Bad News on the Horizon?

Plum Street

Heisman
Jun 21, 2009
27,306
23,009
0
But you are saying that we poached him from Stony Brook which is incorrect
Yes we poached him . Don’t bring up stuff like graduation . It’s irrelevant
Pike went and got Hyatt and Spencer from other programs before they graduated No one cares .
Pike and hobbs know the game.
 
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kcg88

Heisman
Aug 11, 2017
10,862
17,230
0
Yeboah would not have been able to play a fifth year at Stony Brook. He had to transfer or go pro.
 

BigEastPhil

Heisman
Nov 25, 2007
18,600
12,582
66
If it is Mag who transfers, I wish him all the best of luck !

He is a very nice young man as I have spoken to him several times after games. .

The poor kid has been thru a lot in his life which none of us can ever imagine - escaping from a war torn country / being away from his family a half a world away / his teeth issues and now the ACL

Hate to see him go but only hoping for the best for him personally and professionally !
 

Scarletnut

All-Conference
Jul 27, 2001
5,447
4,130
77
I don’t know anything, but if Mawot’s best friend is leaving, and his recruiter is gone, and he is thousands of miles away from his only other support system in the States (in CA)…..seems a strong possibility.
If Mag wants to be with his best friend Miller, why would he go to GT?
 

NickRU714

Heisman
Aug 18, 2009
13,604
12,367
0
I’m not an expert but isn’t Mag our 4th and potentially 5th most important starter?
He’s a wing who isn’t a scorer.

Arguably Clif, Fernandes, Cam and potentially Gavin (assuming he plays to a near BIG Freshman Of The Year level like it seems he can from evaluations of him) would be bigger pieces next year.

That’s if he’s even healthy all year - which he won’t be.

Yes it would suck but I’m not seeing the sky if falling considering the rest of the team upgrades.

Also the notion of Simpson being a huge loss is also puzzling. Our 3rd (potentially 4th) guard is a huge loss? Not even a starter.
 

njxchange

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2007
1,029
1,177
0
I’m not an expert but isn’t Mag our 4th and potentially 5th most important starter?
He’s a wing who isn’t a scorer.

Arguably Clif, Fernandes, Cam and potentially Gavin (assuming he plays to a near BIG Freshman Of The Year level like it seems he can from evaluations of him) would be bigger pieces next year.

That’s if he’s even healthy all year - which he won’t be.

Yes it would suck but I’m not seeing the sky if falling considering the rest of the team upgrades.

Also the notion of Simpson being a huge loss is also puzzling. Our 3rd (potentially 4th) guard is a huge loss? Not even a starter.
Dont know where he fits as #1-#5 important player, but you recall what happened when he went down with an injury? mag might have been top 5 defender in B1G last year before going down with injury. many believe he will be contending for B1G DPOY this year.

also, yes bench is important. very important... without strong bench, we didnt make the tournament.
 

fluoxetine

Heisman
Nov 11, 2012
23,529
16,897
0
Oh. He didn’t come to Rutgers to get his graduate degree ?
Pike with Yeboah is not comparable. Neither are any of our other transfers. If Mag is actually going to GT then it’s not even a thing that was really possible (without the player sitting a year) until a couple years ago anyway.

That said I’m kind of with you on “that’s how the game is played these days”
 

Jerseylegends

All-Conference
Mar 15, 2023
1,473
1,550
113
and this is why everyone is on edge in the world today. The media learning how to get engagement on social media. Create fear and people flock, I enjoy friendly trolls like rutgersal lol the media is always trying to raise my blood pressure to get me to click.
 

RutgersChow

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2008
2,945
2,459
0
I love our defensive intensity and philosophy but the reality is that with the infusion of talent forthcoming we need to start ramping up the offense, and naturally our defense is probably gonna take a hit.

Getting Cliff back is much more important next year than Mag when it comes to defense.
Why do people think Cliff is a good defender? - away from the basket OK, post defense awful, and he's no where near the defender Mag is.
 
