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The 9 seed

ScarletDave

ScarletDave

Heisman Winner
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Oct 7, 2010
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Somehow some way, after being the 14, 14, 14, and yes, 14 seed in the Big Ten tournament the last 4 years, with a mear 19 days until March Rutgers is the #9 seed if the season ended today. Why is today’s game so big - with just 7 games to go after today, a win vs Illinois would mean even if we lose out (not gonna happen with PSU and NW still on the schedule, plus many others), Illinois would have to win 2 more games AND northwestern would have to beat us plus win 1 more game, for us to not have a first round bye in the B1G tourney. (Not officially, but assuming PSU doesn’t go on some monster run at the end of the year). There would still be key games coming up against PSU, NW, and Indiana. BUT, winning today means it wouldn’t be a steep uphill climb to do what seemed impossible not too long ago, but finish in the top 10. Beat the Illini !!
 
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RUBigFrank said:
My goals this year were:
  • No last place finish
  • win a road game
  • win a conference road game
  • beat a ranked team
  • winning/non-losing record
Getting a bye would be gravy.
Click to expand...

Not getting last is such a low bar even for the worst of programs.

Nonetheless. at this point the gravy has been prepared and heated up based on our current standing. Do we finish the deal have it poured onto our plate or do the older brothers around the table take it back from us and put us back in our accustomed place
 
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This team isn’t going anywhere in 2019 so I really wonder how much the rest of the season and BIG tournament actually mean . If we finish strong, that doesn’t necessarily carry over into next season. Same if if we stink it up down the stretch. I think the expectations for year 4 of pike are not going to change based on how this season ends.
Winning season and NIT bubble are the expectations for next season no matter what happens the next month .
 
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Plum Street said:
This team isn’t going anywhere in 2019 so I really wonder how much the rest of the season and BIG tournament actually mean . If we finish strong, that doesn’t necessarily carry over into next season. Same if if we stink it up down the stretch. I think the expectations for year 4 of pike are not going to change based on how this season ends.
Winning season and NIT bubble are the expectations for next season no matter what happens the next month .
Click to expand...
I think this is COMPLETELY inaccurate. First, the season means something to the guys on the team, and most normal fans. Finishing well as opposed to finishing poorly certainly affects both fan interest and expectations for next year.

Second, we return everyone but Doorson from the least experienced team in the league. The team's experience and development playing together will definitely carry over to next season. Unless you're someone who thinks the roster "is what it is," will only improve through recruiting, and none of our freshmen or sophomores will develop for next year. That is an opinion held by no one that seriously follows college basketball.

Anyway, the rest of the season matters. You dont have to watch if you dont want though.
 
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dkostus said:
I think this is COMPLETELY inaccurate. First, the season means something to the guys on the team, and most normal fans. Finishing well as opposed to finishing poorly certainly affects both fan interest and expectations for next year.

Second, we return everyone but Doorson from the least experienced team in the league. The team's experience and development playing together will definitely carry over to next season. Unless you're someone who thinks the roster "is what it is," will only improve through recruiting, and none of our freshmen or sophomores will develop for next year. That is an opinion held by no one that seriously follows college basketball.

Anyway, the rest of the season matters. You dont have to watch if you dont want though.
Click to expand...


I say it does not matter as far as next seasons expectations, save for something unexpected like finishing strong and making the tournament (which is not likely to happen).
We can see what we have by now .
 
Plum Street said:
I say it does not matter as far as next seasons expectations, save for something unexpected like finishing strong and making the tournament (which is not likely to happen).
We can see what we have by now .
Click to expand...
Again, disagree. Theres almost a third of the season left. Opinions of most of the team are different after 2nd third, than they were after first. Let's see how they play down the stretch, and how they play together, particularly given the limited experience the roster had playing together coming into the season.

You are of course entitled to your opinion.
 
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bac2therac said:
a loss today and forget about talk about getting out of the bottom 4. I would sign on for 11th and 7-13 in a heartbeat
Click to expand...

bac - no talking about losses allowed before today’s game! We need this game badly. Send good thoughts to Champagne-Urbana!!!

Go Knights!
 
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Plum Street said:
This team isn’t going anywhere in 2019 so I really wonder how much the rest of the season and BIG tournament actually mean . If we finish strong, that doesn’t necessarily carry over into next season. Same if if we stink it up down the stretch. I think the expectations for year 4 of pike are not going to change based on how this season ends.
Winning season and NIT bubble are the expectations for next season no matter what happens the next month .
Click to expand...

I completely disagree.

