Today marks the end of the non-conference portion of the schedule. It has been up and down for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. They sit at 7-5 with some great performances, and some head scratchers. Today they take a trip down the Parkway to take on the Monmouth Hawks.
Questions:
1. Has this team figured it out? We seem to ask this question every time RU puts on a good performance like they did against Sacred Heart. But after falling to St. Francis (PA), Rutgers rebounded and put a beating on their next opponent. You'd like to see that kind of effort carry on today--and for the rest of the season.
2. Can Mike Williams keep it going? This kid has been a pleasure to watch all season, and his 22 point effort against Sacred Heart topped it off. You'd like to see even more of that today, and maybe, just maybe, get his 3 point shot to fall.
3. Will Kadeem Jack attack the basket? Jack has to keep dunking the ball. The Hawks have 2 big men, and Jack can get them in foul trouble if he isn't worried about shooting 3s. Jack is at his best when the three point shot is the last weapon in his arsenal, not the first.
4. How badly will Monmouth harass Myles Mack? The Hawks get after it on defense, and Rutgers is at its worst when Mack is frustrated. With Bishop Daniels back, Mack has more options and can play more with the ball out of his hands. If this happens, Rutgers should be fine offensively, but if the Hawks can for turnovers, look out.
5. Will Rutgers defend? The key questions all season. When the Scarlet Knights have defended hard, they've won. When they haven't, they've been blown out. If shots aren't falling, Rutgers still has to focus on defense and turn Monmouth over for run-outs. If they can't do that, they're going to lose.
The game is at 3 pm on ESPN3.