On the Banks - Rutgers Men’s Basketball 2019-2020 Preseason HeadquartersInsomnia for the sleeping giant.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50417/onthebanks-fav.png2019-11-06T15:06:44-05:00http://www.onthebanks.com/rss/stream/206837412019-11-06T15:06:44-05:002019-11-06T15:06:44-05:00The time is now for Rutgers men’s basketball
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<p>Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. aim to make this a special season.</p> <p id="fQ4Qx2">We are finally here hoops fans, as the Rutgers men’s basketball team tips off the 2019-2020 season on Thursday night at home against Bryant. Steve Pikiell’s fourth season at the helm brings great expectations. Ending a fourteen year period without a winning record and postseason appearance hopefully comes to end this coming March. </p>
<p id="vPWpyr">Rutgers was on the cusp of doing so last season, but a young team with a 14-14 record hit a wall and lost the last three games of the season. The half glass full view is that type of disappointment can benefit this team this season. </p>
<p id="MDyP3i">Last week at media day hosted by the program, I asked junior guard and captain Geo Baker about the adversity this team faced at the end of last season, including the dismissal of Issa Thiam and surprise transfer out by Eugene Omoruyi. Baker said, “We were a young team last year that kind of broke down at the end of the season. I think guys have learned from that. The important thing is learning from what you did wrong so you can make it right. In terms of Issa and Gene being gone, we are focused on the guys we have here. I’m focused on who can help us. We can’t focus on the guys that aren’t here. I’m just excited to get going.”</p>
<p id="WdGsHY">In regard to what Baker specifically learned after last season, he stated “I’m just ready to win. That’s all I’ve been thinking about since last season ended. I’ve been trying to sacrifice as much as a I can. Doing things differently, because obviously what we were doing before wasn’t working. We have to figure out a different way to win. I think all the guys are on the same page. We are ready to win. We are all ready to take the next step.”</p>
<p id="f4PW3K">Sophomore wing Ron Harper Jr. is expected to play at a higher level this season after a promising end to his debut campaign and development in the offseason. He said the team has embraced the challenge of accomplishing more this season, stating “The goals and expectations are definitely bigger. We are all here for it. We want to do everything that coach Pikiell wants us to do. We want to be better as a team. We just want to win everyday and get better everyday. That’s the goal”</p>
<p id="NtEK7s">If you are a longtime fan of Rutgers basketball, that should be music to your ears. The question is whether this team can take that next step up the Big Ten ladder this season? </p>
<p id="iLyhpS">With as deep a backcourt as the program has had in years, a sophomore class poised to show major improvement, and intriguing additions in Jacob Young, Akwasi Yeboah and Paul Mulcahy, there should be real hope they can. </p>
<p id="6ETbsf">In our staff round table season predictions <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/4/20929014/otb-staff-season-predictions-rutgers-mens-basketball-big-ten-steve-pikiell-geo-baker-ron-harper-rac">article</a> from earlier this week, every contributor projected a winning record. The non-conference schedule is something Rutgers must take advantage of to achieve a winning season, but it could also hurt their chances if they did find themselves on the NCAA Tournament bubble in March. This team must avoid the dreaded bad non-conference losses they’ve suffered the past two seasons. </p>
<p id="9mz6hc">The other factor is the Big Ten really is a bit wide open this season. Maryland is loaded, as is Michigan State, who are dealing with injuries already. How the rest of the league shakes out should be very unpredictable. That’s the type of landscape that can favor an upstart team like Rutgers that is hungry to have a breakthrough season.</p>
<p id="hbMsJ1">Of course, leadership will be key for this team to stay level and endure the inevitable ups and downs that the college basketball season brings. Baker explained that keeping things simple is the key. He said, “Our team goal is to beat Bryant right now. I want to go 1-0 every game. That’s the mindset I’ve been trying to take this year. I think the past couple of years I was thinking too much about the overall picture and that hasn’t really been working. Right now, I want to focus on one game at a time. Our most important game right now is against Bryant. If we go 1-0 every game, we will be right where we want to be. </p>
<p id="WjcpzQ">Don’t have flashbacks of Kyle Flood, my friends. This is different. For a team that is still learning to win, this is absolutely the right approach. They have big goals, but have learned they cannot get ahead of themselves. As Dave White <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/5/20949471/embracing-expectations-steve-pikiell-rutgers-basketball-geo-baker">warned</a>, fans need to have the same approach. The most important thing is that the best players on the team have selfless attitudes. </p>
<p id="vAUxqP">When I asked Harper about his personal goals versus team goals this season, he explained, “I don’t really have any. Personal goals come to those that win games. If we have a team that wins games, take this team to the tournament and go to places we are aiming for, personal goals will come. Team accolades over personal goals everyday. We are trying to go to the dance this year and I’m going to try and be a leader in that pursuit.”</p>
<p id="FUQVA7">Staying focused on the day to day while maintaining a team focus overall is something that Rutgers teams have struggled with over the years, derailing once promising seasons by letting outside distractions creep in. The adversity of last season could be a blessing for this team and they are on a mission. </p>
<p id="A2tsKd">When I asked Baker the same questions as Harper, he echoed his sentiment but took it a step further. “Personal goals are that I just want to be the best player I can be. If I do all the right things, I know the season will take care of itself. We are going to make history as a team and I’m going to make history as a player. We talk about it everyday. Our mission is to dance. We want to make history. We would be remembered forever here and every player wants to do that.”</p>
<p id="lC7oYe">Their journey to do just that, something Rutgers hasn’t done in 29 seasons, begins on Thursday night at the RAC. </p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/6/20948391/the-time-is-now-for-rutgers-mens-basketball-ron-harper-jr-geo-baker-big-ten-ncaa-steve-pikiell-racAaron Breitman2019-11-05T09:09:11-05:002019-11-05T09:09:11-05:00Embracing Expectations: 4 Thoughts on the Upcoming 2019-2020 Rutgers Men’s Basketball Season
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<figcaption>Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="KuXpWE">As I start typing this, we are two days, 10 hours and 15 minutes away from tip-off. As you can see, I’m no longer enjoying the build, but am instead embracing some expectations. Here are four thoughts on Steve Pikiell’s fourth season on the banks.</p>
<p id="ZPuWs2"><strong>Set Up For Success: </strong>People aren’t going to like this, but this is still a young team. There are two seniors on this team, one from the JUCO ranks and one a graduate transfer. But the players at the Junior and Sophomore level have a ton of talent and have played a ton of minutes. That means this team is set up for success not only this year, but at the very least on to next. This is <span>Geo Baker</span>’s team, and as Geo goes, so will the Scarlet Knights. You have to believe he’s geared up for a big season. And with Ron Harper Jr reportedly having made the jump from talented freshman to a sophomore with NBA potential down the line, there is some scoring here. It should make for one of the most entertaining seasons at the RAC in the last 20 years. Pikiell has built this roster with craftsmanship, and there is depth here at guard<strong> </strong>where Geo doesn’t have to have a super night every single night.</p>
<p id="gDJseV"><strong>How Will the Losses Affect the Team: </strong> This offseason didn’t go as smoothly as most would have hoped. The transfer of <span>Eugene Omoruyi</span> after midnight, the day Coach Pikiell announced they would play a game in Canada specifically for him, has been debated over and over again and losing Eugene won’t help the team. But two other departures have the potential to hurt just as much. Shaq Doorson had his best season as a Scarlet Knight last year, locking down the interior defense and rebounding while staying on the floor the longest he had in his career. <span>Myles Johnson</span> and <span>Mamadou Doucoure</span> will have to step up to replace Shaq’s presence. But the biggest loss could be Jay <span>Young</span> leaving Rutgers’ assistant coaching ranks to become the head coach of the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/teams/fairfield-stags">Fairfield Stags</a>. Young often ran practice for Pikiell, and instilled a toughness with the big men that hadn’t been seen for the Scarlet Knights in quite some time. It will be interesting to see how they adjust to these personnel losses.</p>
<p id="QuLm6g"><strong>The Newcomers Are Intriguing: </strong>Oh man, I cannot wait to see some of the new guys take the floor. <span>Jacob Young</span> is eligible after sitting out his transfer year. I’ve seen Young in practice twice now and he is the fastest player on the team. You want to see Run, Rutgers, Run? Put the ball in Young’s hands after a rebound and watch him streak down the court to the hoop. <span>Akwasi Yeboah</span> was not brought in to replace Omoruyi, but instead augment his presence. Instead, now, he will be there to help <span>Shaq Carter</span> lock down the power forward spot and step out to shoot the three. Reports are he has a heck of a shot from deep. We’ll see. Finally, there’s <span>Paul Mulcahy</span>, the Jersey born and bred point guard. He’s 6’6” and has the court vision some can only dream of. He will probably be brought along slowly, but you can bet he’ll see the court Thursday night against Bryant. Maybe he’ll have a couple of headband highlight passes.</p>
