Rutgers Basketball success this season will be tied to creating a Jersey Mike's nightmare environment for visiting teams and winning our home games.

[RCBeta79]

Rutgers Basketball success this season will be tied to creating a Jersey Mike's nightmare environment for visiting teams and winning our home games.
Of course, winning a few road games against struggling opponents can happen with gaining more confidence.

My prediction - 10 conference wins - 17 Total Wins entering the Big Ten Tournament
Your Prediction?

 

[RUJMM78]

Rutgers Basketball success this season will be tied to creating a Jersey Mike's nightmare environment for visiting teams and winning our home games.
Of course, winning a few road games against struggling opponents can happen with gaining more confidence.

My prediction - 10 conference wins - 17 Total Wins entering the Big Ten Tournament
Your Prediction?

Not enough wins for a NCAA bid.The home court crowd keeps Rutgers in games but the flaws on offense and defense better be corrected or winning even 10 conference wins might be difficult to achieve.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

We will finish below .500.

 

[djrc89]

It’s gonna take a lot of pikes frantic waving bc this team doesn’t defend or rebound

 

[ScarletKid2008]

Our resume needs a LOT more than just defending home court.

We’re going to need a stellar road/neutral record to maybe hav something on the resume to point to.

So the title of your thread needs to remove the presumption that being great at home is enough.

 

[SBP]

In

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Our resume needs a LOT more than just defending home court.

We’re going to need a stellar road/neutral record to maybe hav something on the resume to point to.

So the title of your thread needs to remove the presumption that being great at home is enough.

Its a good place to start

 

[JavaDunk18]

Good starting point is winning road game at IU , then sweeping 3 of top teams in league at home after that..

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

The real NCAA panic button is hit if our 1st home loss happens before we get a road win.

 

[ScarletDave]

It all starts with taking care of 10-1 Columbia. Lose that and forget the season, go win the BTT.

But after that, 18 games left, we sit at 8 wins, going to need to win 10 of 18. That means - win all 8 RAC games, win MSG, and steal 1 on the road. Then for every RAC game you lose, you need to win another road game. And all of this is to get to the bare minimum that we would need to be on our knees begging the committee at that point. Ideally you would need more road wins to be more safely in, but all of that seems like a stretch until we complete part A.

 

[Ridge 22]

The real NCAA panic button is hit if our 1st home loss happens before we get a road win.

Yeah, I think it's already happening. But whatever you want to think is important, good luck

 

[Degaz-RU]

Part of the RAC magic is getting defensive stops and 10-0 or better kill shots, all of which ratchets up the noise. That doesn’t happen when we’re just trading buckets and are unable to get stops.

We saw this at Prudential against Princeton (not the RAC but we had 9500 and PU had 500 tops). The crowd rarely got into it and rarely got really loud because Princeton just kept coming down and scoring after we would score. Takes the wind out of the noise sails.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Yeah, I think it's already happening. But whatever you want to think is important, good luck

If we were in the preseason and I outlined everything that was going to happen with our season to this point I think the average fan would still think we have a good chance of making the tournament. Now that we are in the middle of it a lot of fans are being overly dramatic.

You are definitely one of them.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Part of the RAC magic is getting defensive stops and 10-0 or better kill shots, all of which ratchets up the noise. That doesn’t happen when we’re just trading buckets and are unable to get stops.

We saw this at Prudential against Princeton (not the RAC but we had 9500 and PU had 500 tops). The crowd rarely got into it and rarely got really loud because Princeton just kept coming down and scoring after we would score. Takes the wind out of the noise sails.

I am sorry if there is a home court advantage meter the needle was much closer to neutral than home court.

I sat up high when I am usually pretty close to the floor at the RAC so maybe comparisons aren't fair, but I thought it was pretty quiet.

In addition at the RAC we are right up on the court. The Prudential center is a hockey arena so everyone is moved back from the court.

 

[Degaz-RU]

If we were in the preseason and I outlined everything that was going to happen with our season to this point I think the average fan would still think we have a good chance of making the tournament. Now that we are in the middle of it a lot of fans are being overly dramatic.

You are definitely one of them.

