Unlike Providence and DePaul, Louisville is a genuinely good opponent. Therefore, Rutgers will win, or at least get pretty close. Right?

After a disappointing effort, Rutgers tries to bounce back against #25 Louisville. Louisville is a bit beat up this year. After starting the year as a pre-season favorite in the Big East, they've plummeted in the rankings a bit. Peyton Siva is still a force to be reckoned with, and Rick Pitino teams always shoot the ball well from long range.

Tough match-up for Rutgers, on the road. Keys to the game after the jump...

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And so this is what you get with the 2011-2012 Rutgers basketball team (12-11, 4-6 BIG EAST). An immaturity to want to win the big game against the best opponents, only to follow it up with one-on-one basketball against the worst. So, of course, on the road against 1-8 (in the Big East) Providence--in the Dunkin Donuts Center, Rutgers' version of a torture chamber--the Scarlet Knights failed to show up for the first half and found themselves down 14 at halftime.

And they weren't able to completely get back up. Once again they learned a harsh lesson. One they've been taught time and time again. No matter who you play in the Big East, you have to bring your A game. Rutgers didn't. In fact, they didn't even show up for most of the first half.

More after the jump...

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Providence is a bad team. Therefore, Rutgers stands a good chance of not bothering to show up for this one.

Providence is Providence, a.k.a., the Tori Spelling of the Big East. Meaning, of course, that John Marinatto probably personally bused in Jim Burr and Tim Higgins to make sure Rutgers gets screwed out of a victory.

No, not getting my hopes up.

So far this season, these are the games the Scarlet Knights slip up on. Providence is 1-8 in the Big East, but the one was a big one. They blew out Louisville at home. This isn't the Keno Davis Providence Friars. This is a new style team. One that plays defense and has some scorers.

Not to mention the Dunkin Donuts Center has been a house of horrors for the Scarlet Knights. Last year, a senior laden team blew a double digit lead and lost at the buzzer.

Keys to the game after the jump...

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The title may sound a bit funny, but by the end of this article I hope you understand what I mean.

Greg Schiano started his Rutgers coaching career after coaching at several other minor and major programs, and faced a tough task when hired at Rutgers.

Rutgers was one of the worst football programs in the nation, but Schiano promised to change that, and bring the school to National prominence. Schiano did that, then left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers job.

Mike Rice was hired after Rutgers basketball finished below .500 for four consectutive seasons under Fred Hill. Rice promised to bring in great recruiting classes, pack the RAC, and soon enough bring the Scarlet Knights to the NCAA Tournament.

It took Greg Schiano until 2006, six years into his tenure with Rutgers to get "signature" wins, but Mike Rice got one in his first year over Villanova, and has two this season over Connecticut and Florida.

The difference between Schiano and Rice is that Rice took the program and immediately got going. Rice put together a fantastic freshman class, a year after almost finishing .500 in the best conference in the league.

Now, Rice is hoping to get to the NCAA Tournament, which does not seem too crazy for a goal for next season. Rice will likely get offers from other schools hoping to pry him away, but will likely say no, as Rutgers is a big enough school.

Greg Schiano was the face of Rutgers football for years. Mike Rice is now the face of Rutgers basketball, and if I am correct, he will be for many years to come.

Their hands were in the passing lanes. They switched from zone to man and back again without flaw. They hustled, caused turnovers and got easy lay-ups. It's clear that when Rutgers plays defense with passion, they can compete with and beat anyone in the Big East.

And that's exactly what they did against the Bearcats last night.

More after the jump...

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The up and down season for Rutgers continued with a brutal loss to DePaul earlier in the week. As to this one, your guess is as good as mine.