<p id="mkhVd6"><strong>Postseason on the Horizon? </strong>The out of conference schedule is super duper light at the RAC. Yes, Rutgers has to face Seton Hall (which is already sold out and the RAC should be a rocking), but the rest of the games should be games that Rutgers can win pretty easily (yes, this is Rutgers so take that with a grain of salt. They will likely struggle with a few opponents.). That means Rutgers has a chance to <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/4/20929014/otb-staff-season-predictions-rutgers-mens-basketball-big-ten-steve-pikiell-geo-baker-ron-harper-rac">finish over .500</a> for the first time since Quincy Douby left to be a pro. And if Rutgers can get over .500 (which they flirted with last year until the last few weeks of the season), they very much have a shot to win the extra two to three games to get into the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nit-tournament">NIT</a>. Here’s my hope for the season: I hope that in mid-February, the RAC is full against a ranked opponent and the word bubble is used. Pikiell has this team trending in the right direction—so now let’s hope everyone has their head’s right and maybe we finally get a little basketball magic.</p>
<p id="NuNe8b">The best time of year is finally here.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/5/20949471/embracing-expectations-steve-pikiell-rutgers-basketball-geo-bakerDave White2019-11-04T12:10:32-05:002019-11-04T12:10:32-05:00OTB Staff 2019-2020 Season Predictions for Rutgers Men’s Basketball
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<p>Find out what our contributors think this team can do in Steve Pikiell’s fourth campaign</p> <p id="Su4nMj">It’s finally here! The Rutgers men’s basketball team opens the 2019-2020 season this Thursday night at the RAC against Bryant. In what is the most anticipated season in many years, our staff came together to offer some thoughts and predictions on what this team can accomplish in head coach Steve Pikiell’s fourth season on the banks. Let’s tip things off here.</p>
<h3 id="ZDvyvC">Team Leaders in Scoring, Rebounding and Assists</h3>
<p id="0en69Y"><strong>David Anderson:</strong> Geo Baker in scoring. He should be able to do even more off the ball a lot, even though I expect more games Ron Harper Jr. and Jacob Young get really hot. Myles Johnson should lead in rebounding because no one else will likely be above that 4-5 range. I do think Mulcahy will lead the team in assists even if he doesn’t start because he’s the only real pass first player on the team at this point. The logjam for assists will be much like the rebounding as Young, McConnell, Harper, Mathis, Baker, and others will all be in the mix. Best case scenario here would be that Myles Johnson leads the team in dimes, but maybe next year. </p>
<p id="Jy3aQR"><strong>Nick Kosko: </strong>I’m going to go out on a limb and say Geo Baker leads the team in scoring and assists. I love the freshman Paul Mulchay, but this offense, and pretty much the team is going to run through the junior Baker. Jacob Young finally getting into action is going to be exciting so I wouldn’t rule him out as a potential leading scorer of the team as well. I’ll agree with David about Myles Johnson leading the team in boards. He’s due for a monster season in that department and defensively. </p>
<p id="DKC9IE"><strong>Dave White: </strong>The word on Ron Harper Jr is he made a big leap over the summer. With his size, ability to get to the hoop and shoot—plus the lack of Eugene Omoruyi—I expect Ron to be the leading scorer with Geo close behind. I think assists is a tough on because the point guard position is full of a couple of new faces. I’m going to go a little bit rogue here and say Geo leads the team in assists, only because Paul Mulcahy is brought a long slowly. Myles Johnson is going to lead the team in rebounds—Caleb McConnell will lead the guards in rebounds.</p>
<p id="tgn6Sh"><strong>Danny Burrick: </strong>Ron Harper leads the team in scoring in my opinion. I feel that he has made the most progress among all of the returning players. As for rebounding if Myles Johnson can avoid foul trouble he should average double figures in rebounding throughout this season. Paul Mulcahy for assists. I saw Paul play many times while he was in high school and he was easily one of the best passers I have ever seen and I am expecting him to be the future.</p>
<p id="MMBbGg"><strong>Fred Gaudios:</strong> I’ll do each of these with a single sentence of context. </p>
<p id="1QmAAN">Scoring: Ron Harper, Jr., because I feel he’s the hidden gem of the Big Ten conference and maybe we can get the 1990’s Chicago Bulls public address announcer to do pre-game warmups at the RAC one day (I hear you can hire him for weddings). </p>
<p id="FyWibw">Rebounding: Myles Johnson, because he’s our most improved player this season (spoiler alert, more information below).</p>
<p id="mljuGO">Assists: Paul Mulcahy, though I expect this to only become obvious in early March as he grows into his role, plays more minutes, and takes over the point guard position.</p>
<p id="4yy8Qw"><strong>Patrick Mella: </strong></p>
<p id="nC6ZAa">Scoring: <strong>Jacob Young. </strong>This could be one of the more interesting categories to pick for team leader. Rutgers should have some of the best scoring options in quite some time. Thinking logically here and how much hype has been around Jacob Young’s speed, I think that would translate to an attacking style towards the basket. Especially if this offense is going to more of an uptempo style, that should lead to some easy baskets or at the very least some opportunities from the free throw line. </p>
<p id="PRBJMJ">Rebounding:<strong> Myles Johnson </strong></p>
<p id="JTA1pE">The big guy down low should have plenty of opportunities at cleaning up the glass. Johnson is a smart player and has much better hands than he gets credit for. I think if he can continue getting better at positioning down in the box and get a little more aggressive around the boards he could easily lead the team in rebounds. </p>
<p id="kVJchC">Assists: <strong>Caleb McConnell </strong></p>
<p id="sqfD9D">In a crowded backcourt I think a lot of people forget about this guy but McConnell is a smart crafty player who should benefit from Geo Baker moving to the 2 spot. I don’t believe we know who will be running the point at this moment but McConnell should be in the running. He came off the bench last year and showed he could hang with competition from the Big Ten. Considering Rutgers should have a multitude of scoring options, McConnell at PG could see his assists sky rocket this year. </p>
<p id="clvijP"><strong>Adam Ross:</strong> I think its wonderful that we arent quite sure who is going to lead this team in points at this point. Its felt like Rutgers has only had one truer scorer every year for a while now. My initial reaction was to say Geo Baker, but I think I’m going to have to say Ron Harper Jr. His strides over the offseason have everyone in awe of his abilities. I’ll need to be convinced that Baker can still be a reliable scorer if he doesnt have the ball in his hands on every possession. As for rebounding, I’m prone to agree with everyone else and say Johnson, but I’ll throw another name into the mix - Akwasi Yeboah. He averaged 7.7 rebounds last year, and comes in to a Scarlet Knight team that lost Eugene and Shaq, so the opportunities will be there. And he knows this system emphasizing controlling the glass very well. Another unconventional name, I think Jacob Young has the potential to lead this team in assists. He has a great pedigree, and I think he ends the season as the starting point guard. I’m excited to see what Mulcahy can do, but I think he needs some time to adjust to the next level, and may have some limited minutes to start out the year.</p>
<p id="mt3U5d"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: I have to agree with a lot of the guys above. I’m a huge fan of Geo and I think his efficiency is going to increase greatly as he goes offball and teams have more weapons on offense to account for. That being said, everything makes it sound like Ron Harper Jr. has taken a huge step up since last season and various tidbits make it sound like the offense is focused on getting him shots. I expect him to lead the team in scoring at around 15/ppg. As for rebounding, it seems like its gotta be Myles Johnson. His offensive rebounding rate was crazy high last year and he’s going to get force fed more minutes unless he’s in foul trouble. As for assists, I’ll go with Geo. He has always been a good passer and didn’t get enough credit for his ability to set people up either last year or the year before. </p>
<p id="io6Xll"><strong>Aaron Breitman:</strong> Ron Harper Jr. is going to play at another level this season and should be the most consistent scorer on the roster and thus the leading one as well due to his versatility. The games he is at his best and scores 20+ are those nights when Rutgers will be extremely difficult to beat. Myles Johnson needs to stay healthy and out of foul trouble, but due to averaging 7.8 boards in the 11 games he played more than 20 minutes last season, he should be closer to that type of rebounding production full-time this season. Assists is the hardest to predict but I’m going with Jacob Young because Rutgers needs him to embrace the point guard role for them to reach the next level as a winning team. He certainly has the potential to be the best ball distributor on the team, but needs to do that on a consistent basis.</p>
<h3 id="RiQzaj">Biggest Concern</h3>
<p id="9gbGZc"><strong>David Anderson: </strong>Defending big, athletic wings. Myles Johnson’s on ball post defense is ok, though I’m not sold on Doucoure or Carter. None of them is really a rim protector though. Rutgers has some length on the perimeter, but in the event of penetration I’m not sure how Rutgers can stop it without completely collapsing and allowing open threes. Unless ... they play a Syracuse 2-3 zone. I know this is not this coaching staff’s bread and butter, but the roster is built for it. Man to man defense is important to build grit and responsibility with the underdog mentality, so playing 2-3 is probably a last resort. </p>