As an athlete, you yearn for wins. It is the oxygen an athlete needs. Our team needs. Build confidence. Build a winning attitude. There is nothing like being on a team that is beating supposedly better teams and proving naysayers wrong.

As fans, we yearn for wins. I know I do. I am pretty intense, but even more casual fans will start to take notice and maybe we sell more season tickets and the RAC gets REALLY loud.

And the media. Let’s have them write stories about the beginning of this turnaround. And let’s have it happen NOW!
 
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Plum Street said:
I say it does not matter as far as next seasons expectations, save for something unexpected like finishing strong and making the tournament (which is not likely to happen).
We can see what we have by now .
Click to expand...

Who cares about next year’s expectations, when we are in the middle of this year’s B1G schedule?

Let’s just play well, grow as players, and beat as many freakin B1G teams as we can!
 
Last edited:
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Plum Street said:
This team isn’t going anywhere in 2019 so I really wonder how much the rest of the season and BIG tournament actually mean . If we finish strong, that doesn’t necessarily carry over into next season. Same if if we stink it up down the stretch. I think the expectations for year 4 of pike are not going to change based on how this season ends.
Winning season and NIT bubble are the expectations for next season no matter what happens the next month .
Click to expand...

Huh?

We have 8 games left for a team playing a lot of competitive basketball

There is a lot of basketball and experiences for a young team that will absolutely be helpful.
 
dkostus said:
Again, disagree. Theres almost a third of the season left. Opinions of most of the team are different after 2nd third, than they were after first. Let's see how they play down the stretch, and how they play together, particularly given the limited experience the roster had playing together coming into the season.

You are of course entitled to your opinion.
Click to expand...
Yea the rest of the season is huge. If we win 4 of the last 8 (PSU, NW, Indy, ILL or Minn) and end up with 8 wins in B1G play, does that not effect the program? Or if we lose all the last 7, is that not going backwards and a really bad sign? I for one think we’ll finish somewhere in between, but clearly the season still has a lot to be determined
 
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Scarlet83 said:
I completely disagree.

As an athlete, you yearn for wins. It is the oxygen an athlete needs. Our team needs. Build confidence. Build a winning attitude. There is nothing like being on a team that is beating supposedly better teams and proving naysayers wrong.

As fans, we yearn for wins. I know I do
Click to expand...

Who is an athlete?
 
Scarlet Shack said:
Huh?

We have 8 games left for a team playing a lot of competitive basketball

There is a lot of basketball and experiences for a young team that will absolutely be helpful.
Click to expand...

The last two times we made the tournament , the previous season ended on a downward spiral.
 
Plum Street said:
Who is an athlete?
Click to expand...

I am an ex-athlete. A lot of people are. The coaches on our team are ex-athletes. The players on our team are current athletes.

Athletes compete. Saying that winning games doesn’t matter in any way is incomprehensible to me and I would say many, many athletes. An athlete practices so damn hard to play hard and win the game!
 
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I think there are enough young pieces in place that we can turn a corner next year . No matter how this season ends .
 
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Rutgers can't guard Illinois center and he is only a freshmen.
 
ScarletKid2008 said:
Not getting last is such a low bar even for the worst of programs.

Nonetheless. at this point the gravy has been prepared and heated up based on our current standing. Do we finish the deal have it poured onto our plate or do the older brothers around the table take it back from us and put us back in our accustomed place
Click to expand...
Break the streak!!!
 
Plum Street said:
This team isn’t going anywhere in 2019 so I really wonder how much the rest of the season and BIG tournament actually mean . If we finish strong, that doesn’t necessarily carry over into next season. Same if if we stink it up down the stretch. I think the expectations for year 4 of pike are not going to change based on how this season ends.
Winning season and NIT bubble are the expectations for next season no matter what happens the next month .
Click to expand...

Who care about how we finish up this year or how we do next year.
What really matters is how we do 2 years from now!

NO.
Check that.

Who cares about how we finish up this year or next year or the year after that.
What really matters is how we do 3 years from now!
 
How we finish up this year and every year means a lot to me and I am sure for most RU fans. I believe if we can defeat Northwestern we will have an excellent chance to finish 10th in the BIG.
 
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RUonBrain said:
Who care about how we finish up this year or how we do next year.
What really matters is how we do 2 years from now!

NO.
Check that.

Who cares about how we finish up this year or next year or the year after that.
What really matters is how we do 3 years from now!
Click to expand...
I have been waiting for 28 years for a NCAA bid so what is another 2-3 years for a winning season.
 
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