On The Banks Podcast Episode No. 129: Bracketologist Brad Wachtel breaks down Rutgers’ NCAA Tournament chances

Welcome to episode No. 129 of the On The Banks podcast. This week, we welcome back one of the best bracketologist’s in the business, Brad Wachtel, to breakdown the current NCAA Tournament picture in regard to Rutgers men’s basketball. Brad’s projections on his own Facts and Bracks site have him ranked No. 17 out of 135 different bracketology sites over the last 5 years per The Bracket Matrix. He is also is a Rutgers graduate, former student manager and worked six seasons for the program in operations under former coaches Mike Rice and Eddie Jordan.

The Scarlet Knights have a NET ranking of No. 80 at the time of this episode being recorded along with a 6-3 record against Quad 1 opponents. They’re currently projected to make the NCAA Tournament by most projections aside from the NET rankings, but have a flawed resume due to three Quad 3 & 4 losses. There is still a lot of work to be done for the program to go dancing for a second straight season. This episode hopefully provides answers to what will be needed to secure a bid.

Topics discussed in this episode include whether Rutgers has broken the NET rankings, what factors go into the NET rankings, a breakdown of RU’s current resume, how it compares to other Big Ten and bubble teams, why a change in scheduling philosophy would help the Scarlet Knights in the future, multiple scenarios down the stretch in how they would impact their NCAA Tournament chances, Brad’s current projection and much more.

In addition, this episode’s opening includes updates on other Rutgers teams and where some have landed in the latest national polls across multiple sports. Also a discussion on the matchup with Michigan on Wednesday that is impacted by the suspension of head coach Juwan Howard, as well as two players.

Thanks to Brad for giving such great insight on the NCAA Tournament outlook for Rutgers and what to look for down the stretch for this team. And thanks to you for listening!

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