<p id="nPZUoM"><strong>Nick Kosko: </strong>A letdown. This team has more expectations than any Rutgers basketball team in recent memory and it’s perfectly reasonable for this team to contend for an NCAA Tournament bid. That is no joke. All has to break right offensively considering the confidence in the defense (at least from me), but something special could be brewing. If this team made the NIT, the fanbase would be thrilled as well, but there has to be some postseason play. We saw the energy from the fanbase and school when Rutgers made a run in the Big Ten Tournament two years ago and actually (dare I say it) had a path to the **gulp** Big Ten Finals. </p>
<p id="NAZxby"><strong>Dave White: </strong>Interior defense is the biggest concern. Johnson, Shaq Carter, Akwasi Yeboah and Mamadou Doucoure are going have to hold down the fort and not foul much. Last season, Omoruyi and Shaq Doorson were lockdown type guys. The newbies (sort of) are really going to have to develop into defenders quickly. If they can do that, Rutgers will be in good shape on the defensive end.</p>
<p id="fC8h6H"><strong>Danny Burrick: </strong>My biggest concern with this team in injuries. Because you never known when and to whom an injury will occur they always remain a question mark. With Rutgers going up against top teams weekly, unexpected injuries can make the difference between making a tournament or not.</p>
<p id="WJLt1k"><strong>Fred Gaudios:</strong> I suppose I have two (sorry). The first, as I’m sure other contributors are noting as well, is how this team handles the Omoruyi transfer on the court. Eugene was perhaps the most essential part of this team last season on offense. This is nerdy, but if you look at KenPom’s ratings of the most efficient players in the Big Ten conference last season and filter the data by those who played an essential role in most of the team’s offensive possessions, Eugene was the 16<sup>th</sup> most efficient player in the conference on offense last season, in the same conversation as Ethan Happ (Wisconsin) and Lamar Stevens (Penn St). You can’t just replace that sort of production with one player, but thankfully basketball is a team game so I’m hopeful different guys step up and replace, if not all, the majority of his production. The second concern I have – and this is a recurring theme from the past several seasons – is whether we’ll have enough offense in general to compensate for a still-young team learning about the intricacies of team/help defense. Team defense evolves as players learn their teammates’ tendencies over the course of a long season, but offense has never been Rutgers’ strength under Pikiell (not meaning this as a knock) and there are going to be some games in the first half of the season where our offense will simply need to out-produce quality opponents’ offense. It’s still an open question as to whether that happens.</p>
<p id="tkIQMQ"><strong>Patrick Mella: </strong>Defense. I know that sounds funny since it’s been a staple of Coach Pikiell’s philosophy since he’s stepped on campus. But losing Omoruyi was a huge blow to the team. Arguably this best all-around player, Eugene brought a defensive toughness that few other guys in the country could bring. Whether it was stepping into driving lanes to take a charge, diving for loose balls or being relentless on the glass, he will be a tough act to follow. </p>
<p id="Y7SHtO"><strong>Adam Ross:</strong> Can the younger/newer players gel enough and get on the same page by the time conference play begins? We are all familiar with the “lofty” expectations of this squad for this season, but none of it will mean anything if we dont show improvement in our Big Ten schedule. We have a relatively easy out of conference slate, so the team will need to work extra hard to iron out any kinks so they are a force to be reckoned with come January. There wont be any hint of a postseason tournament if we muddle through the conference with only a few wins.</p>
<p id="uas1H9"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: is it weird to say the biggest concern is something coming out of nowhere to just blow up the team and the progress that’s been made? That’s the way things tend to go at Rutgers. I can’t imagine Pikiell being involved in a scandal, and the players seem like great kids, but I’m just afraid of something crazy happening in the athletic department, which once again is mired in weird scandal, and it having an effect on the Men’s Basketball program. We’re Rutgers and the universe doesn’t seem to like us to have good things. On the actual basketball side, I’ll say the defense not coming together is my biggest concern. This team under Pikiell has never actually been as good as advertised on defense in conference play, at least according to advanced metrics. They get that reputation fattening up on bad OOC teams. Maybe Pike hasn’t been lying when he says its a concern.</p>
<p id="v1GidF"><strong>Aaron Breitman: </strong>Injuries, as this team only has 11 scholarship players and is already thin with only three true big men. The most important players to stay healthy are Myles Johnson in the frontcourt and Geo Baker overall. Losing his leadership and experience for an extended period of time would be a crushing blow to a team looking to make a leap up the Big Ten standings. Of course, losing Harper Jr, Young, Yeboah or Mathis would be major losses to. Players are going to get hurt during the course of a 30+ game schedule, but Rutgers can’t afford multiple significant injuries or a season of hope will become a lost season instead.</p>
<h3 id="IVz1sT">Most Improved Player</h3>
<p id="Mbxlw6"><strong>David Anderson:</strong> Best case scenario is Doucoure, but I haven’t seen or head much to indicate that. I also can’t say Harper because I was so high on him last year. So I’m going to go out on a limb and say Montez Mathis. First of all, if he could just make free throws at even 70%, teams would think twice about just hacking him AND he would feel more confident going to the rack. If he can consistently make 3s at any point in time, that will be devastating because it’s still better to let him chuck than just shred you inside. Defensively, Mathis was forced to cover a lot of point guards who Young will check this year, so he will be more free to roam. If Mathis’s help defense improves at all, he will get a ton of steals and transition buckets. There are just so many areas where Mathis getting a little better will make a huge difference for him and the team. No one else can get easy buckets consistently. </p>
<p id="xPs8O7"><strong>Nick Kosko: </strong>Ron Harper Jr. The kid has a chance to average double figures this season and if the rebounding numbers go up, he’s going to be a pain for opposing squads. 10 PPG and 5-6 RPG? I’d take that. Can Mamadou Doucoure become a much improved big man? One can hope, but I’ll need to see a bigger sample size this season before I make that determination. </p>
<p id="yzms9G"><strong>Dave White: </strong>Ron Harper Jr has all the buzz and Steve Pikiell’s been talking up Shaq Carter, but I say Caleb McConnell steals some of the spotlight. The guard has been really good in practice and knows he needs to earn his playing time. Look for him to really take over shooting the three coming off the bench.</p>
<p id="JOO8Qw"><strong>Danny Burrick: </strong>Watching Ron progress throughout last season, I’m expecting him to have a dynamite season. I think he has the ability to make the ability to make the first or second all big ten team. He along with other players will help this team thrive towards their goal of making a tournament.</p>
<p id="kLrNs2"><strong>Fred Gaudios: </strong>The sexy and obvious choice is Ron Harper, Jr., and I agree he’ll be significantly improved this season, but my pick is Myles Johnson. Aaron said this better than I could in his October article, but the greatest improvement on this team needs to come from the paint positions in order to achieve the type of team improvement that gets us to the NIT / NCAA bubble. Big Myles showed flashes of dominance last season, and he’s had another full offseason to condition and prepare for an enhanced workload in 2019-20. I expect him to be the starting five on Day 1, stay there throughout the season, and average close to a double-double in Big Ten play with continued efficiency on offense and particularly on the boards.</p>
<p id="OJrYky"><strong>Patrick Mella: </strong>Ron Harper Jr.<strong> </strong>Everything that has come out of Rutgers camp has pointed to Ron Harper being one of the most improved guys on the team. Especially on the wing, he’s got such great length and long strides, he can cover long areas of the floor in a few steps. As for shooting, he’s got to prove it during season as yo whether or not that’s improved. But so much of maturing in college basketball is finding a confidence within yourself. Harper could come into his own this season and develop into one of the most dynamic players on the roster. </p>
<p id="Z4lp8V"><strong>Adam Ross:</strong> Since I’m late to adding in my analysis, I’m going to go in a different direction and say Geo Baker. He was already perhaps the best player on the team, but with Eugene in Oregon, we will see his leadership skills flourish in his third year on the banks. </p>
<p id="AaJlKa"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: I think Ron Harper Jr. being most improved would be ignoring that down the stretch last year he already may have been the team’s best player. I’m going to say Myles Johnson figures out how to stay out of foul trouble and ends up being one of the top rebounders in the B1G, adding a little rim protection in for good measure. If that happens, this teams ceiling rises quite a bit. (Shout out to Caleb McConnell. For some reason I love the idea of a multi-position guy coming off the bench as the 6th man and causing real headaches for the other team.)</p>
