The Sad Truth

[RULoyal]

I don't think we end up with more than 11 wins.

 

[Mholinko]

Michigan last year went 8-22 and looked uncompetitive in almost all games under Slappy, year 1 new coach and they’re ranked. This is a ridiculous statement. And don’t say “they’re Michigan”, jerseys don’t win games. A real coach does. We need an AD who won’t hire someone based on an interview at a diner

I mean I think the location of the interview is largely irrelevant and disrespectful to what Pike did the first 7 years he was here

You "ScarletDave" are basically saying the whole era was a failure with that comment and everyone involved in Pike's hire made a mistake

My guess is your an alum from many lean lean lean years in between when you graduated and now

He got us to 2 (yes in theory wouldve been 3) straight NCAA bids out of the complete ashes of college basketball

To insinuate the process of hiring him and decision at he time was a mickey mouse decision is silly... nobody wanted the job back then

 

[SHUSource]

He will need to completely blow up this roster again in 10 weeks and will literally be doing the same thing of adding shitty transfers in that he did this year and last year.

My guess is that he is already carefully evaluating who he's got left after Harper and Bailey split to see who he can make something out of, and then will hit the trail looking for his kind of guys, the under-the-radar types who do the things a team needs to win -- commit to defense, dive on the floor for loose balls, pass the ball to open teammates, etc. -- and pick the ones he can mold, the ones he can afford to retain for a few years. Those guys do exist, and you've had them before, the absence of pay-for-play notwithstanding.

I get why he couldn't pass them up, but if you gave Pikiell truth serum, I'll bet he would confess he was never fully comfortable with what was going to happen this season. There wasn't time to mold this team, and those two guys (and I don't want to sound like I'm maligning them; they both seem like good kids and regular freshmen outside of their awesome ability) weren't signing on for anything but high-usage on offense. Defense? They'll learn that in the NBA, I guess. That's where they will develop. But defense isn't what had those kids ranked so highly as prep players. And defense is what Pikiell's who foundation rests upon.

Pikiell knows damn well how to coach, which is why he is so respected among his peers (and rivals! *ahem*). He just got caught in the perfect storm that was the onset of professional players, unlimited free agency, and the sudden access to two blue-chip studs, all at once. None of it aligns with his essential style, but that doesn't make him a bad coach or someone who can't succeed at Rutgers. I'm absolutely sure you'll see him return to his bread-and-butter this offseason and Rutgers will be better off for it.

 

[Ridge 22]

Lol exactly and people keep saying "at least 2 more years" the roster will look like some of Stringer's last seasons.

He will need to completely blow up this roster again in 10 weeks and will literally be doing the same thing of adding shitty transfers in that he did this year and last year.

Our fanbase cannot see the forest through the trees.

I love Pike BTW, but this momentum shift he is done barring a miracle.

Next year will be the beginning of a a complete rebuild. Except Pike wont be able to cultivate anyone on the roster, as they will all be gone again the following season.

 

[BOGDANOVICH]

My guess is that he is already carefully evaluating who he's got left after Harper and Bailey split to see who he can make something out of, and then will hit the trail looking for his kind of guys, the under-the-radar types who do the things a team needs to win -- commit to defense, dive on the floor for loose balls, pass the ball to open teammates, etc. -- and pick the ones he can mold, the ones he can afford to retain for a few years. Those guys do exist, and you've had them before, the absence of pay-for-play notwithstanding.

I get why he couldn't pass them up, but if you gave Pikiell truth serum, I'll bet he would confess he was never fully comfortable with what was going to happen this season. There wasn't time to mold this team, and those two guys (and I don't want to sound like I'm maligning them; they both seem like good kids and regular freshmen outside of their awesome ability) weren't signing on for anything but high-usage on offense. Defense? They'll learn that in the NBA, I guess. That's where they will develop. But defense isn't what had those kids ranked so highly as prep players. And defense is what Pikiell's who foundation rests upon.

Pikiell knows damn well how to coach, which is why he is so respected among his peers (and rivals! *ahem*). He just got caught in the perfect storm that was the onset of professional players, unlimited free agency, and the sudden access to two blue-chip studs, all at once. None of it aligns with his essential style, but that doesn't make him a bad coach or someone who can't succeed at Rutgers. I'm absolutely sure you'll see him return to his bread-and-butter this offseason and Rutgers will be better off for it.

It is ironic that one of the few optimists here is a seton hall fan.

 

[SHUSource]

It is ironic that one of the few optimists here is a seton hall fan.