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RutgersChow

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2008
2,945
2,459
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I’m not an expert but isn’t Mag our 4th and potentially 5th most important starter?
He’s a wing who isn’t a scorer.

Arguably Clif, Fernandes, Cam and potentially Gavin (assuming he plays to a near BIG Freshman Of The Year level like it seems he can from evaluations of him) would be bigger pieces next year.

That’s if he’s even healthy all year - which he won’t be.

Yes it would suck but I’m not seeing the sky if falling considering the rest of the team upgrades.

Also the notion of Simpson being a huge loss is also puzzling. Our 3rd (potentially 4th) guard is a huge loss? Not even a starter.
What are you talking about? He was a starter at the end of the season, and he's at worst the sixth man next year. Without him we probably don't win any games down the stretch, and in two years he likely plays in the backcourt with Dylan
 

Jerseylegends

All-Conference
Mar 15, 2023
1,473
1,550
113
To be honest, I'm not shocked... Mag's best friend (Jalen) and the guy (Hobbs) who recruited him are gone... also, I think RU will not be as much of a defensive-centric team going forward... to win and stay in games, Pike had to stress D and rebounding... RU is now able to attract more talented/offensive players so guys like Mag won't be as important to the program.

With that said, Pike will still hang his hat on strong D and rebounding, but reliable offensive options will be available, which has not been the case since he took the reins on the banks.
This makes the most sense...I'll go with this, transition is always hard but hopefully you are better on the other side. It's fun to watch a hard-nose defensive minded underdog team upset some big teams but it's also fun to watch an offensively fluid team shoot opponents out of the gym. And if mag gets some nice monies out of the deal it's not bad news at all if you ask me..
 

RUBOB72

All-American
Aug 5, 2004
23,385
7,924
0
Just roll with the punches . We will be ok going forward with Piekell. Portal is the key in todays world where this will occur every year and not just to Rutgers. Nice to be set year to year but better that the Rutgers podcast crew should temper some of their speculation on who may be coming, staying or in this case leaving . When it’s a certain thing then crow all you want about how MBB is doing.
 

shields

Heisman
Aug 5, 2002
79,146
16,793
113
Simpson was a frosh who needs to get in weight room. Terrific athlete and yes jump shot needs to get better. Also shot around 80% from line which is better than anyone not named Cam. People would have killed John Battle who scored 2 points a game as a frosh and NBA three years later.
 
Dec 30, 2017
763
753
0
I’m not an expert but isn’t Mag our 4th and potentially 5th most important starter?
He’s a wing who isn’t a scorer.

Arguably Clif, Fernandes, Cam and potentially Gavin (assuming he plays to a near BIG Freshman Of The Year level like it seems he can from evaluations of him) would be bigger pieces next year.

That’s if he’s even healthy all year - which he won’t be.

Yes it would suck but I’m not seeing the sky if falling considering the rest of the team upgrades.

Also the notion of Simpson being a huge loss is also puzzling. Our 3rd (potentially 4th) guard is a huge loss? Not even a starter.
Simpson is going to be a breakout sophomore next year. That’s why he’d be considered a huge loss because he is likely the go to starting pg in 24-25.

He might only score 8-10 pts next year but he can blossom to 13-15 as a junior
 

RUPete

Heisman
Feb 5, 2003
26,846
16,117
0
This makes the most sense...I'll go with this, transition is always hard but hopefully you are better on the other side. It's fun to watch a hard-nose defensive minded underdog team upset some big teams but it's also fun to watch an offensively fluid team shoot opponents out of the gym. And if mag gets some nice monies out of the deal it's not bad news at all if you ask me..
I like your outlook.
 
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sct1111

All-American
Nov 30, 2014
6,046
8,237
113
It usually takes at least a year for post ACL tear athletes to get back to their previous levels of explosiveness. At least. Mags games is predicated a lot on his athleticism. It's a shame if we lose him but we also have Ace Bailey coming in who would probably start over him the next year anyway.
 