<p id="6vpWfq"><strong>Aaron Breitman:</strong> While Ron Harper Jr. will make a huge leap this season, Rutgers needs Shaq Carter to be the most improved player due to a lack of depth in the frontcourt. He showed he was a productive offensive player in spurts last season, but he struggled on the boards and defensively. If he can double his scoring and rebounding totals to become closer to a 8 point, 8 rebound type of player who can hold his own in the paint defensively, it would be a major positive development for this team. I think he can do it and Pikiell has raved about his improvement this offseason, saying he developed the most of anyone and rewarded him by making him captain. He is soft spoken, but hopefully carries a big stick on the court this season.</p>
<h3 id="TShNVi">Team MVP</h3>
<p id="EbM00e"><strong>David Anderson: </strong>Though I think Harper, Johnson, and maybe Mathis will be more irreplaceable parts for the first 38 minutes of games, the team has only one heart and soul, Geo Baker. Like we saw last year when Omoruyi went down, the team was just lost. They need Baker’s leadership and confidence to take the ball in late game situations. Rutgers should be in a lot of close games this year and Geo’s their best chance to make difficult shots and get W’s. </p>
<p id="TQwe23"><strong>Nick Kosko: </strong>Geo Baker. As I mentioned above, the team will flow through him. If he is hot all year long, this is going to be a good squad, a pain in the neck for the big time teams (Michigan State for ex.) and he’ll pump up the fanbase regularly at the RAC.</p>
<p id="xcSpsl"><strong>Dave White: </strong>Geo Baker. The team, as usual, will go as Geo goes. There are more pieces now to make up for him having an off night or two, but Geo is the face of this program and he knows it’s time to shine. I also should know better than to mix metaphors.</p>
<p id="l1feCz"><strong>Danny Burrick:</strong> Jacob Young. The Texas transfer has played in the NCAA tournament with a respected program giving him experience and allowing him to have the ability to run a team. I’m sure this will be a surprise to many but after seeing his performance in Spain I believe he can lead this team.</p>
<p id="3uSqso"><strong>Fred Gaudios:</strong> Ron Harper, Jr. He improved consistently as the season progressed last season, ending the year as a legitimate Big Ten starter and perhaps Rutgers’ most consistent offensive player. Our two best wins of the conference slate last season, at home against then-ranked Ohio State and on the road against Iowa, were games where Harper played a significant role. The Big Ten slate isn’t getting any easier, so for Rutgers to win 7-8+ games in conference this season, Harper will need to (and I predict him to) continue to step up. That said, this is admittedly a very tough question to answer, because this team is deeper with talented players than any in recent memory. It could easily be Geo Baker, Montez Mathis, Jacob Young, Myles Johnson, or even Paul Mulcahy at the end of the season…</p>
<p id="sV558h"><strong>Patrick Mella:</strong> Geo Baker.<strong> </strong>Another tough one. But Geo is the glue that will keep this team together. He should finally be able to fall into more of an off the ball role and this should in return get him some open looks. Don’t be surprised though if he does get a few games at the point. I know he was forced into that role last year, but I think not having the ball in his hands as much could lead to him getting a little itch to run that point again. Either way, to me he’s the one guy who is irreplaceable this year and thus my team MVP. </p>
<p id="YIJo2w"><strong>Adam Ross:</strong> Akwasi Yeboah. He is the replacement, for lack of a better term, for our team MVP of last season. Given that he is already a proven senior and knows the Pikiell system, I believe he will be the most valuable member of this squad in maintaining the overall progression of the program.</p>
<p id="Gl7IgJ"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: I’d love to be original, but I’m going to say Geo Baker. I think RHJ, Jacob Young, Yeboah and even McConnell are going to pull defensive focus away from Geo and he’s going to benefit greatly by increasing his efficiency. If he can keep his points, assists and steal numbers where they were last year but improve his shooting numbers, I think he gets the nod and those slight efficiency improvements could be the difference in a lot of games. He’s also played so many minutes over the last two seasons that he may be one of the most experienced guards in the B1G. That has to count for a lot.</p>
<p id="A7lNmd"><strong>Aaron Breitman: </strong>Ron Harper Jr. will be the most valuable player on the team and the first Rutgers member to make an All-Big Ten team other than Honorable Mention. That’s how high on him I am. He will emerge as the star player that Rutgers sorely needs to lead them up the Big Ten standings. Harper finished 16th in Big Ten play with an impressive offensive rating of 113.8, despite a slow start as a freshman. His production will increase significantly, even if his efficiency dips some, but I do think his shooting numbers will rise across the board. I haven’t been this excited for one player on Rutgers in a long time. </p>
<h3 id="Xd3hdw">Expectations and How to Measure Progress</h3>
<p id="tTvHaD"><strong>David Anderson: </strong>This may not be the progress we want, but you lost Omoruyi, your best all-around player. You lost Doorson, the guy who could matchup with really big centers on the other side. So interior defense will take some time to get settled and even then I don’t feel great about it unless a light switch turns on for Doucoure. I want to see significantly better ball movement and shot creation on offense. After a period where Rutgers struggled to have even one good passer on the floor at any given time dating back to Gary Waters, there should be no situation where guys like Harper and McConnell are not your 3rd BEST passer in the game at any moment. If the team loses a few games because they are overpowered inside or by big, athletic wings that won’t concern me long-term. If they lose games because they can’t get good shots, that’s a major issue in year four of the same offensive scheme. </p>
<p id="vRolA3"><strong>Nick Kosko: </strong>Expectations should be to finish above .500 and have a shot at postseason play. Whether that is the holy grail NCAA Tournament berth or an invitation to the NIT, that will measure a successful season. Good progress would indicate consistent offense and not the lulls we’ve seen in years’ past. Can this team shoot well, as in, most of the time? Boy I hope so. </p>
<p id="yPlc0b"><strong>Dave White: </strong>With the schedule the way it’s set up, this is the year to at the very least finish .500. It’s time to embrace some expectations.</p>
<p id="Q02SQT"><strong>Danny Burrick: </strong>Expectations for this season are to have a winning record for the first time since the 2005-06 season, make a tournament, and avoid as much outside disruption as possible. </p>
<p id="XCmG1S"><strong>Fred Gaudios:</strong> In Pikiell’s first season, we were happy to win a Big Ten conference tournament game. In his second, we were happy when they won two conference tournament games and gave Purdue a hell of a scare in the quarterfinals. (I was at MSG for the Purdue game, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had at a college basketball game in my life.) In his third, it was justifiably the expectation that the team would escape the Big Ten cellar – and they did. In this year, year four, I am expecting an above .500 record, at least eight Big Ten conference wins, plus the potential for play in a secondary postseason tournament with outside hopes at the NCAA bubble. Of all four seasons of the Pikiell era, these are the toughest expectations to meet – this is the biggest leap. Wins are a zero-sum game, and it’s not like the Big Ten is a weak conference in which to play. In order to win our share, we’re going to have to outplay some teams which are (on paper) better than we are. Here’s how I measure progress. One, I expect this team to improve over the course of the season. We are still one of the younger teams in Division I, and we need time to gel, especially with a freshman point guard likely earning minutes (and making freshman mistakes) throughout the season. Two, I expect to win more than our share of toss-ups – this is how well-coached teams differentiate themselves. There are 13 games on our schedule this season where Rutgers has between a 30% and 60% chance to win, according to KenPom. If we win more than seven of these games, Pikiell deserves a standing ovation and we’re headed somewhere – maybe somewhere good – for the postseason. Three, I expect we beat Seton Hall, because that’s always fun to do. J</p>
<p id="lJl6QN"><strong>Patrick Mella: </strong>This is a team that is good enough on paper to make the NIT. The NCAA is just so difficult to make and coupled with so many question marks this year. I just know how likely it is. Possible? Yes of course. If you’re a fan reading this, get excited. This is a team and group of guys that could be very good this year. But realistically it takes time, we’re talking seasons, to gel together. Even if Rutgers does settle for an NIT berth considering where this program was 5 years ago I think most fans would sign up for that. Finishing higher than 10th in the Big Ten like most predictions have said would be another indication this program is on the rise. </p>
<p id="156our"><strong>Adam Ross</strong>: The fan base clearly has high expectations, and not without good reason. This is the best team we have put out in at least 15 years. The publications dont seem to share our optimism, putting us 12th in the conference. Hopefully, that just means other teams will underestimate us. I agree with the rest of the contributors that a .500 record should be the expectation. But how do we measure progress? I think that will be in the value of the recruits who sign on for 2020. If this team is creating a buzz and attracting more young talent, that will prove how well we are progressing.</p>