I mean, I could be wrong, but I do think my emotional distance lets me look at it objectively.

(And you might think that my status as a Seton Haller would make me subjective about Rutrgers basketball, with Rutgers being a hoops rival, but I've become so disillusioned with the whole state of college sports that I'm looking at it all much more dispassionately these days. I'll take the opportunity to cheer for my school when there is still occasion to, but I can read the tea leaves. It's just a matter of how many programs fall down the well with them as the powers that be torch every bit of tradition and trample any remnants of charm basketball or football had left to offer.)

 

[rubs]

Let me first caveat that I hope this post ages poorly...

That being said, this season is actually worse than most people realize in that in addition to watching a terrible team take the court, we're also watching Pike's career die. I had posted before the season even began that this was going to be the most important season of Pike's career - not just because he had a mega-hyped team with 3 future lottery picks, but because whether he wanted to admit it or not his career would be banking on the outcome.

If things went the way we thought, Pike would finally have that one thing he could lean on to elevate the program year in and year out - namely he could win with one and dones and move players into the NBA as high draft picks. If he does that, I truly believe the flood gates open and we start to be in conversation with a higher caliber recruit each year.

I had feared though if things didn't work out (and there was some concern before the season due to roster construction and the fact that Rutgers is gonna Rutgers), that this would be the end of Pike and the end of the Pike era at Rutgers. There's just no way any top-level recruit comes here - even with connections - after this debacle. It's just too easy for any other coach to look at a recruit and say, "You don't want to go to Rutgers. You'll be miserable. You won't win and you won't develop. Hell, Pike couldn't even win with two lottery picks, and honestly they were lottery picks before they even got to Pike. You could argue he actually stunted their growth."

And the sad part is that they wouldn't be wrong. I bet you RHS is thinking what could've been if Dylan went to Duke.

I like Pike. He's a good dude, but he blew it and he probably knows that. He's too loyal. He too trustworthy. There's no accountability. Hell, B Knight has been in charge of the offense for how many seasons and it's consistently been one of the worst in D1. No chance he'd be running the O if I were coach.

There's no shot that the younger Dercack comes here or any high-ranking recruit for that matter moving forward. Pike will revert back to what he knows. We'll have a lower/middle-of-the-pack team that is gritty and fun to root for, but I don't know if that's enough in this new era. I'd expect Pike to stick around a few more seasons before heading off into the sunset.

Don’t agree. Pike’s time has passed! This team next year will struggle. He is a poor game day coach and a worse evaluator of talent. Wish I was wrong but the writing is on the wall.

 

[fluoxetine]

There's just no way any top-level recruit comes here - even with connections - after this debacle.

Do we actually want them? I mean, I will take as many Dylan Harpers as I can get. Aces.. I would love him if we got him for 2-3 years. As a one-and-done I am not so sure.

It's just too easy for any other coach to look at a recruit and say, "You don't want to go to Rutgers. You'll be miserable. You won't win and you won't develop. Hell, Pike couldn't even win with two lottery picks, and honestly they were lottery picks before they even got to Pike. You could argue he actually stunted their growth."

And the sad part is that they wouldn't be wrong. I bet you RHS is thinking what could've been if Dylan went to Duke.

If Dylan was trying to maximize his chances of winning an NCAA title he would've gone to Duke. I'm sure he expected a better season than this but at the end of the day it will have no impact on his career whatsoever.

Pike has his issues but what is going on this season is a weird one-off thing. Most of Pike's teams AT STONY BROOK were better than this one defensively (as in straight up better when adjusted for competition, not just better relative to the America East conference).

I'm much more concerned with his style simply not working in this stupid portal era than I am any negative recruiting impact from this season.

 

[Unionst]

This is such a debacle that you wonder if the program can ever recover in our lifetime.

We recovered from Mike Rice. That was worse - it was ridiculed on SNL.

 

[soundcrib]

If he kept the band together AND added Ace and Dylan, this thread doesn't get written.

 

[kt124]

the people saying they don’t WANT high level recruits anymore because of this season are off their rockers. Ace is a raw talent but a good coach would get more out of him than Pike. This year is in no way on Ace and Dylan. Good coaches adapt to their players’ strengths and ours does not.

 

[fluoxetine]

Ace is a raw talent but a good coach would get more out of him than Pike. This year is in no way on Ace and Dylan.

