On the Banks - Rutgers men’s basketball 2021 NCAA Tournament StreamInsomnia for the sleeping giant.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50417/onthebanks-fav.png2021-03-22T01:53:03-04:00http://www.onthebanks.com/rss/stream/220952562021-03-22T01:53:03-04:002021-03-22T01:53:03-04:00What this Rutgers basketball team taught us about life
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Houston" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GcZzGMxQ_R8xRqbS7YMmx5nYr2M=/0x0:5472x3648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69004267/usa_today_15772047.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joshua Bickel-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>An excruciating loss to end the season doesn’t change what this team meant to us during the most challenging year of our lives, all while making history.</p> <p id="Pbtxha">Where do I begin? </p>
<p id="fb3Swd">I’ve been going to Rutgers basketball games since I was six years old. I’ll be 44 next month. I remember listening to games on the radio in the 80’s in my living room and trying to play along with my nerf hoop. I’ve been to and lived through plenty of memorable and important games over the years. As a kid, as a Rutgers student, as a single guy in my twenties, a married man in my thirties and now as a father in my forties. </p>
<p id="0PuWrg">I’ve been into sports my whole life and have favorite teams I’ve followed since I was young, Rutgers football included. But none of those teams have ever run deeper in my heart than Rutgers basketball. It’s always been my number one. It’s always mattered the most. </p>
<p id="JpGNz5">Sunday night was a blur. It was surreal, surprising, joyous, nerve wracking, and heartbreaking all in one game. </p>
<p id="dmONjK">Rutgers legend Jim Valvano once said “If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day.” </p>
<p id="qKrGxN">It was that kind of day for Rutgers basketball. </p>
<p id="aTOHni">For those that remember the indifference many had for this program for many, many years, the emotions this team created were special. Even if some were hard to take at times. </p>
<p id="zZM9J9">It ended with a gut punch of a loss that many of us will never get over. I know I won’t. This has to be the most heartbreaking in the modern era of Rutgers basketball at a minimum, but probably ever. I find as I get older I react differently to bad losses. It’s less visceral and more like adding a stick to a slow burning fire of suffering inside. This loss feels like an entire tree was tossed on the flames. </p>
<p id="KvjWFy">That doesn’t mean the pain of what happened wasn’t worth it because it totally was. I also feel different than I ever have before during a tough Rutgers loss. And this was the worst one I’ve experienced with the basketball team. Even so aside from feeling numb, above all else, I feel an immense amount of pride. </p>
<p id="IBftub">Rutgers took one of the top teams in the country to the wire on the sports biggest stage. A no. 2 seed, the no. 5 KenPom team and no. 6 team in the AP Polls. A team that went to the Sweet 16 the last time the NCAA Tournament was played. Rutgers held them to 63 points, 15 points below their season average and tied for its lowest scoring total in a game this season. </p>
<p id="wl6YoS">It’s a bitter pill to swallow that Rutgers was so close to advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1979 and came up agonizingly short. For the fans on social media and sadly, in our own comment section of articles recapping the game, saying this team choked, it’s obvious they don’t get it. I’m not trying to change their minds, I’m trying to highlight what this team means to those of us who do.</p>
<p id="yvjHVQ">Yes, Rutgers had a 58-49 lead with just over four minutes to play and Houston closed out on a 14-2 run to win it. The five point swing from Myles Johnson’s missed alley-oop dunk that resulted in DeJon Jarreau’s three-pointer in transition was the turning point. The root cause of the outcome was Houston scoring 9 second chance points off of offensive rebounds in that closing stretch. </p>
<p id="9vpm2Q">People can complain that Pikiell made a mistake taking the air out of the ball and stalling on offense down the stretch, but this game was lost on Rutgers’ inability to keep them off the offensive glass. That’s the key element of Houston’s identity and that’s how they won the game. You have to almost always stop good teams from what they do best in order to beat them and Rutgers couldn’t do that against Houston. That’s why they lost.</p>
<p id="OoG9w8">“They just came up a couple plays — we just came up a couple plays short,” said Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell. “That’s all it takes. The margin of winning and losing in this tournament is a box-out here, free throw box-out. It comes down to some little things. They did those and we didn’t.</p>
<p id="pZaSrK">When asked whether slowing things down on offense cost them the game, Pikiell said, “We got some good looks. It was at the backboards really. Then we fouled too. We got the looks. Geo got to drive to the middle of the basket. We got a couple layups that we didn’t finish. I mean, you had a couple opportunities to get layups that we just didn’t convert on, and it becomes a one-possession game. I like what we ran. I like the looks, I felt comfortable with Geo with the ball in his hands. He’s won us a lot of games. But at the end of the day we really talked about a lot of rebound, rebound, rebound. They were 16 offensive rebounds. That helped them a great deal. That helped them get to the free-throw line.”</p>
<p id="A8WJKC">After making 9 of 12 free throw attempts in the first half, Rutgers made zero trips to the line in the second half. Houston was just 1 of 2 in the first half, but went 10 of 16 in the second half. That was a big reason for the outcome as well.</p>
<p id="JXF3qK">“A lot of us were trying to go to March Madness last year and we didn’t get that chance, so for a lot of us it’s been two years now leading up to this moment, to lose like that was tough,” said Geo Baker. The captain led Rutgers with 14 points and 4 assists, but also had 5 turnovers, including a costly one in the final seconds of the game. </p>
<p id="x7zin4">Listening to Geo Baker talk in the postgame was gut wrenching. He has been the face of the program under Pikiell. Has always led with class and dignity. Rutgers would never be in the position they were today without him. He and the team are obviously devastated in defeat. They deserve the respect of everyone, Rutgers fans and beyond. </p>
<p id="kSjqfY">“I thought we played our hearts out. This team made history,” Pikiell said. “They got through a two-year journey, COVID, never missing a day, never having a pause, all the obstacles they had to fight through. They now become the standard for what we want to be at Rutgers. Just a really tough day when you play that hard and you want something very badly.”</p>
<p id="K2pQTz">“A lot of emotion. We have been through so much this year,” said Baker. “If you weren’t inside you really just can’t even understand it, from isolating, to wins to losses, to being here in March.”</p>
<p id="AFlFXy">We will never know how the circumstances of playing in a global pandemic affected this team. The ultimate “what if” of last season. Playing without fans at the RAC this season. Being isolated as college students without having the normalcy of campus life, not to mention being unable to see family, girlfriends, friends and classmates. It took a toll on this team, no doubt. Every college basketball team dealt with the same challenge, but no other program had to deal with playing through a pandemic while also carrying 30 years of history on their backs at the same time. Rutgers had the longest NCAA Tournament drought of any high major/power five program in the country entering the season. In the end, they made history.</p>