<p id="bTpc72"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: If this team eliminates bad losses that will be huge progress and show that the team is making progress. Also must not take a step-back in conference play and get at least one more conference win this year. Finally, learn how to win in big games... I think they lost every home sellout last year, and this year there are already more sellouts on the schedule.</p>
<p id="B5fghh"><strong>Aaron Breitman:</strong> My baseline expectations for this team is a winning record, no bad losses i non-conference play, not suffering any 20+ point blowouts, improving their Big Ten win total from last season’s program best (7). These type of measurements will be achieved if they take the necessary development steps as a team: learning how to close out games, improving their assist to turnover ratio as a team, being able to exploit opponent weaknesses, and perhaps most importantly, play unselfishly on offense and focus on strong team defense. </p>
<h3 id="ZXy9TA">Regular Season Record, Big Ten seed & Postseason Outlook</h3>
<p id="d4FmlR"><strong>David Anderson</strong>: I think the team is .500 overall, a 9 or 10 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. They don’t make the NIT, but hopefully can get a random other tournament bid. </p>
<p id="I7tnU5"><strong>Nick Kosko: </strong>I’ll go 16-15 since the team is a bit younger with exciting veterans. Obviously the loss of Eugene Omoruyi is going to sting, but there is potential with Steve Pikiell’s squad. Let’s say a 10 seed in the Big Ten tournament with a win to get to the quarterfinals. Not sure if the record will get them to the NIT, but if they’re above .500 and make a surprising run to the Big Ten semi-finals (it is March after all), then we can see more postseason basketball. </p>
<p id="aJfquF"><strong>Dave White: </strong>My heart says 18-13 regular season, but my formal prediction will be 17-14. This team has the pieces but probably needs one more year to really coalesce. A Big Ten run could do a lot of this team, but as usual that has to do with seeding. I think this team finds a way into the NIT with two wins the Big Ten Tournament. But, Rutgers fans are due and this team is thinking big, so you never ever know. Maybe it’s a special year for once.</p>
<p id="TfXrAY"><strong>Danny Burrick: </strong>I agree with Dave in thinking they will go 18-13. They have everything where set up for them to be able to do so. I think they can be a seven seed in the big ten tournament and maybe even make a run to go deep into the tournament. I believe this team has the ability to reach the NCAA tournament but will they deliver?</p>
<p id="J4RAiL"><strong>Fred Gaudios:</strong> I predict a regular season of 18-13 (9-11), with two non-conference losses (at Pittsburgh plus the obligatory random loss) but a win against Seton Hall. Among our nine conference wins will be one court storming upset of a top-ten team at the RAC, which will be one of the leading stories on that night’s SportsCenter and will lead to one of those awesome “check out all the tweets from national CBB media” articles the next day. This regular season performance will be good enough for the #9 seed in the conference tournament and a first-round bye. I predict we win two games in the conference tournament, making us sweat Selection Sunday, where we will be a bubble team unfortunately left out by the NCAA. We’ll be disappointed with our NIT berth for about fifteen minutes before we realize how far this program has come, how great postseason experience will be for this team, and how better days are still ahead for this team. </p>
<p id="jxS7c0"><strong>Patrick Mella:</strong> I think 17-14 would be considered an accomplishment this year. Finish inside the 10th seed in the Big Ten, and get an invite to the NIT. Considering the youth of this team and the difficulty of life in the Big Ten I’d be over the moon for those results. </p>
<p id="kMTaSv"><strong>Adam Ross:</strong> I’ll go with a 17-14 record. There’s the potential for more certainly, but with the relative youth of this team, I think it settles back into 17 wins, which is nothing to sneeze at. I think we are on the outside looking in for the Big Dance, but we do make the NIT. With a conference tournament win and an NIT win, we could be talking about a 20 win when all is said and done, which is objectively a successful season.</p>
<p id="roMPjH"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: I agree with Aaron here, 19-12, 9-11 in conference, they make the NIT and while we’re all excited about that the team still gets close enough to NCAA bubble conversations for fans to feel a bit of a let down.</p>
<p id="zbzw29"><strong>Aaron Breitman: </strong>To quote<strong> </strong>Dr. Sean McGuire in the closing line of Good Will Hunting in reference to Dave Kostus, “son of a bitch, he stole my line.”<strong> </strong>I think the reasonable window for win total in the regular season is between 16 and 19 wins. I’m going with the high end, despite not thinking this team is quite there yet. However, I think this team will be much improved from game 1 to game 31 and I think the Big Ten, other than Maryland and Michigan State, is pretty wide open this season. I’m worried about lack of frontcourt depth, injuries, turnovers due to playing an up tempo style, interior defense and this team wearing down at the end of the season once again. However, I think team chemistry is best it’s been under Pikiell, there are more scoring options by far, they’ll create a lot of matchup problems with their size and versatility that will be showcased with multiple lineup combinations, and I really think this team gets it in regard to how they need to play in order to win. My prediction is a regulars season record of 19-12 with an 9-11 record in Big Ten play, which I think will put them in 9th place in the conference standings. I do not think that would be good enough for an NCAA berth unless they made an unprecedented run in the Big Ten Tournament. After a 14 year postseason drought in addition to a winning season, an NIT berth would be huge for this program and where it was before Pikiell got here to now. </p>
<h3 id="w4j4KB">Final Thoughts</h3>
<p id="yBOaUV"><strong>Fred Gaudios:</strong> This is going to be a fun season, if everyone stays healthy and we win the games we should win. Football season has been an incredibly soul-sucking challenge for those of us who follow the sport closely, so here’s hoping men’s basketball season brings us more of what we’ve come to expect from this team over the years – tough defense, grittiness, tense and fun game-watching moments, and (new for this season) postseason tournament expectations! </p>
<p id="14Bclh"><strong>David Anderson:</strong> All I ask for as a fan is continued long-term hope and some competitive games to make things worth watching and emotionally investing in (aka avoid strings of blowouts). College basketball is supposed to be fun regardless of whether your team makes the NCAA Tournament or not. One thing that makes it so exciting is how freshmen or other high upside newcomer can make such a big difference right away, but most players don’t. So you have to be optimistic it could happen that Mulcahy is a stud right away or Young became a star while sitting out, but never count on that. </p>
<p id="1gcTsP"><strong>Dave White: </strong>This is it, folks. This is the year the Pikiell era has been pointing towards. NCAAs? Probably not, but there is a chance, if absolutely everything goes right. But this is the season that Pikiell’s pounding of nails should result in a foundation finally being complete. This team should embrace expectations finish over .500 and be one of the most fun seasons Rutgers basketball fans have had in years (and last year was fun, soooo...). Maybe an NIT run. Maybe the basketball gods bless us with more. But, hopefully, we’re sitting in the RAC at the beginning of February with excitement in our eyes, sore throats from yelling and more hope on the horizon.</p>
<p id="lTTjZG"><strong>Patrick Mella</strong>: Maybe it’s the disaster that is the football program or my fantasy football season being over early. Maybe its the Yankees being eliminated or the Giants making me look at early Mel Kiper draft predictions. But I can’t remember a Rutgers basketball season that I’ve been more hyped for. This is a coach, a team and a program to rally around. Although I would caution fans that there will be ups and downs this year, I think it’s fair to get excited. Anyone who experienced the Eddie Jordan years will know how truly far this program has come. This team embodies everything but is to be a Rutgers fan- Always the underdog and always fighting. </p>
<p id="O23G7D"><strong>Adam Ross:</strong> I can’t remember being this excited for a basketball season since I was a student myself. My hope is that the coaching staff tempers the excitement in the young guys, which I have no doubt they will do. The pieces are all there for the start of something great. It will be a pivotal season to start making noticeable progress in the standings with these players, so they can help continue that trend for the future.</p>
<p id="VGFm8c"><strong>David Kostus</strong>: There is something about Pikiell and the guys on this team that makes them particularly easy to root for. For their sakes, I hope they rally around the B___ S___ that is having your captain transfer in the middle of the night via Instagram and have a great season. For my own sake, I hope the season goes well enough to distract me from the horrors of political twitter and all of the issues with the football program. All I really want is the season to start so that I can google Rutgers and read a story that doesn’t have to do with football, Schiano, or a scandal in the athletic department. Following sports is supposed to be fun, and that is something this team has given everybody over the last few years. Here’s to hoping that trend continues.</p>
