The Opener

[Scangg]

We brought back more than your average team. Our starting lineup was 4 upperclassman who got significant minutes the year before and a highly recruited sophomore. There weren’t many teams in the country who brought back more than Rutgers. Blindly defending pike is so weird.

Every team is different. This team took longer to gel. If you are arguing it should have happened earlier? Sure. It didn't though. It took a long time. If you want to blame Pike for that, it's fair

 

[Scangg]

We lost 40% of minutes played from the prior year. Do you know what the average was so that we can do a comparison?

We lost 40%? That sounds high. Did we lose someone else besides Myles Young and Mathis that I'm forgetting?

 

[RUChoppin]

Every team is different. This team took longer to gel. If you are arguing it should have happened earlier? Sure. It didn't though. It took a long time. If you want to blame Pike for that, it's fair

We had some returning players that also started the year ice cold, which sometimes you can't control for.

 

[Scangg]

We had some returning players that also started the year ice cold, which sometimes you can't control for.

And we had players like Jones and Hyatt that were expected to take on a larger role and didn't live up to expectations. Geo got hurt.

A lot went on that needed to get sorted out

 

[RUChoppin]

We lost 40%? That sounds high. Did we lose someone else besides Myles Young and Mathis that I'm forgetting?

844 - Young
692 - Johnson
593 - Mathis
61 - Doucoure

2190/5625 = 38.9%

Take out the 23 total minutes by Jones, Brooks, Terry, Nathan, and Lobach and it's 39.1%

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

More than anything else, I don’t want to see any more mid major road games or odd single neutral site games (St Bonnie’s in Canada) on the schedule. I get that we had to play the Stonybrook game, but UMass, Fordham, St Bonnie’s games should be scrapped because we have a dreadful track record with them and they aren’t appealing to players or recruits. There is no upside to scheduling these types of games instead of either scheduling a bunch of better home opponents or (preferably) just signing up for one neutral site bracket that the kids would like.

 

[Local Shill]

Give me the 358 OOC SOS every year. RU is in the Big Ten. Just win in conference and you can even lose your crappy cupcake games. The committee sent a message loud and clear by seeding RU at all. Schedule cupcakes. It works

Do you ever want to get higher than a 10 or 11 seed?

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Well @HeavenUniv. Is Mr. Frugal

Thank you. I want that on my tombstone.

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

Pike and Hobbs didnt learn from last years nail bitting on selection Sunday about how bad scheduling hurts rankings I guess.

They don’t hurt as much when you beat them like a B1G team should…you know the lafayettes and umasses of the world! 😉

 

[bac2therac]

What we are defending was not piling up loses while Pike was figuring the rotation out.

As if every coach doesn't have this issue. We returned a veteran team

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

As if every coach doesn't have this issue. We returned a veteran team

While that is true…..how many teams had as much as a differential from beginning to end as RU.

I get your argument for the scheduling. I just think using ‘21-‘22 Rutgers as an example doesn’t support it. I am fairly certain a better OOC last year would have buried this team.

 

[RUInsanity]

Our starting lineup was a sophomore, junior, 2 seniors and a super senior. Spare me this rotation garbage. You’re acting like he was bringing in a whole new team.

Couldn't you make the argument that there is much more uncertainly this year so a soft OOC might be more appropriate?

 

[chrebet80]

Couldn't you make the argument that there is much more uncertainly this year so a soft OOC might be more appropriate?

Caleb is rumored to be 99% coming back. If he does we’re bringing back THREE big ten honorable mention players from back to back ncaa tournament teams and a pretty good upper class men transfer. If they’re not ready to play a DECENT team in November or December then there’s an even bigger problem.

 

[chrebet80]

While that is true…..how many teams had as much as a differential from beginning to end as RU.

I get your argument for the scheduling. I just think using ‘21-‘22 Rutgers as an example doesn’t support it. I am fairly certain a better OOC last year would have buried this team.

This team beat the then number 1 team in the nation in early December. That happened.

 

[RUInsanity]

Caleb is rumored to be 99% coming back. If he does we’re bringing back THREE big ten honorable mention players from back to back ncaa tournament teams and a pretty good upper class men transfer. If they’re not ready to play a DECENT team in November or December then there’s an even bigger problem.

I think this might be an oversimplification. Even if Caleb comes back (and assuming RHJ does not return) - we are losing 2 of the 3 highest usage rate players on the roster. Replacing them with transfers and previous back-up (who mostly played limited minutes) only strengthens the point that there will be a larger need in the early season OOC to account for bumps that need to be smoothed.

 

[chrebet80]

I think this might be an oversimplification. Even if Caleb comes back (and assuming RHJ does not return) - we are losing 2 of the 3 highest usage rate players on the roster. Replacing them with transfers and previous back-up (who mostly played limited minutes) only strengthens the point that there will be a larger need in the early season OOC to account for bumps that need to be smoothed.

If you think the average power 5 team is bringing back more than Rutgers next year then idk what to tell you. I guess you just don’t think our returning players are very good. That’s fine.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

While that is true…..how many teams had as much as a differential from beginning to end as RU.

I get your argument for the scheduling. I just think using ‘21-‘22 Rutgers as an example doesn’t support it. I am fairly certain a better OOC last year would have buried this team.

For some reason, I just feel like we have a tendency to play down to terrible opponents. It makes no sense that we would lose to Lafayette and UMass and then beat Clemson and Purdue. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think we would’ve done worse than 5-2 if we played Buffalo (19-11 MAC team) 7 times at home rather than NJIT, Lafayette, UMass, Lehigh, Maine and CCSt. I also think we’d bring it for a tournament bracket.

 

[RUInsanity]

If you think the average power 5 team is bringing back more than Rutgers next year then idk what to tell you. I guess you just don’t think our returning players are very good. That’s fine.

Not what I said at all.

 

[Scangg]

We did play down to competition which further hurt our NET since we didn't run up the score against cupcakes like other P5 teams generally do.

Would love to see this year's team fix that

 

[chrebet80]

Not what I said at all.

If you don’t think they can’t handle decent opponents before january, then that’s pretty much what you’re saying

 

[RUInsanity]

If you don’t think they can’t handle decent opponents before january, then that’s pretty much what you’re saying

Nope try again. Even traditional power programs play multiple patsies. RU is a team that will need to gel and in case you havent been paying attention Pike's teams tend to struggle early.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

 

[MCKnight2004]

By my count, schedule is

columbia
bucknell
rider
coppin st
SHU
ACC game tba


rumored another ivy not Princeton, Providence home and home contract, Mohegan sun neutral site power 5 game

that would leave only 1 or 2 remaining games. Likely the Xmas week softies Central Ct State, Maine types