Greene Rice FIG

Heisman
Dec 30, 2005
40,437
23,613
0
A - friggin - Men!!! I’d rather win 85 to 75 then hold on or lose a “defensive battle. Tired of it
I was tired of losing for 20+ years watching teams that didn’t defend. The program has been built from the ground up with defense as the foundation.

Pike has proven to be successful playing this way with mostly under the radar and unwanted recruits (except Cliff). We are in completely unchartered waters now.

I am not saying the program won’t succeed. This is almost like a college coach transitioning to the NBA.
 
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RUPete

Heisman
Feb 5, 2003
26,846
16,117
0
Huh? I thought that was an Ivy League thing???
I think there were more restrictions on 5th-year transfers at that time. For example, I remember when this whole thing started your transfer destination had to be a school that had a graduate program which your current school didn't offer. I'm sure others here who are more knowledgeable about this can jump in.
 
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MiloTalon13

All-American
Jun 3, 2022
3,979
5,608
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Yes, but his blocks mainly can on help plays against smaller players. Lots of centers ate him up in the post last year, his defense down on the blocks is not good.
I agree, BUT what Cliff does well defensively is more important than what he struggles with.
Everyone stuggles with TJD, Edey and Dickinson. There were a handful of other low post guys that Cliff struggled with but his help side and ball screen defense is more important than that.
Cliff is a very good defensive player, with weaknesses for sure, but still very good overall.
 

MiloTalon13

All-American
Jun 3, 2022
3,979
5,608
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Actually I was wrong about this. He could have played his final season at Stony Brook. I was confusing it with something else.
COVID year, grad transfer, transfer portal, Ivy league different rules - there have been a lot of changes in the last few years
 

Nycrusupporter

All-American
Jun 8, 2021
4,470
6,664
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I agree, BUT what Cliff does well defensively is more important than what he struggles with.
Everyone stuggles with TJD, Edey and Dickinson. There were a handful of other low post guys that Cliff struggled with but his help side and ball screen defense is more important than that.
Cliff is a very good defensive player, with weaknesses for sure, but still very good overall.
I don’t disagree, I would much rather have Cliff than not have Cliff.
 

Scangg

Heisman
Mar 19, 2016
25,448
49,368
113
I was tired of losing for 20+ years watching teams that didn’t defend. The program has been built from the ground up with defense as the foundation.

Pike has proven to be successful playing this way with mostly under the radar and unwanted recruits (except Cliff). We are in completely unchartered waters now.

I am not saying the program won’t succeed. This is almost like a college coach transitioning to the NBA.
We all want more points, but completely changing the identity of the team from defensive to offensive comes with some risk. Can we really consistently outscore teams if the defense struggles? That's a legitimate question
 
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MiloTalon13

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Jun 3, 2022
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I don’t disagree, I would much rather have Cliff than not have Cliff.
I agree. From the Moneyball theme - it opens up a lot of possibilities
I hope one of them is small ball - with a smaller 5 and a wide open offense at least part of the time
 

Greene Rice FIG

Heisman
Dec 30, 2005
40,437
23,613
0
We all want more points, but completely changing the identity of the team from defensive to offensive comes with some risk. Can we really consistently outscore teams if the defense struggles? That's a legitimate question
It is definitely a huge question. The good news is every time I have doubts about our defense after losing what I thought were critical pieces our D either only suffered a bit, stayed the same, or even got better.

The one constant has been Myles and Cliff.
 
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Nycrusupporter

All-American
Jun 8, 2021
4,470
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We have sufficient data to show how important Cliff's D and his blocks are to our defense.
As I said above, I would rather have him than not have him. He can be a very positive contributor to our defense and at same time play poor man to man post defense. Both can be true. It is really a bigger issue for his pro aspirations, where man to man defense is most valued and freelancing is strongly discouraged unless you are a star.
 
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