FIG, I think the problem is that we’re seeing that the defensive and rebounding issues are not getting much better through 40% of the schedule, with a grueling B1G schedule coming up. Yes, we could go on a run and still make the Tournament despite two quad 3 losses, but I’m not sure I see a way that those problems can improve with the personnel we have.

That’s why people are being dramatic.

 

[Degaz-RU]

I am sorry if there is a home court advantage meter the needle was much closer to neutral than home court.

I sat up high when I am usually pretty close to the floor at the RAC so maybe comparisons aren't fair, but I thought it was pretty quiet.

In addition at the RAC we are right up on the court. The Prudential center is a hockey arena so everyone is moved back from the court.

But it DID get loud at Prudential for brief moments. Like, really loud. But we couldn’t sustain it because we kept getting scored on.

Anyway, I was just using the PU game as an illustration of why we might not be able to rely on RAC magic as much this year — We just don’t have the defensive chops to push the crowd into delirium.

 

[Ridge 22]

If we were in the preseason and I outlined everything that was going to happen with our season to this point I think the average fan would still think we have a good chance of making the tournament. Now that we are in the middle of it a lot of fans are being overly dramatic.

You are definitely one of them.

I don't think the average fan thinks much of this season or that we have a 'good chance' of making the tournament. There are a limited bunch of apologists remaining such as yourself that continue to scream otherwise despite nothing backing it up.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

FIG, I think the problem is that we’re seeing that the defensive and rebounding issues are not getting much better through 40% of the schedule, with a grueling B1G schedule coming up. Yes, we could go on a run and still make the Tournament despite two quad 3 losses, but I’m not sure I see a way that those problems can improve with the personnel we have.

That’s why people are being dramatic.

Not dramatic. Realiatic

 

[NickRU714]

I am sorry if there is a home court advantage meter the needle was much closer to neutral than home court.

I sat up high when I am usually pretty close to the floor at the RAC so maybe comparisons aren't fair, but I thought it was pretty quiet.

In addition at the RAC we are right up on the court. The Prudential center is a hockey arena so everyone is moved back from the court.

It's the same though.
Just like every alleged "home court advantage".

HCA is only as good as the team.

Nobody was fearing the RAC during the Eddie Jordan era.
The acoustics didn't suddenly change.

If the Princeton game plays out the exact same but at home, the crowd is just as quiet.

It's the team, not the arena.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

FIG, I think the problem is that we’re seeing that the defensive and rebounding issues are not getting much better through 40% of the schedule, with a grueling B1G schedule coming up. Yes, we could go on a run and still make the Tournament despite two quad 3 losses, but I’m not sure I see a way that those problems can improve with the personnel we have.

That’s why people are being dramatic.

I have better confidence that the defense and rebounding gets fixed than the offense improves to where we need it to be.

Fair disclosure.....I am over dramatic right now

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

But it DID get loud at Prudential for brief moments. Like, really loud. But we couldn’t sustain it because we kept getting scored on.

Anyway, I was just using the PU game as an illustration of why we might not be able to rely on RAC magic as much this year — We just don’t have the defensive chops to push the crowd into delirium.

i think/hope/pray that the crowd gets/leads us to play the defense.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I don't think the average fan thinks much of this season or that we have a 'good chance' of making the tournament. There are a limited bunch of apologists remaining such as yourself that continue to scream otherwise despite nothing backing it up.

The same average fan that EVERY year posts preseason expectations that are usually 4 or 5 wins more than what a rational person would predict.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It's the same though.
Just like every alleged "home court advantage".

HCA is only as good as the team.

Nobody was fearing the RAC during the Eddie Jordan era.
The acoustics didn't suddenly change.

If the Princeton game plays out the exact same but at home, the crowd is just as quiet.

It's the team, not the arena.

