The first 5 minutes of this game, they shared the ball and played D, they got a lead, then Princeton got a small run and the old Mike Tyson saying came to mind "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face". Rutgers then abandoned the game plan and tried to play one on one hero ball. I like Pike a lot, but sometimes I just think this team needs a large can of whoop a** to get them refocused. The nice guy part doesn’t work all the time.
Pike is a relic from a different era. NIL and the transfer portal killed his secret sauce. He has the talent on this team but he resists analytics and is too beholden on trying to develop a lockdown defense. This team can’t play D. They didn’t get a big man in the portal and wonder why the team gives up a ton of paint points and offensive rebounds every single game. The phenoms are balling but Ace in particular could be giving them so much more on offense if Pike knew how to coach offense and scheme him some open looks. Your optimism is commendable but you really need to be harder on Pike, he built this roster but is incapable of utilizing the pieces to their strengths.
Based on the pre-season hype, I had been hoping for an Elite Eight appearance. Now I'm hearing NIT talk. Geez, I haven't gotten over the Kennesaw State loss yet. I've really got a lot of processing to do.
Sorry, Pike, but this wasn’t a “one stop game.” Princeton dominated the play as a “team,” especially in the second half. We were playing sandlot basketball with only 2 good players. The others were throwing up horrific, impossible, desperation shots at the rim, most disastrously when we could have been adding to our 5-6 point leads in the second half. Where’s the smarts, the discipline-the leadership? Princeton out rebounded us by 7 offensive boards. They whipped us in the paint AND we allowed them to shoot 27 threes! Had they not missed 10 of 18 free throws, this wouldn’t have been close.
I think losing to Columbia would be a disaster..As long as they beat them, I would be comfortable with 6 more losses max prior to the Big 10 tournament.
Ironically Rutgers was better before the two rich kids showed up. They are no longer a team. They are a showcase for two players, and only one of them is as advertised.
Hate it comes down to last possession. Better play over the meat of game is needed. Everyone was man-man on Tiger’s last possession. Should big E have rotated to double on shooter?
Not gonna watch this take. Love you Aaron but just came to the comments to say Pike should be finished. Greg is slowly learning to be ruthless. Pike has no effing spine. Martini sucks and if Ace and Dylan cant combine to score 40 a game we lose. Period. Even Columbia. Watch it happen. what an effing disgrace.
@kdpowers As far as I'm concerned, you are just ONE of many spoiled Rutgers fans on here AND like I'm finding out right on our SB Nation page called On The Banks. Aaron you would be ashamed at what they're saying over there right now since you left there. As for you kdpowers, Big Ten play hasn't even resumed yet and you're up here just making excuses why we should have Steve Pikiell fired. That's even though it's not like his seat isn't getting any warmer either. Don't forget it took us 30 years until we even first returned to the NCAA Tournament even though with Dylan and Ace on our team that SHOULD be the goal right now. But we HAVE to see what happens in the Big Ten before we immediately go off saying like you are yourself it's over.
@kdpowers You know things are a lot different from what happened 20 years ago. And Gary Waters also never did enough to ACTUALLY get us in the NCAA Tournament like Steve Pikiell did twice (and really should've been three times in a row of not for Covid-19) even though we did somewhat become close under him.
Priceton has a basketball team. Rutgers just has two 5 star players. The winning basket tells the whole story in how this team can't defend or play smart and foul the player and let him make free throws. Also, Dylan on the last play had to have driven to get fouled. Rutgers is getting beaten mentally every game they play.
@@winningspeechmoments9141 Well that's why I even think regardless of the other players on this team being that we have Dylan and Ace Steve Pikiell is on the hot seat should for the third year in a row we fail to reach the NCAA Tournament. He is known as a defense-first guy and even though Princeton is a team that can really score, not improving there during Big Ten play can REALLY cost us this season.
Aaron using my phone was what I've done especially for football much of this season being that I'm not in New Jersey right now. That will change when 2025 gets here though. For other personal reasons I think 2024 has been my worst year ever.
This is a bad team with a really bad, bad loss against Princeton! The whole supporting cast around Dylan and Ace are just bad, and not good enough! If this keeps up and they have their share of losses in conference play they WONT make the NCAAs! and as of now, I'm not seeing this team making the NCAAs. they lucky they will get to even "Bubble" consideration.