<p id="6sQjNa">“It’s a tough year,” said Pikiell. “I can tell you the sacrifices the players made (and) all of them too had the opportunity to opt out and none of them did. They wanted to make this year special. They certainly did that. First time in 30 years getting to the tournament, first time in 38 years winning a game. The sacrifices their families made and they made, truly unbelievable.”</p>
<p id="IsYCpj">Pikiell continued, “The guys gave everything they could to our program this year and more. The sacrifices that they made. You will never understand because you didn’t live it every day. I know you guys have written about it and everything. It’s a whole different world when you live it every single day and the sacrifices, what they had to do, the different protocols every time we traveled.”</p>
<p id="13lyAs">Baker spoke about what it was like in the locker room after the game, saying “Just how much everyone loves each other. I didn’t really say much, to be honest with you. But everyone just saying that we love each other, we’re proud of each other. Proud of everything that we did, everything we’ve been through. Any single one of us could have opted out. There’s been players all over the country who opted out because of COVID. But we all stuck with it. Yeah, I mean, just saw a lot of emotion.”</p>
<p id="d5KrNQ">Pride. Emotion. Those are the two things that I felt after the game and still do several hours later. I imagine I’ll feel that way about this team forever. I hope you do too.</p>
<p id="lH1Wja">It was the strangest season I can remember for many reasons even more than just because of the circumstances. It was filled with so many highs and lows. It was thrilling and frustrating. Their backs were against the wall more than once. And they kept fighting back. This team was perfectly imperfect.</p>
<p id="DJn9t4">Rutgers was on the brink with a 7-6 record overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play in late January, mired in a five game losing streak. They responded with a four game winning streak that put the season back on track. It was on the rails again after a disappointing loss to Nebraska, but Rutgers closed out the season by playing near its best in Sunday’s loss to Houston. </p>
<p id="e6g0pK">Give the Cougars credit, they got punched in the mouth by the Scarlet Knights, were on the ropes and punched back. DeJon Jarreau’s performance with an injured hip was the stuff of legend. He willed his team to victory. Even so, Rutgers went down swinging, even if they swung and missed in the end. </p>
<p id="f2SXN9">With Myles Johnson fighting through injuries in the second round loss suffered in the win over Clemson on Friday, that made the season count of players in the eight man rotation that dealt with an injury of some kind this season at seven. Montez Mathis was the only player to not have a reported injury, although he probably dealt with more than we even know. The one’s we do know of, some missed multiple games, some came back too soon and some played through them. Paul Mulcahy played with a broken nose and a finger dislocated horizontally.....in the same game. </p>
<p id="FLTWHg">They also dealt with death. The team was without head trainer Rich Campbell in the regular season finale after his father-in-law passed. The players made it clear they dedicated the win over Minnesota to his family. And then today, longtime former Rutgers assistant coach Joe Boylan, who also has been the radio color analyst for years previously and during the entirety of Pikiell’s tenure, passed away after suffering a stroke earlier this week. The players were notified after the game. Pikiell and Baker both lamented what he meant to the team in the postgame call. I’ll have a full profile on Boylan in the coming days.</p>
<p id="oBlkwW">None of these are excuses for how this season unfolded. In the end, they fell short on their own. I just think it’s important to highlight how much these players went through. They aged before our eyes. </p>
<p id="espHvT">Despite it all, they were class acts off the court too. They led the conference with 11 players recently honored as Academic All-Big Ten selections. They engaged in social issues like racial inequality. Started organizations to inspire positive changes in our society. Led the fight for the rights of all student-athletes for their own name, image and likeness. All while rewriting the history books of this program. This is not a normal group of student-athletes, but how could they be with all that they accomplished.</p>
<p id="pjyYaN">“I’m just sad for us,” said Pikiell. “I never wanted to put these uniforms away. This group has been awesome. Whenever we get knocked down, this group always got back up. Did an unbelievable job representing our great university. After the game when they’re sad like that, everyone is sad. You just tell them how you feel about them, tell them how appreciated they are by our staff, people that see what they do every single day. Thank ‘em. Just thank ‘em. That’s what we did.”</p>
<p id="wT3Y0U">This loss hurts. It always will. But the memories of this season and the previous one that this core group of players gave Rutgers fans will be how they are ultimately remembered. There have been plenty of forgettable seasons rooting for this program. Embarrassing ones. Painful ones. Losing ones. Many, many losing seasons. There were times the most loyal among us questioned whether it was all worth it. </p>
<p id="2XxIwj">Steve Pikiell and these players changed that. That will be their ultimate legacy. They changed the way Rutgers basketball is viewed by everyone within the fan base and those that follow the sport on a national level. This group of players came to Rutgers because they believed they could change the culture and make history. They did just that. </p>
<p id="LvZKMD">But they also taught us how to endure. How to appreciate the good times and get through the bad times. Even after Geo Baker suffered the most painful loss of his career, he put it all into perspective best by saying, “I don’t know if people ever really get over tough times. You kind of just — you have to live with it and bounce back. Losses are lessons. I’ve learned a lot of lessons through my life. This is probably just going to be another one of those. How do you take it in? How do you react to it? How do you bounce back and make something positive out of it? I don’t know if I’m ever really going to forget today or get over it. But there’s better days ahead. You just have to understand that and work through it, just continue on.”</p>
<p id="hoK18F">And that’s what I’ll remember most about this team. Life comes at you fast. One day you think everything is good, the next it is the opposite. Especially during times like these in a global pandemic. This team helped many of us get through the most challenging and terrible times of our lifetimes so far. They certainly have helped me. They went through hell and back to do it. I’ll be forever grateful that they did and I know many Rutgers fans feel the same. And the way they went about their business is the most rewarding part. They taught all of us, young and old, how to live through tough times. How to keep fighting. How to persevere with dignity. How to stay focused on the task at hand despite all the challenges in front of you. </p>
<p id="K65GCr">Our society likes to rip people down as soon as they fail, as a way to mask the shortcomings in one’s own life. If you view life through the right lense, you realize that this team propped us up when we needed it most. </p>