#1 We are "sold out" so the amount of fans are more
#2 Please don't equate a Jordan team to a Pike team
#3 I think/don't know we win that game at the RAC.....never know though

Now if you want to bring up the 3 game home stretch that probably defines our season is going to be played when students are home.....could be an issue

 

[RUisB1Gtime]

Just win baby

 

[BigRnj]

As far as the OP goes of course the RAC will be an acoustic nightmare… Ozzy Osborne and the disjointed electronic cacophony blaring from the speakers are constantly telling us to to “Make Sum Noize”… we will comply

PS - I agree with OP and I hope the RAC energy helps, but it hasn’t been the same recently. Let’s hope the team does its part…

 

[bac2therac]

It all starts with taking care of 10-1 Columbia. Lose that and forget the season, go win the BTT.

But after that, 18 games left, we sit at 8 wins, going to need to win 10 of 18. That means - win all 8 RAC games, win MSG, and steal 1 on the road. Then for every RAC game you lose, you need to win another road game. And all of this is to get to the bare minimum that we would need to be on our knees begging the committee at that point. Ideally you would need more road wins to be more safely in, but all of that seems like a stretch until we complete part A.

Sorry 18-13 is nit

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Sorry 18-13 is nit

Given what we know now.....having no idea of the amount of bid stealers and the distribution of teams around bubble

Would you say now
18-13 NO WAY
19-12 maybe, but a lean towards NO
20-11 almost certain
21-10 LOCK

 

[RedChucken123]

I watched part of the second half again yesterday and am hopeful as long as we can learn from the film session. Princeton exposed our defense so badly through strategy/IQ that hopefully we can learn from it.

Couple observations:
- How is it that Martini gets switched onto Lee on defense for key possessions? I don’t blame Martini that he can’t stay in front of Lee. That’s like asking Rudy Gobert to cover Luka Doncic.
- Help defense. I used to get so frustrated when Mulcahy would help defending someone else only to leave his man for a three, but I get it now. There are so many times where if we were savvy or unselfish enough, we can sneak up for a steal or maybe take a charge.
- Awareness (Defense & Rebounding). So many times, we just get caught staring at the ball. If we actually crashed the glass immediately and/or were more aware of our assignment, we’d be so much better off on rebounding or backdoor cuts.

 

[bac2therac]

Given what we know now.....having no idea of the amount of bid stealers and the distribution of teams around bubble

Would you say now
18-13 NO WAY
19-12 maybe, but a lean towards NO
20-11 almost certain
21-10 LOCK

agree...19-12 I put as fighting chance...55-45%..again it depends on where the wins comes from..if its at Oregon, at Maryland, that is better than winning at Indiana or at Northwestern

 

[ScarletKid2008]

agree...19-12 I put as fighting chance...55-45%..again it depends on where the wins comes from..if its at Oregon, at Maryland, that is better than winning at Indiana or at Northwestern

Our resume would have too many warts at that record.

At least 2 quad 3 losses (can’t fix that at this point )
Bad OOC record (can’t fix that at this point)
Bad neutral (which is usually combined with road so there’s a chance to maybe fix this)

And we’ll see where strength of schedule comes out but it’s going to have to be really good or else that’s another wart on the resume

 

[High Quality H2O]

Tourney team or not…..

Our goal should always be to find the RAC magic and defend home court to the best of our ability. It’s where we go to have fun.

….and honestly EFF the opposing fan bases made up of NJ families that sent their kids elsewhere because they thought they were too good for RU or something.

They should not be able to come here now and have a good time!

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

We are 3 possessions away from 10-2 and I am pretty confident the sentiment would be completely different.

 

[RW90]

Not predicting it by any means, but is there any remote chance the selection committee gives a 19 win season the nod due to our big two?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Not predicting it by any means, but is there any remote chance the selection committee gives a 19 win season the nod due to our big two?

ZERO because of Harper and Ace

 

[NickRU714]

We are 3 possessions away from 10-2 and I am pretty confident the sentiment would be completely different.

Goes both ways.
Also a couple possessions away from 5-9 (Losses to ND and SHU).

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Goes both ways.
Also a couple possessions away from 5-9 (Losses to ND and SHU).

Not sugarcoating what we are. Fans perception would be completely different

 

[RUJMM78]

What matters is wins/losses.How the team plays is a discussion topic for message boards that are forgotten at the end of the season.The win total is the report card just like the decades without one NCAA bid.