Jeremiah Williams is second to Dylan Harper in value, as I see it. Though too may fouls hobble his minutes. Where are the 3 point snipers, Hayes and Martini ? One or two shots a game from either is just lame.
It just seems Iike the players don’t listen to Pikiell. All I’m seeing is guys doing whatever they want out there and playing their own style instead of what Pikiell is trying to enforce on them. Dylan is truly the only one scoring and they can’t get enough stops to win these games. It’s burial and tough to watch because we know how much potential they have to be a great team and they just arent good enough right now. Hopefully things change soon enough. Go RU
@@burtwest2750 We had to win that Seton Hall game and did, right? We should've also beaten Princeton and Kennesaw State too even though Princeton is a better team than anyone may think. Like Aaron said we still need to see what happens in Big Ten play. Before that, there's still final non-conference game against one-loss Columbia even though they have to come to Piscataway and their own schedule has not tested them enough.
First off, calls for Pikiell's head are plain stupid. There is excitement about RU basketball totally due to Pikiell. end of story, about that. Coaching is not the issue, it comes down to the players producing, IMO. Ace Bailey surely has the ability to go to the rim, but all I see is his patented step-back jumper. Yeah, the commentators keep repeating their take about what an NBA shot that is. But when he's hitting 25%, or less, on his step back jumpers, it's time use his height and take it to the rim. At 6'10" we should be seeing way more dunks from this guy. I will also add, Jeremiah Williams needs to take more shots. He hits more than he misses. The perimeter 3 point shooters, Martini and Hayes need to take more shots. Martini seems most prone to errant passes/TOs. Put it up Zach, rather than pass it, is my advice. Not sure how to fix RU's rebound problems. One idea I will throw out, in desperation. Put Sommerville and Ogbole on the floor at the same time. I made posts in the past about how I thought Cliff and M.Johnson on the floor simultaneously would be rewarding. Never happened, so that is history denied. Sommerville has guard-like moves and Ogbole is proving to be maybe the most stable producer on the team. In the Princeton game, his backwards flip to bank in a shot was brilliant, except that it was too strong. But of all the RU players to come to the line for a free-throw, I'm thinking Emmanuel Ogbole is more reliable than most of the team. Anyway, as mentioned, the team is loaded with talent. Which players will produce during BigTen play will determine their NCAA tournament access. Pikiell can merely put them on the floor, and then it's up to them to produce.
@@williamtilden8211 If all of us are going to be blaming Schiano for the loss in football against Illinois, with all the praise Pikiell has been getting he does deserve criticism this year. The defense was never going to be the best but it's not just against Princeton that we've had lapses there. Too early to fire him right now or even put him on hot seat. But it's not like he's very far from there either. It does depend on remaining Big Ten schedule but yes, as I aforementioned it's also whether or not we return to the NCAA Tournament. Final Four means expecting WAY TOO MUCH, but I actually would deem missing the Big Dance this year a failed season for Rutgers men's basketball.
@@michaeldavisnj88 I will agree that missing the big dance will be a ridiculous miss, should it happen. Schiano's loss to Illinois was his alone, for his ill-advised time out. That was a coaching error. Pikiell's losses are due to his player's failures, not his coaching.
Funny how you say this game didn’t come down to Princeton last shot. But with Greg in the Illinois game you said paraphrasing “it came down to that last play and Greg fumbled” and called them fanboys 😂 what that make you with pike?
Princeton is not a good team. How could you say that? Look at there four losses? Who did they beat this year that was a top 25 team? Pike needs to be fired. He assembled this team. Ace and Dylan are amazing! No excuses.
The first 5 minutes of this game, they shared the ball and played D, they got a lead, then Princeton got a small run and the old Mike Tyson saying came to mind "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face". Rutgers then abandoned the game plan and tried to play one on one hero ball. I like Pike a lot, but sometimes I just think this team needs a large can of whoop a** to get them refocused. The nice guy part doesn’t work all the time.