<p id="RSSr8Y">It’s never easy being a Rutgers basketball fan. Whether it’s been for a few years or a few decades, we wear the badge the same. An all-time stomach punch loss to end this season feels appropriate during this time in our lives. Going from never been to all the way is not how life works. Steps forward are made, setbacks follow. More steps will be made in the future. The season is over now, but things will never be the same.</p>
<p id="EKrOfk">I’m confident in saying Steve Pikiell will eventually have a more successful team during his time at Rutgers, but he will never have one as important as this group. And that is the reason this team should be celebrated forever. </p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/22/22343638/what-this-rutgers-basketball-team-taught-us-about-life-ncaa-tournament-steve-pikiell-geo-bakerAaron Breitman2021-03-21T22:22:37-04:002021-03-21T22:22:37-04:00Rutgers lets lead slip away in final minutes against Houston, suffers exit in Round of 32
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Houston" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/neli2UqE2e0Uquu8XiiQQlkkLEw=/0x0:2153x1435/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69003884/usa_today_15771881.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Scarlet Knights were unable to finish off the Cougars on Sunday night to advance to the Sweet 16.</p> <p id="TUWXIf">INDIANAPOLIS — Rutgers was heading toward a decision victory in a heavyweight fight against second-seeded Houston on Sunday night.</p>
<p id="RU41aG">Up against the ropes, the Cougars were able to deliver the knockout shot to surprise the Scarlet Knights in the final minute.</p>
<p id="QNIIuV">Rutgers led for most of the second half until Houston was able to finish the game on a 14-2 run and score the final seven points of the game. The Scarlet Knights’ suffered a gut-wrenching 63-60 loss in Lucas Oil Stadium that robbed the program of its first trip to the Sweet 16 in 42 years.</p>
<p id="l3mU2X">In the first half, Rutgers was able to hang in defensively and on the glass against a Houston team that rebounds well on the offensive end. This showed up late for the Cougars as they ended with 16 offensive rebounds, including one by Tramon Mark that ended up being the play of the game.</p>
<p id="mPlY9N">Trailing 60-58 with 24.1 seconds left, Mark grabbed a rebound off a DeJon Jarreau miss and was able to convert plus a foul. A Geo Baker turnover led to two free throws by Marcus Sasser to give the Cougars a three-point lead. Ron Harper Jr. misfired on a 3-pointer to tie with three seconds left.</p>
<p id="W8fuXh">Just like that, Houston moves onto face No. 11 Syracuse next weekend in the Sweet 16.</p>
<p id="FQqndB">Styles make fights and for 18 minutes in the second half, it was Rutgers’ style of play that took over.</p>
<p id="7l6PJf">The Scarlet Knights used the 3-point line and aggressiveness on the defensive end to build a double-digit lead with 11:19 left in the game. Rutgers finished 7-for-16 from beyond the arc.</p>
<p id="CzXX2u">From that moment on, Quenton Grimes began to take over. He lead all scorers with 22 points and none bigger than a 3-pointer to get the Cougars within two with 2:39 remaining. Baker would answer with a layup but this was the final basket of the game for the Scarlet Knights.</p>
<p id="htXTAr">Rutgers went scoreless over the final 2:04 of the game. It seems as though the offense began to take the air out of the ball a bit early. Houston was able to make plays at the end and rebound on both ends to gain control. The Cougars grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and scored 15 second chance points in the win. </p>
<p id="jWS6t9">Baker led Rutgers in scoring with 13 points while Montez Mathis added 10. The Scarlet Knights were able to take advantage of Houston turnovers scoring 21 points off them. After going 9-for-12 from the free throw line in the first half, Rutgers did not have an attempt over the final 20 minutes. </p>
<p id="Tp110x">Rutgers ends its season with a 16-12 record and their best tournament finish since 1983. It is unknown what the future holds for this group but whatever it is, these players will certainly be remembered for bringing basketball back to Piscataway.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22343795/rutgers-lets-lead-slip-away-final-minutes-against-houston-suffers-exit-round-of-32-ncaa-tournamentGreg Patuto2021-03-21T21:37:42-04:002021-03-21T21:37:42-04:00Embracing Expectations: 4 Thoughts on Rutgers 63-60 Loss to Houston
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Houston" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ACmYYz1FIIxA3l2l2f2igrvFpqM=/0x1:5208x3473/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69003773/usa_today_15771865.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="CLEms7">Well, this is going to be hard to write about. <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com">Rutgers</a> had a chance to go to the Sweet Sixteen, played their hearts out and then broke them. </p>
<p id="Qb7HVY">Four Thoughts.</p>
<p id="DAiFch"><strong>Turning Point: </strong>Rutgers was able to build a ten point lead with under ten minutes to go. Then Houston re-inserted Dajon Jarreau, their starting point guard, best defensive player and injured player. He stabilized the rattled Cougars and started the comeback. Rutgers, however, was still throwing punches and when Houston would score, so would Rutgers. Except for the five point swing. Geo Baker threw a lob to Myles Johnson, who missed the dunk—a play they have run a thousand times. Jarreau came down and hit a three and instead of being up 10, Rutgers found themselves only up 5. It all fell apart after that.</p>
<p id="ndXfEo"><strong>Rebounding: </strong>While for the most part, Rutgers rebounded with Houston, when the Cougars made their comeback, Rutgers had a hard time boxing out. The last play to give the Cougars the lead was off an offensive rebound and a foul. Rutgers has always been a huge rebounding team and finding someone who could do the same was a challenge. One more box out would have been enough, but it wasn’t meant to be.</p>
<p id="tGFLNa"><strong>Rutgers Left It All Out on the Court: </strong>Yes, they blew a big lead. But it wasn’t for lack of trying. Rutgers did not lay an egg in this tournament. They came out and played hard and did everything they could to win. They made this game a dogfight, they just couldn’t close it out in the end. A missed three here. A turnover there. It just wasn’t enough. People are going to want to vent and lay into this team in the comments or on the message boards. Ignore them. Rutgers gave its all. </p>
<p id="HPq01H"><strong>Geo Baker, Jacob Young and Myles Johnson: </strong>Now comes the long, dark offseason. All these players can come back, but will they? Geo Baker is going to go down as an all-time Rutgers player. Jacob Young was a lightening bolt in Scarlet. Myles Johnson (did you know he was an engineer?) is the definition of a student athlete. Be proud of these players. They made us proud. We got to see a little bit of the madness. Thank you, fellas.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22343811/embracing-expectations-4-thoughts-on-rutgers-63-60-loss-to-houstonDave White2021-03-21T18:53:55-04:002021-03-21T18:53:55-04:00The “Slipper Fits” Game Thread: No. 10 Rutgers vs. No. 2 Houston
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<figcaption>Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<h2 id="nduF4C"><strong>2021 NCAA Tournament Second Round</strong></h2>
<h2 id="gAvq5x">No. 10 Rutgers (16-11) vs. No. 2 Houston (25-3)</h2>
<h3 id="6wd8JG">How To Watch, Listen, News & Notes</h3>
<p id="AjcTzn"><strong>Where: </strong>Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana </p>
<p id="mQVU2E"><strong>Fan Capacity: </strong>6,900<strong> </strong></p>