<p id="skBzkh"><strong>Aaron Breitman:</strong> This is such a crucial season for the program and Pikiell, a major key to me is truly making the RAC a nightmare for teams to play. That can’t just be playing teams hard and the environment be crazy anymore. It has to mean that when Big Ten teams come to the RAC, more times than not they leave with a loss. It’s the only way Rutgers is ever going to climb up the Big Ten standings. Yes, they need to win more on the road, but if they can produce a winning record in conference play at the RAC, something like 6-4 or 7-3, which I think is attainable, your ability to be a .500 team or better in the Big Ten is achievable. They had five sellouts last season and lost them all. Time to change that this season. Overall, I’m as excited as I’ve been for this team in years and really believe they are ready to take a significant step forward this season.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/4/20929014/otb-staff-season-predictions-rutgers-mens-basketball-big-ten-steve-pikiell-geo-baker-ron-harper-racOTB Staff2019-11-01T15:39:22-04:002019-11-01T15:39:22-04:00FanPulse Update: Rutgers Basketball voting is coming this week
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Penn State at Rutgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ranumm99l4dr9kXC6gLiq_AJAMg=/0x0:3800x2533/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65609035/usa_today_12298234.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Find out how to sign up and what to watch for each week</p> <p id="NxDiDo">Some of you may already know of our SB Nation <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/8/14/20804419/sb-nations-preseason-fan-pulse-top-25-debuts-alabama-clemson-rutgers-football-big-ten">FanPulse poll</a>, which is emailed every Sunday to our readers who signed up. It gives you the opportunity to vote on the top 25 teams in college football and also asks how confident you are in the direction of Rutgers football. We posted an article over the summer giving full details <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/7/17/20697619/sign-up-for-on-the-banks-fanpulse-today-rutgers-football-big-ten-sb-nation-ncaa-top-25-poll">here</a>. </p>
<p id="IMqJ5n">Obviously with the season that’s occurring, it’s possible even if you are signed up, you haven’t taken part of the weekly polls in awhile. Well here is some good news! Starting this week, SB Nation is now adding a college basketball fan confidence question in the survey that’s sent out weekly for football. Once the football season is over, it will just focus on confidence questions and national questions for college basketball.</p>
<p id="MUkyhl"><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FYK726PN&xcust=xid:fr1571085178424jbi%7Cxid:fr1571778128973aga%7Cxid:fr1572299872650ddi%7Cxid:fr1572536111607dij%7Cxid:fr1572541466192gjj%7Cxid:fr1572625139192cde" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>It’s as easy as signing up here</strong></a>, and then the survey will come to you each week on Sunday. The surveys will be emailed out to you directly. You will then be able to represent On The Banks and the Rutgers community in the only weekly college football and basketball poll conducted by fans. Here is an example of what the confidence poll looked like for football after the 30-0 loss to Iowa in early September:</p>
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<p id="dwRidA">Being the mostly intelligent fans that we are, this poll highlighted how Rutgers faithful saw the writing on the wall after the blowout loss to the Hawkeyes, despite it only being the second game of the season.</p>
<p id="8IkVTA">Now with the most anticipated season for Rutgers men’s basketball about to tip-off on Thursday, this weekly confidence poll could be a lot more fun and more interesting to track. The more of you that sign up, the more accurate the polls will be! I really hope if you haven’t signed up that you do <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YK726PN">here</a>. It only takes a couple of minutes, as does the weekly poll questions. And if you already have, I hope you are re-energized by the hope of basketball season beginning and get into the habit of voting again. </p>
<p id="Omb1Wh"><em>(editor’s note: the survey page has a football player on it, but it’s the right one to sign up on as it’s adding new fans to the existing one’s that previously signed up representing On The Banks.)</em></p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/11/1/20943562/fanpulse-update-rutgers-basketball-voting-is-coming-this-week-ncaa-big-ten-sb-nationAaron Breitman2019-10-31T10:48:16-04:002019-10-31T10:48:16-04:00Akwasi Yeboah making seamless transition with Rutgers basketball
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Stony Brook at Michigan State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cY-CFKsW0C98y534qK_X9pcQUc0=/0x52:3890x2645/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65594242/usa_today_10426476.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The grad transfer adds a veteran presence to the roster</p> <p id="G85qyM">Akwasi Yeboah joined the Rutgers men’s basketball program as <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/5/2/18526852/stony-brook-grad-transfer-akwasi-yeboah-commits-to-rutgers-basketball-steve-pikiell-big-ten">a graduate transfer</a> only a few months ago, but it has been a relatively seamless transition for him. In speaking with Yeboah on Tuesday at <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/29/20938309/ten-takeaways-rutgers-mens-basketball-practice-steve-pikiell-geo-baker-jacob-young-ron-harper-jr">media day</a>, he said “It’s been smooth coming from Stony Brook because I already knew coach Pikiell. The guys have accepted me and I already feel like I’ve been here my whole career. We’ve been working out together and hanging out together off the court. We are clicking and I’m looking forward to a great year.”</p>
<p id="p7rlni">Adding Yeboah to a strong core of returning players was a big offseason pickup for Rutgers. Jeff Goodman of The Stadium<a href="https://watchstadium.com/news/ranking-the-best-transfers-in-college-basketball-this-offseason-04-22-2019/"> listed</a> him as the 36th best grad transfer on the market and he selected Rutgers over other suitors such as TCU, SMU, Marquette, and Clemson.</p>
<p id="MseI2L">Yeboah was the best player on a Stony Brook team that went 24-9 last season, averaging 16.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Yeboah shot 41.3% from the floor, 31.6% from three-point range on 209 attempts, and 78.5% from the free throw line on 130 attempts. He shot 45.2.% from the field and 35.5% from three the previous season on less attempts, which is a reason to be encouraged he could achieve those type of numbers with Rutgers, where he won’t be the top offensive target.</p>
<p id="bTQlCj">He had an efficiency rating of 103.0 last season and is a proven scorer, as he failed to reach double digits in just two out of thirty-two games played. The 6’6” forward plays extremely hard on both ends of the floor and is an effective rebounder, as his defensive rebounding rate of 20.1% was 245th best in the nation last season.</p>
<p id="vx8p7q">As for his familiarity with Pikiell, Yeboah was recruited to Stony Brook by him and redshirted his first year during the coach’s last season with the Seawolves. In asking Yeboah if Pikiell has changed at all in his current role at Rutgers, the wing confirmed, “he is the same as before. He is a winner and wants to win. He has the same approach. He is hard on us when he has to be and expects the best of us.”</p>
<p id="1PdjT3">In regard to making the jump from mid-major to the high-major level in the Big Ten conference, Yeboah is taking it all in stride. In regard to adjustments he is focused on with his game, he said, “Everything really. My goal is to constantly work on my game. Being able to do everything well on the court will help me individually and help the team as well.”</p>
<p id="JwU2hR">It’s no secret that Rutgers has spent the entire offseason to prepare to play a more up tempo style this season. It’s something Yeboah has had to adjust to. “It’s definitely a much faster pace and more physical here. You have to be in great condition to play at that pace. It’s been an adjustment, but it’s all about working together on the court, in the weight room, and getting ourselves prepared for it.”</p>
<p id="uSa140">This summer was good timing for Yeboah to join the program with the <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/8/16/20808578/rutgers-basketball-spain-trip-overall-takeaways-stat-review-barcelona-madrid-valencia-big-ten-ncaa">team’s trip to Spain </a>this past August. He produced a four game team high +/- total of 76. The trip itself helped him become more acclimated with the team, saying “It was really good. Playing with a new group of people, the trip helped us get used to our tendencies and each other. It was a great team experience in learning about each other and having fun together on and off the court.”</p>
<p id="bhhePF">Although similar in build to former Rutgers forward Eugene Omoruyi, it would be a mistake to think Yeboah will play a similar style on the court. He is much more of an perimeter wing than a post up, physical player like Omoruyi was. Yeboah gives Rutgers an established three-point shooter as well, as he has made 33.5% of his 507 career attempts from deep. As for the three-point line being moved back from 20 feet, 9 inches to the FIBA distance of 22 feet, 1.75 inches, it’s not really a change for Yeboah. “I’m from England, so I’ve been shooting from that range for years before I came to the states, so it’s not much of an adjustment for me.”</p>
<p id="Y6LdHL">This season is Yeboah’s last at the collegiate level and he made it clear he only has one goal for himself and this team. “To win and hopefully get to the dance. Take it one game at a time and win. Make history.” Let’s hope his goals become reality. </p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/31/20941717/akwasi-yeboah-making-seamless-transition-with-rutgers-basketball-stony-brook-steve-pikiell-big-tenAaron Breitman2019-10-29T18:48:28-04:002019-10-29T18:48:28-04:00Ten Takeaways from Rutgers men’s basketball’s media day practice
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<figcaption>Aaron Breitman</figcaption>
