Better this Year

[Bob Chaewsky_rivals]

OK, just we lost two stars off a losing team to the NBA - worse this year? I don't think so, and here is why. Let's look at it this way. You've got five starters, each with two areas they can improve in - on offense and on defense. That is 10 areas where our starters can potentially improve. Defensively, we will improve at all five starting positions, partially because neither Ace nor Dylan were great defensively players, and secondarily, because there will be more of an emphasis on team defense and protecting the rim. There is no way next year's team gives up 77 ppg. On offense we will be better at three of the five starting positions with more sharing of the ball and more assists (a big attribute of winning teams ). So as I see it our starting lineup will be better in 80% of the areas they can improve upon.If our win total is 13 or less games jump on it.

Add to all this the returnees each have one more year's experience and we'll be a much, much better rebounding team.

Richie - can you change my screen name back to RutgersChow or RUChow?

 

[RUJMM78]

The defense should be better but the offense won't score 70 points a game against B1G Ten competition.

 

[fatsam98]

Defense sure, but there's no way that argument works on offense.

I guess we all have to wait and see, but I'm fully expecting it to be a season of aimless passing until late in the shot clock when we're forced into settling for bad shots.

Anything better than that and I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Degaz-RU]

OK, just we lost two stars off a losing team to the NBA - worse this year? I don't think so, and here is why. Let's look at it this way. You've got five starters, each with two areas they can improve in - on offense and on defense. That is 10 areas where our starters can potentially improve. Defensively, we will improve at all five starting positions, partially because neither Ace nor Dylan were great defensively players, and secondarily, because there will be more of an emphasis on team defense and protecting the rim. There is no way next year's team gives up 77 ppg. On offense we will be better at three of the five starting positions with more sharing of the ball and more assists (a big attribute of winning teams ). So as I see it our starting lineup will be better in 80% of the areas they can improve upon.If our win total is 13 or less games jump on it.

Add to all this the returnees each have one more year's experience and we'll be a much, much better rebounding team.

Richie - can you change my screen name back to RutgersChow or RUChow?

I agree with the sentiment here. This team is going to (1) defend; and (2) rebound. We did NEITHER last year, and it will be nice to NOT see a cavalcade of easy buckets in the paint anymore and multiple chances on the same possession.

I actually see a similar record to the past two seasons. Not "good" by any stretch, but also not the horror show that 90% of the people on this board are predicting.

Now: (A) if the Euros are actually better than most are thinking and actually provide consistent outside shooting; (B) if Grant takes a step forward to a 12-14 ppg scorer; (C) if JMike continues his development as a PG; and (D) if Ogbole and Fall provide solid post defense and, in Fall's case, consistent rim protection; then we can actually have a better record than the last two years. Yes, that's a lot of "ifs."

 

[ru66+]

I agree with the sentiment here. This team is going to (1) defend; and (2) rebound. We did NEITHER last year, and it will be nice to NOT see a cavalcade of easy buckets in the paint anymore and multiple chances on the same possession.

I actually see a similar record to the past two seasons. Not "good" by any stretch, but also not the horror show that 90% of the people on this board are predicting.

Now: (A) if the Euros are actually better than most are thinking and actually provide consistent outside shooting; (B) if Grant takes a step forward to a 12-14 ppg scorer; (C) if JMike continues his development as a PG; and (D) if Ogbole and Fall provide solid post defense and, in Fall's case, consistent rim protection; then we can actually have a better record than the last two years. Yes, that's a lot of "ifs."9

There's lots of issues /ifs with all teams -- problem around here is that there are negatoiids that will never give Ru an if-- it's always a definitively ,we suck, before we even take a shot.-- yup very good fans that will stand up for/defend their school--nope.

 

[seansherm]

I agree with the sentiment here. This team is going to (1) defend; and (2) rebound. We did NEITHER last year, and it will be nice to NOT see a cavalcade of easy buckets in the paint anymore and multiple chances on the same possession.

I actually see a similar record to the past two seasons. Not "good" by any stretch, but also not the horror show that 90% of the people on this board are predicting.

Now: (A) if the Euros are actually better than most are thinking and actually provide consistent outside shooting; (B) if Grant takes a step forward to a 12-14 ppg scorer; (C) if JMike continues his development as a PG; and (D) if Ogbole and Fall provide solid post defense and, in Fall's case, consistent rim protection; then we can actually have a better record than the last two years. Yes, that's a lot of "ifs."

Just a note that last years team was top 7 in the conference in total rebounding in conference and 3rd in offensive rebounding. We rebounded pretty well. Defense, different story.

 

[lion1983]

I agree with the sentiment here. This team is going to (1) defend; and (2) rebound. We did NEITHER last year, and it will be nice to NOT see a cavalcade of easy buckets in the paint anymore and multiple chances on the same possession.

I actually see a similar record to the past two seasons. Not "good" by any stretch, but also not the horror show that 90% of the people on this board are predicting.

Now: (A) if the Euros are actually better than most are thinking and actually provide consistent outside shooting; (B) if Grant takes a step forward to a 12-14 ppg scorer; (C) if JMike continues his development as a PG; and (D) if Ogbole and Fall provide solid post defense and, in Fall's case, consistent rim protection; then we can actually have a better record than the last two years. Yes, that's a lot of "ifs."

This.

I am thinking 14 or 15 wins, 6-7 Big Ten wins ... similar to both 2023-24 and 2024-25 records. I think the games will be rock fights, low scoring ... but even the 2023-24 team, one of RU's worst ever offensive teams, averaged 65 ppg.