<p id="wkbZoM"><strong>Tip-off: </strong>Sunday, March 21 at 7:10 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="WhVNya"><strong>TV:</strong> TBS - Spero Dedes, Brandon Haywood and Lauren Shehadi </p>
<p id="9q9AQx"><strong>Radio:</strong> <a href="https://scarletknights.com/watch/?Live=1368&type=Live"><strong>Live Listen</strong></a> - Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/Sirius 135/XM 202 - Jerry Recco & Chris Carlin; Westwood One - Kevin Kugler & Brian O’Connell; <a href="https://radio.rutgers.edu/"><strong>WRSU</strong></a> 88.7 FM - Chris Tsakonas & Jake Schmied</p>
<p id="rhLL4c"><strong>KenPom Rankings: </strong>Rutgers is 34, which is the same spot since a 4 point win over Clemson in the first round on Friday. Houston is 5, which is the same since a 31 point win over Cleveland State on Friday in the first round. </p>
<p id="eGkRfG"><strong>Efficiency Rankings:</strong> Rutgers - Offense 108.4 (76th) Defense 90.3 (15th); Houston - Offense 119.6 (6th) Defense 89.8 (12th)</p>
<p id="NHlx3B"><strong>KenPom Prediction:</strong> Houston 70 Rutgers 62. Rutgers is given a 24% chance to win.</p>
<p id="V15HXp"><a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/12/9/21002735/kenpom-rankings-explained-how-to-better-evaluate-rutgers-basketball-big-ten-ncaa-steve-pikiell"><strong>OTB Guide to KenPom</strong></a></p>
<p id="UNNgVz"><strong>Vegas Line: </strong>Houston -8; read more <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341741/no-10-rutgers-big-underdogs-vs-no-2-houston-in-round-of-32-ncaa-tournament-lucas-oil-stadium">here</a>.</p>
<p id="XzqHKd"><strong>NCAA Tournament History: </strong>Rutgers is making its first appearance since 1991 and earned a victory in a 60-56 win over Clemson in the first round for the first time since 1983. The last time RU made the Sweet Sixteen was 1979.</p>
<p id="IxkI8f"><strong>Series History: </strong>Houston leads the all-time series 2-1 with Rutgers winning the last meeting on February 1, 2014 by the final score of 93-70 in its lone season as AAC foes. </p>
<p id="G7jl63"><strong>Houston SB Nation Site: </strong></p>
<h3 id="DJvATx">Key Contributors</h3>
<p id="tNxilG"><strong>Houston - </strong>6’5” junior <strong>Quentin Grimes </strong>(17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 40.3% FG, 40.5% 3-pt FG, 78.8% FT); 6’1” sophomore <strong>Marcus Sasser</strong> (13.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 38.6% FG, 33.3% 3-pt FG, 87.5% FT); 6’5” redshirt senior <strong>DeJon Jarreau</strong> (10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 44.1% FG, 34.7% 3-pt FG, 71.8% FT); 6’7” redshirt senior <strong>Justin Gorham </strong>(8.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 50.3% FG, 37.0% 3-pt FG, 68.1% FT); 6’5” freshman <strong>Tramon Mark</strong> (8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steal, 39.6% FG, 27.3% 3-pt FG, 77.6% FT); 6’2” redshirt sophomore <strong>Cameron Tyson </strong>(6.6 points, 1.0 rebound, 43.0% FG, 41.5% 3-pt FG); 6’8” senior <strong>Fabian White Jr.</strong> (6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 52.8% FG, 71.4% FT); 6’8” junior <strong>Reggie Chaney</strong> (5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 66.7% FG, 75.0% FT); 6’1” freshman <strong>Jamal Shead </strong>(3.5 points, 1.6 assists, 1.0 rebound, 44.6% FG, 12.5% 3-pt FG, 78.6% FT); 6’8” redshirt senior <strong>Brison Gresham</strong> (3.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 56.7% FG, 44.0% FT); 6’7” redshirt freshman <strong>J’Wan Roberts </strong>(2.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 55.9% FG, 52.6% FT)</p>
<p id="ET0OEd"><strong>Rutgers -</strong> 6’6” junior <strong>Ron Harper Jr.</strong> (15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 44.6% FG, 30.7% 3-pt FG, 73.6% FT); 6’2” senior <strong>Jacob Young</strong> (14.3 points, 3.4 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 47.4% FG, 37.5% 3-pt FG, 72.6% FT); 6’4” <strong>Geo Baker</strong> (10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 40.5% FG, 30.3% 3-pt FG, 75.0% FT); 6’4” junior <strong>Montez Mathis</strong> (8.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 38.0% FG, 27.8 % 3-pt FG, 56.1% FT); 6’10” redshirt junior <strong>Myles Johnson </strong>(8.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.1 steals, 63.2% FG, 43.1% FT); 6’6” sophomore <strong>Paul Mulcahy</strong> (5.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 47.1% FG, 38.2% 3-pt FG, 67.5% FT); 6’7” junior <strong>Caleb McConnell</strong> (5.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 31.1% FG, 20.8% 3-pt FG%, 77.8% FT ); 6’11” <strong>Cliff Omoruyi</strong> (3.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 64.2% FG, 42.4% FT)</p>
<p id="Z8QHiV"><a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22342084/ncaa-tournament-second-round-game-preview-no-10-rutgers-vs-no-2-houston-kelvin-sampson-steve-pikiell">Game Preview </a></p>
<p id="zhOodS">I’m out of words. It’s time. Let’s go!!!!</p>
<p id="c6PKjV">Join us in the comment section during the game and follow us for live commentary on <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22342084/ncaa-tournament-second-round-game-preview-no-10-rutgers-vs-no-2-houston-kelvin-sampson-steve-pikiell">Twitter</a>.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22343627/the-slipper-fits-game-thread-no-10-rutgers-vs-no-2-houston-ncaa-tournament-second-roundAaron Breitman2021-03-21T15:42:05-04:002021-03-21T15:42:05-04:00Jacob Young looks to continue success in NCAA Tournament against his father’s alma mater
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Clemson" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2f54WgvpoVQNnIaYfoe4ytkaQKk=/0x1:2825x1884/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69002787/usa_today_15761232.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Young and Rutgers prepare for a matchup against his hometown Houston Cougars.</p> <p id="7ASdkV">INDIANAPOLIS — Sometimes, material writes itself.</p>
<p id="imhvjo">Rutgers is set for a second-round matchup against Houston on Sunday night. Young’s father, Michael, attended Houston from 1980-84 where he was a member of Phi Slama Jama and a teammate of Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon.</p>
<p id="1ZrCH0">“It means a lot,” Young, a Houston native, said on Saturday. “Growing up, I was just around U of H from a young age being around my dad when he was a coach. Being around so many great players from U of H, it just means a lot. Playing the hometown team where I’m from, I know a couple of those guys, so it’s going to be fun.”</p>
<p id="tmfV3D">Michael Young had quite a career for the Cougars. He is currently third on Houston’s all-time scoring list with 2,043 career points, behind only Elvin Hayes and Otis Birdsong. Young is one of five players to have his number retired by the program. He was apart of three straight Final Four teams and was the 1982-83 SWC Player of the Year.</p>
<p id="VvgENV">After his playing days, Young returned to Houston to as a coach in 1999. Despite all of the history, the present-day loyalty for the Young family is with the Scarlet Knights.</p>
<p id="mSyIH3">“I’m pretty sure he’s going to wear a Rutgers’ shirt first because you know, I’m his blood I’m his son,” Jacob Young said. “He’s always going to have the U of H love for them but I’m pretty sure it’s different when your son, or when someone that you raised is playing against your alma mater. He’s just hyped for it. He really wants us to win.”</p>
<p id="znSYDE">Young has been <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/19/22339901/jacob-young-looking-to-continue-to-spark-rutgers-tonight-vs-clemson-ncaa-tournament">a sparkplug</a> for Rutgers since arriving. After two years at Texas, Young was lured to Piscataway by Steve Pikiell, and it has paid off right away. Young has been a leader for a Rutgers’ team that would be participating in their second-straight tournament if not for the pandemic.</p>