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<p>Several players stood out and the team is focused on making a positive jump this season.</p> <p id="yAoQVh"><strong>Piscataway - </strong>As part of <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/29/20938134/takeaways-from-steve-pikiells-media-day-presser-rutgers-mens-basketball-big-ten-ncaa-apc-rac">media day</a> for the Rutgers men’s basketball team, practice was open to those of us who attended. It was the first practice I’ve been able to get to this season and overall I was impressed with the growth of this team. Here are some specific thoughts just a little more than one week before the 2019-2020 season begins.</p>
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<li id="qnL62u">With this team built to play more up tempo this season, it wasn’t surprising to see transition offense as a major focus of practice, including working on knocking down three-pointer’s off the break. With Geo Baker, Akwasi Yeboah, and Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers has three players who have the potential to be a weapon in transition along the perimeter. There is no doubt that Jacob Young will have this team flying up the court in transition when he has the rock. His ability to either finish near the rim, hit the mid-range jumper, or find guys like Montez Mathis and Harper Jr. streaking down the sideline will be a key to the offense. Protecting the basketball in transition and not getting caught giving up easy transition baskets on the other end are hugely important for this team as well. </li>
<li id="2Wwohq">Speaking of offense, there is a real emphasis on ball rotations in the halfcourt. Rutgers has not been a great passing team in recent seasons, but it’s certainly something they’ve been working on. Paul Mulcahy is probably the best passer on the team. Myles Johnson will be an asset in the paint and has the ability to find shooters behind the three-point line. The big issue will be for Rutgers to stay disciplined and have patience working the ball around the perimeter in order to create lanes to drive or open looks to shoot, rather than forcing bad shots or turning it over.</li>
<li id="Wc9vjv">The hype is real with Ron Harper Jr., who shot lights out throughout practice. His confidence and consistency with his shooting stroke was impressive. In speaking with him before practice, he is really focused what he can do better as a player to help the team making a significant jump this season. The way he carries himself on the court is noticeably different in a positive way and he is smooth in his movements during play. I said before that Rutgers needs a legitimate star in order to take a major step up the Big Ten standings and I think he is well on his way to becoming just that for this program.</li>
<li id="qG3uL8">Jacob Young is so quick with his first step, even quicker than Corey Sanders was in my opinion. He can create his own shot off the dribble, but his willingness to find teammates open when he penetrates the defense will be a key in his development as a point guard. I also think he’ll end up being one of the best defensive players on the team. He is super talented and has embraced being apart of this program. If he can be a consistent presence on both ends of the floor, he will make Rutgers better. </li>
<li id="KuP9c4">Not much has been said about Montez Mathis this offseason, but he has continued to grind and work on his game. He is soft spoken and struggled with his confidence at times last season, but he looked stronger and more confident in practice on Tuesday. Mathis told me he has put a lot of work in on his shot and it showed, particularly when I watched him shoot free throws. I think he is a key cog to this team and whether he starts or is one of the first off the bench, Mathis will play key minutes this season. </li>
<li id="ku71Sy">Expectations should be kept in check for Paul Mulcahy this season. I think he could follow the trajectory of someone like Caleb McConnell, who last year as a freshman took awhile to find his comfort zone on the court, but once he did he was able to help Rutgers in spots and in multiple ways. I think Mulcahy will be a good distributor from day one, but he needs to build more strength and confidence to excel at this level. Let me be clear, every freshman goes through that and Mulcahy is no exception. His court vision and basketball IQ are assets. My positive view on his long term upside remains, as the keys to this team will be given to him at some point, just not yet.</li>
<li id="rgKlaB">One big difference with former assistant Jay Young no longer with the program is that Pikiell was running the majority of practice. He was always vocal and heavily involved, but Young was the one running most of the drills and correcting players on the spot. While all of the assistants are coaching players throughout practice, it’s mostly Pikiell’s voice communicating to the team as a whole. That’s a positive in the sense that he creates a sense of urgency and really pushes the pace of practice. </li>
<li id="6pSty9">For those concerned about free throws, I can confirm they continue to work on them throughout practice. Sorry, it’s just comical to me how many people question this. I saw Harper Jr. make nine in a row at one point. Pikiell also always puts a player on the spot at the end of practice to make one before the team can finish and head to the weight room. I’ve said before, there are some good free throw shooters on this team, including Baker, Young, McConnell, and Yeboah, along with Harper Jr. The key is getting those guys to the free throw line the majority of the time this season. </li>
<li id="cMbgO0">Team chemistry always seems great ahead of the season before players are competing for shots and minutes, but it does some seem genuine with this team. Akwasi Yeboah is a much needed veteran presence and has acclimated well. Many players I spoke with cited the Spain trip as being more valuable in getting to know each other and sharing life experiences to bring them closer as the most important part of that adventure over the time spent on the court. In addition, the biggest upside to the practice facility is that it allows the players access 24 hours a day. A lot of the players spoke about late night or early morning sessions to get work in. They cited the difficulty of previously having to work around the RAC schedule, between other teams practicing and events taking place there. Having the ability to come to the APC at any time and with each other has helped bring the team closer together as well. </li>
<li id="c7a0bh">Speaking of the practice facility, it truly is first class in every way. The courts, locker rooms, lounge areas, layout of the space, is all really well done. This is an impressive facility to show recruits of all four programs (women’s basketball, wrestling, and gymnastics too) and a true showpiece for Rutgers. Some fans have discounted the importance of the efforts of athletic director Pat Hobbs, Deputy AD Sarah Baumgartner and other key personnel in getting this facility built, but the prevailing feeling when being there is that it truly makes Rutgers feel like it belongs in the Big Ten. With the Rodkin center under construction and future projects needed, that feeling should only get stronger.</li>
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<p id="z8aIL0">Here are some pictures I captured from practice:</p>
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<figcaption>Caleb McConnell practicing his free throws</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Team working in the halfcourt </figcaption>
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<figcaption>A drill early in practice</figcaption>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/29/20938309/ten-takeaways-rutgers-mens-basketball-practice-steve-pikiell-geo-baker-jacob-young-ron-harper-jrAaron Breitman2019-10-29T16:01:14-04:002019-10-29T16:01:14-04:00Five Takeaways from Steve Pikiell’s Media Day Presser
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<figcaption>Aaron Breitman</figcaption>
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<p>The Rutgers men’s basketball head coach begins his fourth season on the banks.</p> <p id="rM8IDn"><strong>Piscataway -</strong> On Tuesday afternoon, the Rutgers men’s basketball program held its annual media day. Head coach Steve Pikiell, who begins his fourth season at the helm, addressed the local media before practice. Here are a five quick takeaways on what he had to say in regard to this season’s team.</p>
<ul>
<li id="mw8sAz">Pikiell’s opening statement was typical, as he was upbeat and went through acknowledging all the positives within the program, as well as within Rutgers university as a whole However, I thought one key thing he said was how continuity within the program has really helped in his tenure. All three assistants were with the program the first three seasons until Jay Young left to become the head coach of Fairfield. Still, Brandin Knight and Karl Hobbs are in the same roles. David Van Dyke has overseen strength and conditioning and Richard Campbell has been the head trainer the entire time, both coming with Pikiell from Stony Brook. Ben Asher has grown within the program over the past three plus years and is a key member of Pikiell’s staff. Shoes Vetrone is in a key administrative role and knows Rutgers better than anyone on the staff. Even new assistant Steve Hayn was with the program the last two years as well. That type of consistency is huge in building a program and that one mention from Pikiell was the most important thing he said in my opinion. This team has been nurtured by that and hopefully we’ll see they’ll reap the rewards of that on the court this season.</li>
<li id="N6FRzK">Toughness has been an important trait for this team during Pikiell’s tenure and is an area they need to improve on this season. While they showed toughness at times, Rutgers really wore down last season, dropping its last three games. Losing Eugene Omoruyi and Shaq Doorson are big holes to fill in that regard, as is assistant Jay Young, who previously ran practices and the defense. Pikiell acknowledged the importance of toughness with this team and admitted its been a “work in progress”. Once this team gets to December and faces an extremely difficult <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/10/20902739/four-game-stretch-december-rutgers-basketball-big-ten-michigan-state-wisconsin-pitt-seton-hall-ncaa">four game stretch</a>, that toughness must be there for them to be successful during and when the Big Ten gauntlet begins in earnest in January.</li>