Ace is extremely talented but he's not more than a mid-tier Big Ten starter at this point. That's not bad if you can get a new Ace year after year but it's probably not as good as getting a 4 year player if that's something that is still even possible. RHJ and Geo and Caleb and Cliff and Myles all did more for Rutgers basketball than Ace will have.

People act like this is "blaming" Ace or taking shots at him or whatever; it's not. No one denies the potential that he is going to be drafted for. No one even denies that he is already really good *for a freshman*. But sadly the *for a freshman* part becomes irrelevant when you only have him for one year.

Again, Ace is not the problem with this team. Ace is the second best player on the team. But that's a separate problem and discussion. I would argue that Ace was way overrated *as a college recruit*. There are a bunch of players from his high school class that will have far more impactful college careers while Ace is busy playing in the NBA.

 

[Wagram97]

Isn’t this all just due to Pike failing to recruit a replacement for Cliff, Gavin hating to play competitive basketball, and Mag deciding he rather get a little more money and sit on the bench than be a starter and captain on a team getting a ton of press. Less issues with Ace or Dylan.

 

[fluoxetine]

Isn’t this all just due to Pike failing to recruit a replacement for Cliff, Gavin hating to play competitive basketball, and Mag deciding he rather get a little more money and sit on the bench than be a starter and captain on a team getting a ton of press. Less issues with Ace or Dylan.

It’s not an issue “with Ace”. None of it is Ace’s fault.

But, however many times we’ve been assured by unreliable sources that Ace is not taking any of Rutgers’ NIL collective money I am yet to see anything reliable stating that. And if he is, I am not sure he is a good use of our limited resources. Again, that would not be Ace’s fault.

 

[LOU-RU85]

My bet is that Pike will shift his approach next year big league. He will finally bend to the portal and bring in ‘his’ type of player. Our lack of D and rebounding is killings us and he damn well knows it. It’s just not fixable in time for this year. He needs a year or more to teach it and our two superstar fresh won’t adjust in time. The NBA will complete that job.

 

[runova09]

This is such a debacle that you wonder if the program can ever recover in our lifetime.

We survived naked free throws and the steak of turmoil , we'll be ok!

 

[essexknight]

My bet is that Pike will shift his approach next year big league. He will finally bend to the portal and bring in ‘his’ type of player. Our lack of D and rebounding is killings us and he damn well knows it. It’s just not fixable in time for this year. He needs a year or more to teach it and our two superstar fresh won’t adjust in time. The NBA will complete that job.

Why did he not “bend to the portal” this year and bring in a rebounder and defender at the 4/5? Everyone knew that Cliff was not coming back.

 

[essexknight]

It’s not an issue “with Ace”. None of it is Ace’s fault.

But, however many times we’ve been assured by unreliable sources that Ace is not taking any of Rutgers’ NIL collective money I am yet to see anything reliable stating that. And if he is, I am not sure he is a good use of our limited resources. Again, that would not be Ace’s fault.

If a lottery pick wants to come to your program, you definitely take him. The key is building around the player and using him effectively.

 

[LOU-RU85]

Why did he not “bend to the portal” this year and bring in a rebounder and defender at the 4/5? Everyone knew that Cliff was not coming back.

No idea, but he certainly knows the calculus must change next year or he will be in the hot seat. His portal moves prior to this season were a failure. He’s not dumb, he knows it.

 

[seansherm]

Ace is extremely talented but he's not more than a mid-tier Big Ten starter at this point. That's not bad if you can get a new Ace year after year but it's probably not as good as getting a 4 year player if that's something that is still even possible. RHJ and Geo and Caleb and Cliff and Myles all did more for Rutgers basketball than Ace will have.

People act like this is "blaming" Ace or taking shots at him or whatever; it's not. No one denies the potential that he is going to be drafted for. No one even denies that he is already really good *for a freshman*. But sadly the *for a freshman* part becomes irrelevant when you only have him for one year.

Again, Ace is not the problem with this team. Ace is the second best player on the team. But that's a separate problem and discussion. I would argue that Ace was way overrated *as a college recruit*. There are a bunch of players from his high school class that will have far more impactful college careers while Ace is busy playing in the NBA.

Mid tier starter is a little harsh. He's 7th in the conference in scoring, 5th in rebounds, tied for 4th in blocks. That's conference games only, so no OOC fluff.

 

[drewbagel423]

If we recovered ran the Eddie Jordan era we can recover from anything.

We just may need a new coach and some patience unfortunately.

In this day and age with the portal and NIL if we make the right hire and get some good transfers we could be dancing again in two years.