I do not see a Littlepage-type season - and I sat through many of those games. Not sure I see an Eddie Jordan-type season either.

FYI: The 2 single worst seasons in modern RU hoops history are Year 3 of Littlepage and Year 3 of Jordan.

Year 3 Littlepage: 19 games in which RU lost by 10 points or more, 18 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 10 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 5 losses by 25 or more points - 16 consecutive losses, 18 of 19 games were losses, and of those 18 losses, 14 were by 10 or more points, 12 by 15 or more points, 7 by 20 or more points ... Ugh.

Year 3 Jordan: 20 games lost by 10 or more points, 16 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 12 of those losses were by 20 or more points, and NINE (9!!!) were by 25 or more points. Horrific.

I do not see those levels of losing, and by those margins, this season. I could be wrong, of course, but I just do not see it ... or at least I refuse to see it.

 

[RU Jeep]

Just a note that last years team was top 7 in the conference in total rebounding in conference and 3rd in offensive rebounding. We rebounded pretty well.

I need to see the stats for getting rebounds when it matters most. We HAD to be dead last in that...

 

[LotusAggressor_rivals]

This.

I am thinking 14 or 15 wins, 6-7 Big Ten wins ... similar to both 2023-24 and 2024-25 records. I think the games will be rock fights, low scoring ... but even the 2023-24 team, one of RU's worst ever offensive teams, averaged 65 ppg.

I do not see a Littlepage-type season - and I sat through many of those games. Not sure I see an Eddie Jordan-type season either.

FYI: The 2 single worst seasons in modern RU hoops history are Year 3 of Littlepage and Year 3 of Jordan.

Year 3 Littlepage: 19 games in which RU lost by 10 points or more, 18 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 10 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 5 losses by 25 or more points - 16 consecutive losses, 18 of 19 games were losses, and of those 18 losses, 14 were by 10 or more points, 12 by 15 or more points, 7 by 20 or more points ... Ugh.

Year 3 Jordan: 20 games lost by 10 or more points, 16 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 12 of those losses were by 20 or more points, and NINE (9!!!) were by 25 or more points. Horrific.

I do not see those levels of losing, and by those margins, this season. I could be wrong, of course, but I just do not see it ... or at least I refuse to see it.

Those seasons were painfully bad. The sad thing is that those Littlepage teams had some talent. They shouldn't have been that awful.

 

[GM]

Just a note that last years team was top 7 in the conference in total rebounding in conference and 3rd in offensive rebounding. We rebounded pretty well. Defense, different story.

Disagree, in terms of OR% we were 4th in conference (9th including all games) which is decent but dead last in DR%, both in and out of conference in the B10. Simply couldn't perform either part of that end with any level of decency.

 

[seansherm]

I need to see the stats for getting rebounds when it matters most. We HAD to be dead last in that...

Guess we need to wait for a matters most stat to be developed.

 

[seansherm]

Disagree, in terms of OR% we were 4th in conference (9th including all games) which is decent but dead last in DR%, both in and out of conference in the B10. Simply couldn't perform either part of that end with any level of decency.

We were terrible at stopping teams from scoring, had to be bottom of the league in FG% allowed and 3pt FG% allowed. Not shocked at all we'd be asleep on the defensive boards, we expected every shot against to go in!

 

[needmorecowbell]

The defense should be better but the offense won't score 70 points a game against B1G Ten competition.

Pikes teams all scored under 70 from 2019-2024 and those were his best teams.

 

[T2Kplus20]

This.

I am thinking 14 or 15 wins, 6-7 Big Ten wins ... similar to both 2023-24 and 2024-25 records. I think the games will be rock fights, low scoring ... but even the 2023-24 team, one of RU's worst ever offensive teams, averaged 65 ppg.

I do not see a Littlepage-type season - and I sat through many of those games. Not sure I see an Eddie Jordan-type season either.

FYI: The 2 single worst seasons in modern RU hoops history are Year 3 of Littlepage and Year 3 of Jordan.

Year 3 Littlepage: 19 games in which RU lost by 10 points or more, 18 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 10 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 5 losses by 25 or more points - 16 consecutive losses, 18 of 19 games were losses, and of those 18 losses, 14 were by 10 or more points, 12 by 15 or more points, 7 by 20 or more points ... Ugh.

Year 3 Jordan: 20 games lost by 10 or more points, 16 of which losses were by 15 or more points, 12 of those losses were by 20 or more points, and NINE (9!!!) were by 25 or more points. Horrific.

I do not see those levels of losing, and by those margins, this season. I could be wrong, of course, but I just do not see it ... or at least I refuse to see it.

Littlepage bad this season. You’ve been warned. The B1G games are going to be ugly to non-competitive.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

We were terrible at stopping teams from scoring, had to be bottom of the league in FG% allowed and 3pt FG% allowed. Not shocked at all we'd be asleep on the defensive boards, we expected every shot against to go in!

I still think his data is probably more reflective of our rebounding success last season than yours. We were dreadful on the defensive glass which is where we most need to show improvement.

 

[seansherm]

I still think his data is probably more reflective of our rebounding success last season than yours. We were dreadful on the defensive glass which is where we most need to show improvement.

Oh, he's definitely right overall. The problem is the team COULD rebound (as seen by the offensive rebounding stats), it just didn't put the same effort into rebounding positioning on defense. I was just feeling argumentative for a moment that day.