<li id="aKrb5X">Pikiell commented how this is the most athletic team he has had so far and that seems very true. In the past, in addition to talent level, Rutgers was extremely challenged in keeping up with Big Ten opponents in regard to athleticism. That should no longer be the case and the emphasis on playing a more up tempo style should showcase the improved athletes on this roster. </li>
<li id="bRgQF8">There are only eleven scholarship players, but expect them all to play, at least in non-conference play. Pikiell traditionally plays a deep rotation and there will be opportunities for them all to get minutes with as fast a pace I expect them to play this season. I asked Pikiell about the big men adjusting to a more up and down pace, in which he responded about their improved conditioning as they’ve prepared for this change the entire offseason. The key will be how well this team can be with transition defense, which makes the bigs key in getting back to defend the rim. On the flip side, there seems to be little question that they will be able to run the break on offense with guys like Ron Harper Jr., Montez Mathis, and Jacob Young who can get to the rim, as well as Geo Baker and Akwasi Yeboah to shoot from the perimeter. It’s just a matter of taking care of the basketball and finishing in transition.</li>
<li id="jaTBix">Foul trouble is always a concern with a team that plays aggressive defense and Pikiell brought this up in answering a question. Especially with the frontcourt depth being somewhat of a concern with only three traditional big men in Myles Johnson, Shaq Carter, and Mamadou Doucoure, teams are going to attack Rutgers in the paint in an effort to create foul trouble. Being disciplined fundamentally, staying in front of who they are defending and not breaking down in the halfcourt despite playing a more up tempo style will be very important on the defensive end.</li>
</ul>
<p id="zPArA6">For my ten takeaways after watching the team practice, <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/29/20938309/ten-takeaways-rutgers-mens-basketball-practice-steve-pikiell-geo-baker-jacob-young-ron-harper-jr">click here</a>. You can watch Pikiell’s entire press conference from media day here:</p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/29/20938134/takeaways-from-steve-pikiells-media-day-presser-rutgers-mens-basketball-big-ten-ncaa-apc-racAaron Breitman2019-10-23T12:07:17-04:002019-10-23T12:07:17-04:00Geo Baker is the backbone of Rutgers Basketball
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<figcaption>Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The toughness and leadership of the veteran guard cannot be understated for this team</p> <p id="yGNdi0">Geo Baker arrived at Rutgers as an under recruited 3-star prospect that was too skinny and not dynamic enough to contribute right away in the Big Ten. At least that was the general thought outside of the program and fan base. He was ranked the <a href="https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Geo-Baker-94922/RecruitInterests/"> 414th best prospect</a> in the class of 2017 and held just one high major offer (Kansas State) other than Rutgers Instead, Baker has become a mainstay in the starting lineup since his freshman debut and has officially taken the mantle as the unquestioned leader of the program. Entering his junior season, it’s clear that Baker is the backbone of the foundation that head coach Steve Pikiell has developed in rebuilding Rutgers basketball.</p>
<p id="PQMzgl">As a freshman, Baker served an apprenticeship of sorts to point guard Corey Sanders, playing off the ball and providing some relief bringing the ball up at times. He did much more than that, averaging 10.8 points, 2.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 31.6 minutes of action. While Geo hit the proverbial freshman wall that included <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2018/3/2/17070406/geo-baker-back-to-form-at-perfect-time-for-rutgers-indiana-big-ten-tournament-madison-square-garden">the flu</a> in mid-February of that season, scoring just 19 points in the last four regular season games and first round of the Big Ten Tournament, he combined to score 40 points in the second round and quarterfinal contests during that memorable run at Madison Square Garden in 2018. In the quarterfinal loss to Purdue, Baker busted out on the big stage with 25 points on 10 of 20 shooting, making several clutch baskets. </p>
<p id="Jrcks7">Last season, with Sanders gone and no true point guard on the roster, Baker assumed control of the offense and did it admirably. He improved statistically, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 34.0 minutes per game. Baker finished second in the Big Ten in steals, fifth in assists , was tied for eighth in minutes played and tied for ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio. He earned <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/3/11/18260679/geo-baker-eugene-omoruyi-named-all-big-ten-honorable-mention-rutgers-basketball-shaq-doorson-ncaa">Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors</a> by both the coaches and the media, joining Sanders as the only other Rutgers player to be honored by both in the same season. The Scarlet Knights went 7-1 when Baker scored 16 or more points in a game last season. </p>
<p id="XmMD27">Baker has struggled shooting the ball consistently his first two seasons, as he averaged 38.0% from the floor as a freshman and dipped to 35.4% as a sophomore. Interestingly, Baker has been more consistent from three-point range, making a solid 36.1% from behind the arc his first season, followed by 34.1% from deep last season. He ran out of gas the last four games of last season, shooting just 8 of 33 (24.2%) from the field and 4 of 18 (22.2%) from three-point range, as the toll of playing so many minutes with so much responsibility finally wore him down.</p>
<p id="YXxlIW">Even despite the need to shoot at a higher clip moving forward, Baker ably stepped into the role last season of being the guy at the end of the game to take the big shot. He delivered several times, including last minute baskets in the wins over Ohio State and Minnesota, as well as a go ahead three against Iowa at home, seconds before suffering a heartbreaking defeat at the buzzer. </p>
<p id="oqkPfI">However, it’s his leadership that was perhaps most valuable last season and continues to be the case entering the most anticipated season for Rutgers in many years. With three key freshman having played along the perimeter in Montez Mathis, Caleb McConnell and Ron Harper Jr., they leaned on Baker throughout last season. All three have progressed this offseason and look to be bigger contributors on the court this year.</p>
<p id="uDzXsp">In the wake of former captain Eugene Omoruyi’s departure this offseason, Baker has carried the torch of having the team focused on delivering the program’s first winning season and earning the first postseason berth in 14 years. Losing Omoruyi in the manner they did appears to have only strengthen the bond and resolve of this team. Baker has been a key in moving this team forward. </p>
<p id="mjVtsw">Due to roster additions, Baker will be able to play off the ball much more so this season, which will better suit his game. It will also take some pressure off of him with Jacob Young and Paul Mulcahy able to carry the load of running the offense. Baker’s ability to roam around more so will also make him harder to defend. Young and Mulcahy are natural penetrators, which should help Baker get more open looks from the perimeter and behind the arc. While Baker is able to create shots off of the dribble, last season that’s pretty much the only way he was able to get looks at the basket. Almost every shot he took was contested. This season that won’t be the case with more weapons on the court. He’ll also have Ron Harper Jr. and Jacob Young able to take big shots at the end of games, so it will make Rutgers that more difficult to defend with the game on the line. </p>
<p id="9kD7vY">A big reason fans love Baker is he assumes Pikiell’s personality more so on the court than any player during the head coach’s tenure so far. He is an extension of Pikiell in leading the team on the court and his fearlessness has been an asset. His toughness and leadership are so important to the progress made and the direction this program is taking in Pikiell’s fourth season. He’ll also have more support this season with his former AAU coach T.J. Thompson now on <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/10/20908832/rutgers-basketball-adds-t-j-thompson-george-washington-dc-blue-devils-aau-steve-pikiell-karl-hobbs">Pikiell’s staff</a>. </p>
<p id="xhTGVe">Baker has a chip on his shoulder dating back to his scholastic days, exemplified by this tweet he has pinned at the top of his Twitter profile from four years ago.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm going to prove wrong everyone who ever doubted or underestimated me </p>— Geo Baker (@Geo_Baker_1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Geo_Baker_1/status/665747821526519810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2015</a>
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<p id="c8iH1O">It’s the type of swagger and edge Rutgers basketball has needed for decades. Having more help for Baker this season is expected with improved talent on the team due to roster additions and player development. No player should benefit more than Baker, who won’t always have to carry this team on his back anymore and shouldn’t wear down at the end of the season like he has in years past. How that translates statistically remains to be seen, but if Rutgers rises up the Big Ten standings this season, Geo Baker will be at the forefront of that progress. </p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/10/23/20928502/geo-baker-is-the-backbone-of-rutgers-basketball-steve-pikiell-corey-sanders-jacob-young-big-ten-ncaaAaron Breitman