<p id="CWVeiJ">In the <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341522/watch-highlights-of-rutgers-2021-ncaa-tournament-win-over-clemson-steve-pikiell-geo-baker">60-56 victory</a> over Clemson on Friday night, Young finished with 13 points on 5-for-7 from the field, including three huge makes from 3-point range. If Rutgers wants to pick up an <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341741/no-10-rutgers-big-underdogs-vs-no-2-houston-in-round-of-32-ncaa-tournament-lucas-oil-stadium">upset victory</a>, Young will have to be a huge part of the game plan once again.</p>
<p id="MGHhWK">“Just really pumped up. Can’t wait,” Young said. “Going into it, thinking about my dad and what he did for the program back in the 80s. Who wouldn’t want to beat your hometown team?”</p>
<p id="y9HTvl">This game means a lot to the Rutgers’ basketball program at-large, but for Young, there is plenty of personal meaning. </p>
<p id="BnXoXj">“I know one thing, if we do get the win, I will go home back to Houston with a big smile on my face,” Young said.</p>
<p id="HEGCGe">Tip-off is scheduled for 7:10 PM inside Lucas Oil Stadium. If Young and the Scarlet Knights were to pick up a victory in this one, there is no doubt that it would put a smile on plenty of faces back in New Jersey.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22343279/jacob-young-looks-to-continue-success-in-ncaa-tournament-against-fathers-alma-mater-houston-rutgersGreg Patuto2021-03-21T00:29:06-04:002021-03-21T00:29:06-04:00NCAA Second Round Game Preview: No. 10 Rutgers vs. No. 2 Houston
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Clemson" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VWoBNbENo37BFKPFirt2N271bYY=/1x0:2740x1826/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69000936/usa_today_15761249.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Includes how to watch, stats, pregame thoughts from both coaches, injury updates and keys to victory. </p> <h2 id="nduF4C"><strong>2021 NCAA Tournament Second Round</strong></h2>
<h2 id="gAvq5x">No. 10 Rutgers (16-11) vs. No. 2 Houston (25-3)</h2>
<h3 id="6wd8JG">How To Watch, Listen, News & Notes</h3>
<p id="AjcTzn"><strong>Where: </strong>Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana </p>
<p id="mQVU2E"><strong>Fan Capacity: </strong>6,900<strong> </strong></p>
<p id="wkbZoM"><strong>Tip-off: </strong>Sunday, March 21 at 7:10 p.m. ET</p>
<p id="WhVNya"><strong>TV:</strong> TBS - Spero Dedes, Brandon Haywood and Lauren Shehadi </p>
<p id="9q9AQx"><strong>Radio:</strong> <a href="https://scarletknights.com/watch/?Live=1368&type=Live"><strong>Live Listen</strong></a> - Rutgers Sports Properties Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM/Sirius 135/XM 202 - Jerry Recco & Chris Carlin; Westwood One - Kevin Kugler & Brian O’Connell; <a href="https://radio.rutgers.edu/"><strong>WRSU</strong></a> 88.7 FM - Chris Tsakonas & Jake Schmied</p>
<p id="rhLL4c"><strong>KenPom Rankings: </strong>Rutgers is 34, which is the same spot since a 4 point win over Clemson in the first round on Friday. Houston is 5, which is the same since a 31 point win over Cleveland State on Friday in the first round. </p>
<p id="eGkRfG"><strong>Efficiency Rankings:</strong> Rutgers - Offense 108.4 (76th) Defense 90.3 (15th); Houston - Offense 119.6 (6th) Defense 89.8 (12th)</p>
<p id="NHlx3B"><strong>KenPom Prediction:</strong> Houston 70 Rutgers 62. Rutgers is given a 24% chance to win.</p>
<p id="V15HXp"><a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2019/12/9/21002735/kenpom-rankings-explained-how-to-better-evaluate-rutgers-basketball-big-ten-ncaa-steve-pikiell"><strong>OTB Guide to KenPom</strong></a></p>
<p id="UNNgVz"><strong>Vegas Line: </strong>Houston -8; read more <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341741/no-10-rutgers-big-underdogs-vs-no-2-houston-in-round-of-32-ncaa-tournament-lucas-oil-stadium">here</a>.</p>
<p id="XzqHKd"><strong>NCAA Tournament History: </strong>Rutgers is making its first appearance since 1991 and earned a victory in a 60-56 win over Clemson in the first round for the first time since 1983. The last time RU made the Sweet Sixteen was 1979.</p>
<p id="IxkI8f"><strong>Series History: </strong>Houston leads the all-time series 2-1 with Rutgers winning the last meeting on February 1, 2014 by the final score of 93-70 in its lone season as AAC foes. </p>
<p id="G7jl63"><strong>Houston SB Nation Site: </strong></p>
<h3 id="DJvATx">Key Contributors</h3>
<p id="tNxilG"><strong>Houston - </strong>6’5” junior <strong>Quentin Grimes </strong>(17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 40.3% FG, 40.5% 3-pt FG, 78.8% FT); 6’1” sophomore <strong>Marcus Sasser</strong> (13.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 38.6% FG, 33.3% 3-pt FG, 87.5% FT); 6’5” redshirt senior <strong>DeJon Jarreau</strong> (10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 44.1% FG, 34.7% 3-pt FG, 71.8% FT); 6’7” redshirt senior <strong>Justin Gorham </strong>(8.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 50.3% FG, 37.0% 3-pt FG, 68.1% FT); 6’5” freshman <strong>Tramon Mark</strong> (8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steal, 39.6% FG, 27.3% 3-pt FG, 77.6% FT); 6’2” redshirt sophomore <strong>Cameron Tyson </strong>(6.6 points, 1.0 rebound, 43.0% FG, 41.5% 3-pt FG); 6’8” senior <strong>Fabian White Jr.</strong> (6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 52.8% FG, 71.4% FT); 6’8” junior <strong>Reggie Chaney</strong> (5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 66.7% FG, 75.0% FT); 6’1” freshman <strong>Jamal Shead </strong>(3.5 points, 1.6 assists, 1.0 rebound, 44.6% FG, 12.5% 3-pt FG, 78.6% FT); 6’8” redshirt senior <strong>Brison Gresham</strong> (3.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 56.7% FG, 44.0% FT); 6’7” redshirt freshman <strong>J’Wan Roberts </strong>(2.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 55.9% FG, 52.6% FT)</p>
<p id="ET0OEd"><strong>Rutgers -</strong> 6’6” junior <strong>Ron Harper Jr.</strong> (15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 44.6% FG, 30.7% 3-pt FG, 73.6% FT); 6’2” senior <strong>Jacob Young</strong> (14.3 points, 3.4 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 47.4% FG, 37.5% 3-pt FG, 72.6% FT); 6’4” <strong>Geo Baker</strong> (10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 40.5% FG, 30.3% 3-pt FG, 75.0% FT); 6’4” junior <strong>Montez Mathis</strong> (8.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 38.0% FG, 27.8 % 3-pt FG, 56.1% FT); 6’10” redshirt junior <strong>Myles Johnson </strong>(8.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.1 steals, 63.2% FG, 43.1% FT); 6’6” sophomore <strong>Paul Mulcahy</strong> (5.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 47.1% FG, 38.2% 3-pt FG, 67.5% FT); 6’7” junior <strong>Caleb McConnell</strong> (5.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 31.1% FG, 20.8% 3-pt FG%, 77.8% FT ); 6’11” <strong>Cliff Omoruyi</strong> (3.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 64.2% FG, 42.4% FT)</p>
<h3 id="XaXacx">About Houston</h3>
<p id="G8ty0X">Houston has won eight straight games and has been dominant this season in that American Athletic Conference, However, they’ve rarely been tested with a limited non-conference schedule due to COVID-19. The Cougars best win of the season was 64-53 win against KenPom no. 15 Texas Tech on neutral court on November 29. The only other KenPom top 50 wins they have are a pair against Memphis (no. 38), both of which were by one possession. Two of its three losses came to teams outside the KenPom 100 including no. 120 Tulsa by 1 point and no. 160 East Carolina by 9 points, both on the road. Its third loss was to no. 73 Wichita State, who also made the NCAA Tournament, by 5 points on the road. </p>
