Stop me if you’ve heard this story before—the Rutgers basketball team plays tough against a better Big East opponent but falls short at the end. Groundhog Day, if you will. It happened again Sunday afternoon at the RAC when the Scarlet Knights lost to West Virginia 65-54 in a game heard on Good Time Oldies, 1450 WCTC and WCTCAM.com. Guard Mike Coburn led the way with 20 points on his Seniors’ Day at the RAC but it wasn’t enough as the Knights fall to 4-12 in league and 13-15 overall with just two regular season games remaining. And, so it goes for first-year head coach Mike Rice. Tough defense, a competitive mindset but just not enough talent to make the big plays.
Another tough, gutsy effort by the Rutgers basketball team but another example of ”not enough talent” in the rugged Big East. Once again, Mike Rice showed how far the program has come in his first season with the Scarlet Knights in a valiant effort at number-17 Syracuse in an 84-80 loss at the Carrier Dome Saturday afternoon as heard on Good Time Oldies, 1450 WCTC and WCTCAM.com. But it’s another game that shows that R-U still doesn’t have enough talent to win consistently in the toughest league in the nation. The Knights just couldn’t make enough plays in the closing minutes of regular and in the o-t to pull off its first ever win at the Dome. So, Rutgers falls to 4-10 in league and 13-13 overall.
13
Feb
11
Too many turnovers
The Rutgers men’s basketball team isn’t nearly good enough offensively to commit 18 turnovers and win a Big East game. And so it went Saturday night as the Scarlet Knights did just that and lost at home to arch-rival Seton Hall 69-64 in a game heard on Good Time Oldies, 1450 WCTC and WCTCAM.com, failing to complete a home-and-home season series sweep of their intra-state arch-rivals. Senior forward Jonathan Mitchell had another outstanding game, shooting 10-of-15 en route to a team-high 24 points but it wasn’t enough as the Knights fall to 4- 9 in league and 13-12 overall.
10
Feb
11
A signature win for Mike Rice
First-year Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice now has what every fledgling program needs—a signature win. He got it Wednesday night at the RAC when the Scarlet Knights came from ten points down in the final three minutes to upset number-nine Villanova 77-76 in a Big East game heard on Good Time Oldies, 1450 WCTC and WCTCAM.com. AND he got it on what will be a memorable play seen over and over and over again—senior forward Jonathan Mitchell’s four-point play with eight-tenths-of-a-second left. Mitchell hit a three-point field goal to tie it and got fouled on the play. After a ‘Nova timeout, Mitchell calmly went to the line and hit a free throw to give the Knights the win. Mitchell finished with a team-leading 25 points. Rutgers improves to 4-8 in league and 13-11 overall…and after a series of close defeats, Rice and Company now have want they desparately needed for verification of a building program—an upset win over a Top-Ten team in the toughest league in the nation.
I firmly believe there is no such thing as a moral victory. Athletes and teams compete to win, not come in second. But there are certainly losing efforts that can be applauded and I think Saturday night’s 65-62 hard-fought home defeat to number-two Pittsburgh is one of those instances for the Rutgers basketball team. First-year head coach Mike Rice had his Scarlet Knghts battling the Panthers to the very end until Dane Miller’s three-point field goal attempt richoted off the backboard. In the end, free-throw shooting proved to be the difference. Pitt shot 28 for 35; R-U 13 for 18. The Knights made six more field goals which makes the loss tough to take. But it was another step forward for Rice who attempts to rebuild the Rutgers basketball program.
New Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice has drawn first blood in the arch-rivalry with Seton Hall and the Pirates’ first-year head coach Kevin Willard. Rice and the Scarlet Knights came up with a solid 66-60 win at the Rock Saturday afternoon in a game heard on Good Time Oldies, 1450 WCTC and WCTCAM.com, despite shooting an abysmal 48 percent at the free throw line, 13-of-27. But R-U had balanced scoring including two double-doubles and a near third. Sophomore wing Dane Miller led the way with 17 points and ten rebounds. Freshman center Gil Biruta had 12 points and eleven rebounds and senior forward Jonathan Mitchell chipped in with 14 points and nine rebounds. So, the Knights improve to 3-4 in league and 12-7 overall while the Hall falls to 2-6 in conference and 8-12 overall.
“Groundhog Day” continues for the veteran nucleus of the Rutgers men’s basketball team. Another loss to a ranked Big East team. This time this afternoon at the RAC…a 74-65 home defeat to number-22 Georgetown. Yes, the Scarlet Knights upset the Hoyas at home last season but even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in awhile. This season, R-U has played three ranked league teams and has lost every one of them…and, unfortunately, more of the same is expected for the rest of the season. Again, first-year head coach Mike Rice has to hang in there until his own recruits come in next season. Meanwhile, Vivian Stringer’s Rutgers women’s team continues to maintain a sneaky undefeated record in the Big East. The Scarlet Knights improved to 4-0 in conference this afternoon with a 55-44 win at Cincinnati.
In the end, it’s not unexpected…although the hiring of pro-style offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. was thought by many to be a reason to stay. But disgruntled Rutgers sophomore quarterback Tom Savage is transferring. R-U head coach Greg Schiano made the announcement this afternoon, ending Savage’s up-and-down two seasons on the Banks of the Old Raritan. Savage had an outstanding true freshman season but injury and ineffectiveness derailed his sophomore campaign, leading to true freshman Chas Dodd’s ascension to the starting job. Now, there will be no more quarterback controversy. The job is all Dodd’s now…along with all the pressure heading into a key season at RU in 2011 following this year’s disappointing end to a five-year bowl game run.
New Rutgers men’s basketball coach Mike Rice has notched his first Big East victory on the Banks of the Old Raritan. Rice and Company now 1-2 in league and 10-5 overall after breaking a three-game losing streak with an 85-72 home win over Providence heard on Good Time Oldies, 1450 WCTC and WCTCAM.com. Congratulations to Coach Rice!
Same old, same old. Yes, give credit to new Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice for resurrecting organization and defense to the Scarlet Knight program. But the Fairleigh Dickinsons, the Monmouths, the St. Peter’s, the NJIT’s are in the past and the Big East is here…meaning that the talent level…or lack thereof for R-U is back in play big-time now as the Knights step back into play in arguably the nation’s number-one conference. Yes, Rutgers had a 37-33 half-time lead today at number-eight Villanova in the Big East opener but the Wildcats put together an 11-0 run early in the second half and never looked back. So, today is the same old story for the Scarlet Knights—not enough firepower in a ultra-talented league. And, until Rice can get his vaunted recruiting class in here for next season, THIS season will be another long struggle.