Pike is a relic from a different era. NIL and the transfer portal killed his secret sauce. He has the talent on this team but he resists analytics and is too beholden on trying to develop a lockdown defense. This team can’t play D. They didn’t get a big man in the portal and wonder why the team gives up a ton of paint points and offensive rebounds every single game. The phenoms are balling but Ace in particular could be giving them so much more on offense if Pike knew how to coach offense and scheme him some open looks. Your optimism is commendable but you really need to be harder on Pike, he built this roster but is incapable of utilizing the pieces to their strengths.
Based on the pre-season hype, I had been hoping for an Elite Eight appearance. Now I'm hearing NIT talk. Geez, I haven't gotten over the Kennesaw State loss yet. I've really got a lot of processing to do.
Too soft on pikiell. This is his mess the last three seasons. Terrible roster assembly
Would Micah Shrewsbury have interest in the Rutgers job?
Sorry, Pike, but this wasn’t a “one stop game.” Princeton dominated the play as a “team,” especially in the second half. We were playing sandlot basketball with only 2 good players. The others were throwing up horrific, impossible, desperation shots at the rim, most disastrously when we could have been adding to our 5-6 point leads in the second half. Where’s the smarts, the discipline-the leadership? Princeton out rebounded us by 7 offensive boards. They whipped us in the paint AND we allowed them to shoot 27 threes! Had they not missed 10 of 18 free throws, this wouldn’t have been close.
I think losing to Columbia would be a disaster..As long as they beat them, I would be comfortable with 6 more losses max prior to the Big 10 tournament.
Ironically Rutgers was better before the two rich kids showed up. They are no longer a team. They are a showcase for two players, and only one of them is as advertised.
Better??? Did you see the last two years. This been a problem
Hate it comes down to last possession. Better play over the meat of game is needed. Everyone was man-man on Tiger’s last possession. Should big E have rotated to double on shooter?
Not gonna watch this take. Love you Aaron but just came to the comments to say Pike should be finished. Greg is slowly learning to be ruthless. Pike has no effing spine. Martini sucks and if Ace and Dylan cant combine to score 40 a game we lose. Period. Even Columbia. Watch it happen. what an effing disgrace.
@kdpowers As far as I'm concerned, you are just ONE of many spoiled Rutgers fans on here AND like I'm finding out right on our SB Nation page called On The Banks. Aaron you would be ashamed at what they're saying over there right now since you left there.
As for you kdpowers, Big Ten play hasn't even resumed yet and you're up here just making excuses why we should have Steve Pikiell fired. That's even though it's not like his seat isn't getting any warmer either. Don't forget it took us 30 years until we even first returned to the NCAA Tournament even though with Dylan and Ace on our team that SHOULD be the goal right now. But we HAVE to see what happens in the Big Ten before we immediately go off saying like you are yourself it's over.
@ I’ve been around since Waters. I know a team that’s not fixing a huge problem when I see one
@@kdpowers You can't possibly know and neither can I. You're not the head coach.
@@michaeldavisnj88 I was a manager for Gary Waters; I know of what I speak
@kdpowers You know things are a lot different from what happened 20 years ago. And Gary Waters also never did enough to ACTUALLY get us in the NCAA Tournament like Steve Pikiell did twice (and really should've been three times in a row of not for Covid-19) even though we did somewhat become close under him.
Priceton has a basketball team. Rutgers just has two 5 star players. The winning basket tells the whole story in how this team can't defend or play smart and foul the player and let him make free throws. Also, Dylan on the last play had to have driven to get fouled. Rutgers is getting beaten mentally every game they play.
Dylan didn’t have time to drive in on last he made the best decision to shoot
@@winningspeechmoments9141 Well that's why I even think regardless of the other players on this team being that we have Dylan and Ace Steve Pikiell is on the hot seat should for the third year in a row we fail to reach the NCAA Tournament. He is known as a defense-first guy and even though Princeton is a team that can really score, not improving there during Big Ten play can REALLY cost us this season.
Aaron using my phone was what I've done especially for football much of this season being that I'm not in New Jersey right now. That will change when 2025 gets here though. For other personal reasons I think 2024 has been my worst year ever.
Sounds like the coaches need to up their game. Man defensive principles need to get better. Help D anyone?
Gotta play Lathan more
This is a bad team with a really bad, bad loss against Princeton!
The whole supporting cast around Dylan and Ace are just bad, and not good enough!