<p id="uGc0RN">The Cougars are one of just four teams in the nation to rank in the KenPom top 15 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Illinois, Michigan, and Gonzaga are the only other teams to do so. </p>
<p id="Jwp27D">Offensively they are averaging 78.0 points per game and shoot 44.5% from the floor, 35.8% from three-point range and 74.2% from the free throw line. They are not a great shooting team but they are opportunistic on the glass. Houston is an elite rebounding team and are ranked second in offensive rebounding rate, sixth in rebounds per game and seventh in rebounding margin. </p>
<p id="vgyMBr">Defensively, Houston leads the nation in field goal percentage defense, effective field goal percentage and second in allowing only 57.8 points per game. They rank in the top ten nationally in two-point field percentage defense (4th) and three-point field goal percentage defense (9th), as well as 5th in block rate and 15th in steal rate. The Cougars are also 46th in defensive turnover rate. They are 17-0 when holding opponents under 40% shooting. One weakness is they average 18.7 fouls per game.</p>
<p id="Ezeple">Houston plays a slow tempo, ranked 321st nationally, in large part due to their lockdown defense. </p>
<p id="cAvp7i">Starting point guard DeJon Jarreau, who was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year, exited the first round win over Cleveland State in the first minute of action due to a hip pointer injury. Head coach Kelvin Sampson refers to Jarreau as the team’s MVP, so his potential absence looms large the rest of the way for Houston this season. Backup Tramon Mark would take Jarreau’s place if he doesn’t play on Sunday against Rutgers. </p>
<p id="8E7Oli">The Cougars are just 5-3 in games decided by 10 points or less. Their strength of schedule is 103rd nationally. </p>
<p id="EbJ7cl">Houston is looking to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for a second consecutive NCAA Tournament under head coach Kelvin Sampson.</p>
<h3 id="tIeTUt">Rutgers Notes</h3>
<p id="mKsu3h">Rutgers is averaging 69.6 points per game and they are allowing 67.8 points per contest. Overall, the Scarlet Knights are shooting 44.9% from the floor, 30.8% from three-point range and 63.3% from the foul line. </p>
<p id="k5Sfef">In regard to national ranks with offensive efficiency, RU is 7th in non-steal turnover rate, 60th nationally in turnover rate and 84th in two-point field goal percentage. However, they are just 280th in free throw attempts compared to field goal attempts, 297th in three-point field goal percentage and 332nd in free throw percentage. </p>
<p id="19ZcNv">With defensive efficiency, the Scarlet Knights are 14th in block rate, 29th in steal rate, 54th in effective field goal percentage defense, 77th in two-point field goal percentage defense and 83rd in three-point field goal percentage defense. A concern in this matchup with Houston is that Rutgers is only 223rd nationally in opponent offensive rebounding rate. They’re also 332nd in non-steal defensive turnover rate. </p>
<p id="YNUI3J">In Big Ten play, they finished 9th in offensive efficiency and 6th in defensive efficiency.</p>
<p id="jXowr0">Rutgers’ strength of schedule is ranked 7th nationally per KenPom. They won double digit conference games in back to back seasons for the first time ever since joining the Big Ten and first time overall since the 1989-1990 and 1990-1991 seasons. </p>
<p id="nLGvTt">Rutgers finished in the NET rankings at no. 38.</p>
<h3 id="6pUUTV">Pregame Quotes</h3>
<h3 id="0LQeZ9"><strong>Kelvin Sampson</strong></h3>
<p id="g8fylw"><strong>On Rutgers backcourt</strong></p>
<p id="jfIsJB">“They have outstanding guards. Baker, Young, Harper, then McConnell. Just a talented group as you’d expect.”</p>
<p id="nDKZPz"><strong>On Jacob Young</strong></p>
<p id="KrOBuV">“He’s evolved into a really good basketball player. Playmaking, shotmaking, pick and roll game. Getting in the paint in between games. Scores at all levels, rim, free-throw line, behind the 3-point line, he is a great player.”</p>
<p id="tXJezt"><strong>On the health of DeJon Jarreau</strong></p>
<p id="XU7gdn">“(If) DeJon doesn’t go, we’ll adjust. We’re not going to throw in the white towel.’’</p>
<p id="lwNKLl">In a tweet later on Saturday:</p>
<div id="qws6kj">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kelvin Sampson says <a href="https://twitter.com/UHCougarMBK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UHCougarMBK</a> point guard DeJon Jarreau (hip pointer) “is gonna give it a go” tomorrow night against Rutgers. Huge news for the Cougars. <a href="https://twitter.com/LaDeeky?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaDeeky</a></p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/1373396618393878532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<h3 id="vvOJON"><strong>Steve Pikiell</strong></h3>
<p id="nmVNYG"><strong>On the challenge Houston presents</strong></p>
<p id="c6ztiL">“Houston is really good, that’s what I can tell you. Worthy of their 2 seed, great coach, player of the year in Grimes. I love Sasser their two guard. I love their point guard (Jarreau). Defensive player of the year. Most valuable player. They got the most improved player. They got every award you can get in that league. Their defense is elite.”</p>
<p id="7psPNa"><strong>What makes Houston so difficult to matchup against</strong></p>
<p id="lURbbW">“They got great length. They are long, lean like Caleb McConnell, a bunch of those guys. I mean they are the best rebounding team in the country. Offensive rebounding, it’s an unbelievable stat. They rebound something like 93% of their misses. I mean, you know, they are great at attacking the glass, they are really athletic, they are in gaps. They hold teams to record lows.”</p>
<p id="1vR36i"><strong>On Houston’s approach to rebounding</strong></p>
<p id="WKOeRW">“We really gotta be focused. During the course of this game, they send 4 guys to the glass. They are very unique. No other team does that. Our guards have to do a great job. This ia game where Jacob and Geo Baker have to do an unbelievable job of dragging long rebounds. They shoot threes. They are the leading three point shooter in their league, 9 a game. And that means long rebounds, and they attack long rebounds.”</p>
<p id="g9z4QQ"><strong>On preparing for this game</strong></p>
<p id="cU0lbe">“My staff has been up all night. We got a good plan for today. Going in with only one day to prep, taking care of their bodies today, too. We let them sleep in. Our guys are excited about playing a very good Houston team that won every award in their league and won a championship.”</p>
<p id="vS1FzB"><strong>Rutgers being battle tested</strong></p>
<p id="9CtG3T">“Yeah, we’ve been in them before. We’ve had our backs against the wall. We’ve had to win games on the road or wherever it may be. We are experienced. Even our younger players have played and logged a lot of minutes.”</p>
<p id="Uv0KqD"><strong>On how Rutgers needs to play</strong></p>
<p id="1wVqlb">“When we stay focused and are together, we can do some good things. Excited we get to play another day. Look forward to the next challenge. That’s Houston.”c</p>
<h3 id="P3Iry7">Keys To Victory </h3>
<p id="hOwbrr">Houston is a very good team with specific strengths but have been largely untested this season. The difference in strength of schedule is striking (UH 103rd; RU 7th). Rutgers will need to play arguably its best game of the season to win, but they are certainly capable of beating the Cougars if they play to its potential. </p>
