyone else with any level of confidence, who's starting at the other forward next to Ace Bailey next year.....If you told me it was either of the frosh PFs next year, I would feel significantly better about playing a Duke, UNC or UConn.
But I'm not sold that as bullish as I should be about the entire 2024 class, that I have confidence on my lineup as of TODAY.
If players like you keep saying are or were essential like Mag were actually stepping up and playing good basketball on both ends of the floor, we would probably have been right there last weekend vs Purdue and certainly not gotten buried by Penn State.
Again as of TODAY, there is zero interest I have in playing anyone like that.
If RU runs off 6 wins in February and into early March, looks like it's getting better and shows signs of becoming a legitimate functional offense and defense, then I am 100% fine with it.
The season isn't over as of February 3rd 2024, so the topic is not relevant as of today to discuss. But I see NO path where a team that could potentially finish 13th in the B1G standings, could be expected to jump all the way up to 5th or 6th, without the other players around them improving.
How about this? The majority of the fans want a marquee game to watch. These are the people who actually help pay the bills. Play in a tournament. Play at least 1 marquee opponent one for one at their home stadium and the the RAC. Even if we lose, the juice for recruits and the fans is worth it. This is not freakin' hard to figure out.
Rutgers also played 2 of the lowest 8 rated schools in the nation
Ban Stoneyhill and LIU from the schedule
Ban Stoneyhill and LIU from the schedule
Every team has holes to fill every season, especially now with the portal. And one season has little to do with the next season.
Duke and Kentucky have written the playbook on how to develop the top recruits. Play them lots of minutes and make they play the best teams to challenge them and force them to accelerate their development, and also to teach them what it means to compete at the highest level in college.
We were crushed at a Wake team tgat won't even make the tourney
Our sos non conference overall this year was solid...so similar next year...replace Miss St with Duke. Princeton with Auburn. Shu at home
Perhaps a A10 team on road to replace Wake
Sorry but I have no interest in reading this.
All I know is I played two sports at the highest level possible before I made the ultimate choice to play baseball…
Playing against the best competition possible prepared myself and my team to play against the best teams in conference.
The better the competition RU plays next season early, the better they will be when conference play starts.
Let me ask you this, since you are jumping ahead.
Can you tell me who I can count on to score 12PTS and 6 Boards today at Michigan, from the following players.
Mawot Mag
Oskar Palmquist
Antonio Chol
Emmanuel Ogbole
Antione Woolfolk
Thats 5 players who are on the roster today, that I have NO idea what to count on or expect today at Michigan......as of today, all five of these names are expected to be on the roster next year.
I have extreme confidence in Gavin Griffiths, Simpson, Davis and J Williams as of today and going into next year. And the same thing goes for all five frosh.
BUT I also have 5 players listed above that are part of the 13 man roster......do I get to upgrade those 5 players and find at least three better options via the portal or something before jumping ahead on this stuff???
Way too early in this process folks....Ace and Dylan are stars, but even elite 5* players have to have someone competent along side them.
If you told me I would upgrade or replace the 5 listed above, sign me up to play anyone on the schedule anywhere next year.
But I have NO confidence I can count on Mag, Simpson, Chol, Woolfolk or Ogbole as of today, even at Michigan.....I need to see improvement folks.
This.
Hawk — nobody is saying we should play 5 or 6 blue blood programs. We’re just saying that it can benefit the team to upgrade the OOC with a couple of top 25 teams (on top of SHU). I want Rutgers to be part of the excitement that November and December tournaments or big-time one off games bring.
We’re going to have more talent here next year. Let’s challenge them.
Zap is just talking about the concept of pushing yourself against higher competition. Who cares whether it’s baseball, basketball, or quidditch?
Better competition helps prepare teams in any sport for games later down the road.
our ooc schedule is terrible and reeks of small time. not to mention most of the games are boring and not entertaining. generate no buzz at all. big time national programs are not afraid to play each other.
The losing mentality permeates the fan base.Bailey and Harper talk about winning a national championship which won't occur playing weak competition.
That's fine, but every player on Duke and Kentucky is a high 4* or 5* kid.....
I have 5 players that I am not even sure are B1G caliber and 5 frosh coming into join them.
If you told me I would start Dylan, Griffiths/JWill with Ace, then Dortch or Grant and Sommerville and go all 5 younger players, fine I will take my chances on that path.
What you and no one else can tell me that beyond Simpson (who fans are already up in arms about), Davis, and Mag are supporting Ace and Dylan, then that's not remotely close to a quality roster.
Find me upgrades for Chol, Wolf, shed Mag and get me a legitimate forward with experience to play instead of Palmquist and Chol and we are 100% in agreement.
As of today, those 5 players are here....and none of those 5 are B1G/ NCAA caliber players IMO.
Playing weak competition?? LMAO.....the players supporting Dylan and Ace are almost in LAST place today.....what planet are people on??
For the 15th time, I need to see improvements from our "supporting cast", which plays TODAY at Michigan.....
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