If this keeps up and they have their share of losses in conference play they WONT make the NCAAs!
and as of now, I'm not seeing this team making the NCAAs. they lucky they will get to even "Bubble" consideration.
Jeremiah Williams is second to Dylan Harper in value, as I see it.
Though too may fouls hobble his minutes.
Where are the 3 point snipers, Hayes and Martini ?
One or two shots a game from either is just lame.
It just seems Iike the players don’t listen to Pikiell. All I’m seeing is guys doing whatever they want out there and playing their own style instead of what Pikiell is trying to enforce on them. Dylan is truly the only one scoring and they can’t get enough stops to win these games. It’s burial and tough to watch because we know how much potential they have to be a great team and they just arent good enough right now. Hopefully things change soon enough. Go RU
Pikiell has been badly outcoached against Seton Hall and Princeton. Paying this guy a fortune and the two players too. I expected more for the money.
@@burtwest2750 We had to win that Seton Hall game and did, right? We should've also beaten Princeton and Kennesaw State too even though Princeton is a better team than anyone may think. Like Aaron said we still need to see what happens in Big Ten play. Before that, there's still final non-conference game against one-loss Columbia even though they have to come to Piscataway and their own schedule has not tested them enough.
@@michaeldavisnj88 Seton Hall's roster is terrible. RU needed a desperation shot to win. Shaheen is a great coach.
good players...bad team
First off, calls for Pikiell's head are plain stupid.
There is excitement about RU basketball totally due to Pikiell.
end of story, about that.
Coaching is not the issue, it comes down to the players producing, IMO.
Ace Bailey surely has the ability to go to the rim, but all I see is his patented step-back jumper.
Yeah, the commentators keep repeating their take about what an NBA shot that is.
But when he's hitting 25%, or less, on his step back jumpers, it's time use his height and take it to the rim.
At 6'10" we should be seeing way more dunks from this guy.
I will also add, Jeremiah Williams needs to take more shots.
He hits more than he misses.
The perimeter 3 point shooters, Martini and Hayes need to take more shots.
Martini seems most prone to errant passes/TOs.
Put it up Zach, rather than pass it, is my advice.
Not sure how to fix RU's rebound problems.
One idea I will throw out, in desperation.
Put Sommerville and Ogbole on the floor at the same time.
I made posts in the past about how I thought Cliff and M.Johnson on the floor simultaneously would be rewarding.
Never happened, so that is history denied.
Sommerville has guard-like moves and Ogbole is proving to be maybe the most stable producer on the team.
In the Princeton game, his backwards flip to bank in a shot was brilliant, except that it was too strong.
But of all the RU players to come to the line for a free-throw, I'm thinking Emmanuel Ogbole is more reliable than most of the team.
Anyway, as mentioned, the team is loaded with talent.
Which players will produce during BigTen play will determine their NCAA tournament access.
Pikiell can merely put them on the floor, and then it's up to them to produce.
@@williamtilden8211 If all of us are going to be blaming Schiano for the loss in football against Illinois, with all the praise Pikiell has been getting he does deserve criticism this year. The defense was never going to be the best but it's not just against Princeton that we've had lapses there. Too early to fire him right now or even put him on hot seat. But it's not like he's very far from there either.
It does depend on remaining Big Ten schedule but yes, as I aforementioned it's also whether or not we return to the NCAA Tournament. Final Four means expecting WAY TOO MUCH, but I actually would deem missing the Big Dance this year a failed season for Rutgers men's basketball.
@@michaeldavisnj88
I will agree that missing the big dance will be a ridiculous miss, should it happen.
Schiano's loss to Illinois was his alone, for his ill-advised time out.
That was a coaching error.
Pikiell's losses are due to his player's failures, not his coaching.
Funny how you say this game didn’t come down to Princeton last shot. But with Greg in the Illinois game you said paraphrasing “it came down to that last play and Greg fumbled” and called them fanboys 😂 what that make you with pike?
I’m rooting for Pike. We need to step up on defense. We need to put Ace in the middle of the floor like we did Harper Jr in years past
Princeton is not a good team. How could you say that? Look at there four losses? Who did they beat this year that was a top 25 team? Pike needs to be fired. He assembled this team. Ace and Dylan are amazing! No excuses.