<p id="baokMn">The injuries of Myles Johnson for Rutgers and DeJon Jarreau for Houston are questions lingering over this game. On the face of it, Johnson seems more likely to play and even if he is less than 100%, his presence or lack there of on the glass would have a big impact either way. You can read his comments from Saturday on his status <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341978/myles-johnson-gives-injury-update-ahead-of-matchup-vs-houston-ncaa-tournament-second-round">here</a>. Jarreau’s hip injury seems more severe and how the Cougars would respond if he is limited remains to be seen. He would be replaced by true freshman Tramon Mark. </p>
<p id="virGvC">The Cougars are relentless on the glass, so Rutgers must crash the boards with an all hands on deck approach. It’s a game they need four to five guys to have grab several rebounds each. Johnson is key of course, but Cliff Omoruyi giving good minutes on the glass is important too. I don’t think Houston has anyone as athletic with his size to matchup against him so this could be a breakout game for the freshman. Rutgers is 9-1 when Ron Harper Jr. grabs at least 7 boards and he also needs to be active inside for this game. </p>
<p id="NnPwRQ">Houston gets by without being a great shooting team due to its offensive rebounding and ability to capitalize on second chance scoring opportunities. They are quick, fast and crafty while playing a deeper rotation. If Rutgers can limit them to one shot possessions, it will go a long way towards staying in this game. </p>
<p id="p8IBgl">Rutgers can’t get blown off the ball and need to be ready for the speed of Houston. Manage runs and control the pace by limiting turnovers. They can’t have a five minute stretch of rapid turnovers or that could be all she wrote.</p>
<p id="53kOF4">How this game needs to be played falls right into Steve Pikiell’s preference. He talks about keeping opponents under the speed limit/score total of 65, as Rutgers is 11-1 when they do that. The Scarlet Knights want this game played in the sixties or low seventies, while anything more high scoring than that and they stand little chance to win. </p>
<p id="LLFilK">Houston is very active defensively and loves to help on entry passes into the low post by double teaming the ball. Whether its Johnson, Harper Jr. or even Paul Mulcahy posting up, looking to quickly kick the ball out to open shooters along the perimeter is a must. The Cougars by design allow threes and focus on clogging the paint in order to prevent shots near the rim. They have lots of versatile, lengthy wings who can quickly adjust and close out on the perimeter. Moving the ball and being active without it was something Rutgers was not consistent enough with against Clemson. They’ll get chances from three in this game but they need to shoot within the flow of the offense and off of ball movement instead of isolation plays. </p>
<p id="3rVS5v">An area Rutgers is struggling with is setting picks at the top of the arc when they run horns on both sides. Against Clemson it seemed like they couldn’t seal off ever and plays would fall apart at the top of the key. Houston is not big inside, so I really think Rutgers looking to go over the top of the defense by making deep entry passes and alley-oop passes to Johnson, Cliff Omoruyi and cutters like Montez Mathis could be there. I’m not saying to be careless with dangerous passes, but I’d like to see more cutting action to the rim off of screens rather than just the high post screen for the ball handler that Rutgers hasn’t been as effective with of late.</p>
<p id="UHdXi5">A weakness of Houston is that they foul a lot because they are so aggressive defensively. Rutgers needs to handle the ball well, limit turnovers and draw fouls on penetration. They’ve started to attack the rim and pick up fouls better of late and this game is certainly an opportunity to do that. If the Scarlet Knights can get into the bonus early in either half, they must take advantage and convert. They have to avoid the flip side of this scenario, as Houston is a good free throw shooting team.</p>
<p id="u9eIat">Whichever team plays better in transition will be key to the outcome. Rutgers was getting blown away early against Clemson and failing to get back defensively. They were much better as the game progressed and Jacob Young was key in getting Rutgers going on the break. Running off of turnovers always gets this team playing looser and with more confidence, so capitalizing off of ball pressure would be huge. </p>
<p id="ufLlpq">Rutgers is sitting on house money. They have nothing to lose in this game. They’ve played in Lucas Oil Stadium, which does require an adjustment shooting wise, while Houston hasn’t. Rutgers has a size advantage inside and at certain guard spots, so they can cause problems with ball pressure and getting to the rim. </p>
<p id="oloN2i">It’s pretty simple as usual. If the Scarlet Knights defend and rebound the way they are capable of, they can win this game. If they don’t do either of those things well, they probably will lose by double digits. </p>
<p id="SzIY1Y">RU has to make some shots of course and Houston won’t make it easy. Ron Harper Jr. was not nearly as assertive enough in the second half against Clemson in attacking the rim. He needs to bring the mindset he did to the last Illinois game for Rutgers to be effective inside. He’ll have chances to hit threes but he can’t become one dimensional. Jacob Young’s ability to penetrate, dish to open teammates and hit the floater will be big too. Geo Baker needs to be aggressive with the ball in looking for his own shot, as well as finding teammates in good spots. Hitting some threes is a must and finding Paul Mulcahy on the wing or corner has been effective in two of the past three games. Getting him involved offensively would be a plus. But it goes back to Young’s ability to be the straw that stirs the offense for Rutgers. It is crucial that he needs to play under control and not let the emotions of playing his father’s alma mater be a distraction.</p>
<p id="OUUQZs">On the flip side, Quentin Grimes is an All-American and Houston’s best scorer. Expect Pikiell to rotate defenders on him with Young, Montez Mathis and Caleb McConnell likely the guys who are most effective. Slowing down Grimes is a big task on the to do list in this game. </p>
<p id="c7BkBV">A variable worth considering is that Houston isn’t used to playing tight, physical meat grinder type games while Rutgers doesn’t know how not to play that way. It’s a contrast in styles and if RU can limit Houston’s ability to get easy baskets, we may be in for another closely contested, back and forth game. Rutgers would be much comfortable in that situation than Houston would be, especially if Jarreau isn’t himself in this game.</p>
<p id="qHLsD7">The Big Ten has prepared Rutgers for this type of big game, while Houston hasn’t had the same training ground. It might not matter, but a close game favors Rutgers. A good start is really a must because RU can’t afford to fall behind by double digits. Figuratively punching Houston in the mouth in the first half would go a long way towards making this a 40 minute battle. Rutgers has to avoid long scoring droughts and take advantage of any stretches where Houston is struggling. The truth is this could turn out to be a classic NCAA tournament thriller or a 15 point loss for the Scarlet Knights. It really depends on which version shows up.</p>
<h3 id="cw5z2d">Appropriate Music Selection</h3>
<p id="EZi7MG">For the biggest Rutgers basketball game in almost four decades, I selected Southside Johnny’s “This Time It’s For Real”. Hat tip to reader RUinChiTown who made the suggestion and I agree with him that there is no better timing to use this song. I pulled an all-star live version with Southside Johnny singing it with Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band along with Jon Bon Jovi. I’m pretty sure this is from the late 90’s or early 2000’s. It doesn’t get any more Jersey than that and with most of the state pulling for Rutgers during this NCAA Tournament run, it’s perfectly appropriate. </p>
<p id="1u6nMF">Lyrics include:</p>
<p id="ZqPh7G">“Baby, you can’t slow me down. I’ve come too far to ever turn back now. I’ve spent my whole life working. Working so hard for it, yes I did.”</p>
<p id="ZMl8MP">AND</p>
<p id="GtLcWY">“Baby, I changed the odds today. Gonna push the scales, baby, till they tilt my way.”</p>
<p id="3moxlY">AND</p>
<p id="krNAyZ">“When you start with nothin’. You ain’t got nothin’ to lose…”</p>
<p id="gYuMPP">No matter what happens in this game, Rutgers has had one of the most successful seasons for the program over the past 50 years. Even if they get blown out, while it would be disappointing, it wouldn’t diminish what this team has accomplished. That being said, I think this game is a tremendous opportunity for this group to really cement their legacy as the best Rutgers team in at least four decades. The program has only gone to the Sweet Sixteen twice ever (1976, 1979) and hasn’t played for the chance to go that far since 1983. It’s surreal for fans but for the players it would be the defining moment of their careers if they can seize it. They have nothing to lose but everything to gain. Play loose and together, be Jersey Strong and give Houston all they can handle. Let the chips fall where they may. </p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/21/22342084/ncaa-tournament-second-round-game-preview-no-10-rutgers-vs-no-2-houston-kelvin-sampson-steve-pikiellAaron Breitman2021-03-20T14:40:20-04:002021-03-20T14:40:20-04:00Myles Johnson gives injury update ahead of matchup vs. Houston
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Clemson" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uDUSJrMjyDM3C8wUknW1ykjnAwQ=/1x0:3208x2138/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68999495/usa_today_15761253.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Johnson spoke on Saturday on his status heading into the Round of 32. </p> <p id="cMc44f">INDIANAPOLIS — The energy is still high for Rutgers coming off their first tournament win in 38 years. </p>
<p id="nuTT2P">For Myles Johnson, that same energy was able to get him through the win over Clemson after taking a hard fall. </p>
<p id="8TF6XP">“He’s getting treated; won’t practice today,” Pikiell said early Saturday afternoon. “Hopefully he’ll be okay. Don’t know anything more than that until he tries to move on that.”</p>
<p id="HtFAuw">Johnson came down hard in the first half after going up for a rebound. He limped off the floor but was able to contribute well on the defensive end. He finished just 1-for-3 with two points but grabbed 10 rebounds with three blocks and three steals. </p>
<p id="8KYWSU">“Going up to block (a Clemson guard’s) floater I just fell awkwardly,” Johnson said during a news conference on Saturday. “It was my tailbone. And the trainer got to me, and kind of just massaged it during the game. A lot of adrenaline in the tournament so adrenaline got me through that one.”</p>
<p id="QVrTJx">Johnson returned a few minutes after the fall. In the second half, he tweaked his ankle and was unable to return. </p>
<p id="gnJ8tL">Against a Houston team that rebounds well on the offensive end, as the have the 2nd best offensive rebounding rate of any team in college basketball. Rutgers will need Johnson down low to control the glass. He is the teams leading rebounder and currently has the 40th best offensive rebounding rate and 41st best defensive rebounding rate in the country.</p>
<p id="kxeMMF"> It is sounding like he is going to be in the lineup tomorrow. </p>
<p id="DT3JO6">“I’m working with (Rutgers trainer Rich Campbell) and hopefully I’ll be ready for the game (Sunday),” Johnson said. “Confident I am going to play. Rich is one of the best trainers around so I’m pretty sure he’s going to have me right. I’ve been working it all throughout the night, I had the stim machine on it to make sure I’m going to be right.”</p>
<p id="YmWrnG">The Scarlet Knights are scheduled to tip-off against Houston on Sunday at 7:10 PM inside Lucas Oil Stadium. </p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341978/myles-johnson-gives-injury-update-ahead-of-matchup-vs-houston-ncaa-tournament-second-roundGreg Patuto2021-03-20T11:17:37-04:002021-03-20T11:17:37-04:00No. 10 Rutgers big underdogs vs. No. 2 Houston in round of 32
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Rutgers at Clemson" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qBSEEDjTanNSmFcMKrpcq6Q2AXw=/0x0:2400x1600/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68998785/usa_today_15760809.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Las Vegas odds do not favor the Scarlet Knights on Sunday night.</p> <p id="ebP5vW">Rutgers has made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341439/rutgers-basketball-won-ncaa-tournament-game-clemson-first-time-38-years-only-way-know-how-houston">first time in 38 years</a>.</p>
<p id="5s4QY1">Survive and advance. That is what Rutgers did in round one. Fans are still buzzing from an electric <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/19/22341376/rutgers-wins-first-ncaa-tournament-game-since-1983-with-60-56-triumph-over-clemson-geo-baker">60-56 win</a> over Clemson on Friday night. This was a rock fight from the beginning and the Scarlet Knights held on for their first tournament victory since 1983.</p>
<p id="0utbCC">Rutgers’ nation can now sit back, relax, and enjoy Indianapolis on Saturday, and most of Sunday. The Scarlet Knights are set to face No. 2 Houston on Sunday at 7:10 PM at Lucas Oil Stadium — and they will do so as a big underdog. </p>
<p id="Sugz09">The Scarlet Knights are currently an 8.5-point dog to the Cougars, according to <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanduel.com%2Ftheduel%2Fposts%2Frutgers-vs-houston-spread-line-odds-predictions-over-under-for-ncaa-tournament-on-fanduel-sportsbook-01f17s7yv53e&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.onthebanks.com%2F2021%2F3%2F20%2F22341741%2Fno-10-rutgers-big-underdogs-vs-no-2-houston-in-round-of-32-ncaa-tournament-lucas-oil-stadium" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">FanDuel</a>. Houston cruised in the first round against Cleveland State, 87-56. This was their eighth consecutive victory. </p>
<p id="P7FdKs">This is the fourth meeting between Rutgers and Houston. The Cougars are 2-1 in the all-time series. Both teams were able to cover the number in the first round. Rutgers entered as a slight favorite over Clemson. </p>
<p id="MAfT60">In their last nine games, Rutgers is 6-3 against the spread (ATS). Houston is 14-4 ATS in their last 18 games. The Scarlet Knights will need to slow the game down and win on the defensive end. </p>
<p id="EUKWCn">Rutgers has struggled shooting the ball recently, but were able to get some big shots to fall on Friday night. Seven of the last 10 games for Rutgers have been under. This game is set at 132, which is a range that might work in favor of the Scarlet Knights </p>
<p id="QJaCZ0">This is how they will have to compete with the Cougars. If this game is played in the 70s or 80s, it does not favor Rutgers. They will have to show some of that Big Ten physicality and make this another ugly game. </p>
<p id="bJL0Oe">We have seen some huge upsets in this tournament already — and it has only been one day. There will be plenty more and Rutgers is certainly a team that could pull one off. </p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/3/20/22341741/no-10-rutgers-big-underdogs-vs-no-2-houston-in-round-of-32-ncaa-tournament-lucas-oil-stadiumGreg Patuto