Since the absence of Geo Baker, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have relied on Caleb McConnell and Paul Mulcahy to step up. In a recent matchup against Clemson, those two combined for 21 points on 50% shooting, and 9 assists, to go along with only three turnovers. This led to a comfortable victory and led me to try and figure out what the difference was.
The first glaring thing is that with Baker out of the lineup, the offense has begun to explode. In the two games without Baker, the team is averaging 78.5 points per game with Mulcahy and McConnell combining to average 19 points, 12 assists, and only 2.5 turnovers. Prior to those games, against inferior competition, the team was averaging a meager 63.4 points and looked lackluster on the offensive side of the floor. Mulcahy and McConnell were shooting an abysmal 27.8% from the field with McConnell only having three assists for the entire season.
Now, before we put any blame on Baker, it has to be said that prior to the injury, his offensive numbers did not look much different than they have in prior seasons. In fact, his assists were nearly at a career high, and his three-point percentage was the highest it’s been since his freshman year. So, why has the team’s offense taken a big leap forward, in the last two games, without him?
The answer has to be opportunity. By opportunity, I mean the chance for other players to have the ball more and contribute in ways they wouldn’t normally be able to, with Baker on the floor. Coincidentally, McConnell has had the best two games of his season since Baker has been out and Mulcahy has looked like a completely different player on both ends of the floor.
Is the team better with Baker out? I don’t think so, but this small sample size has shown that Mulcahy and McConnell have begun to play much better with Baker out.
Going forward, Coach Pikiell needs to find a way to get Mulcahy and McConnell to play at this level, with Baker back on the floor. If Baker can come back and provide his play making ability to compliment his teammates, what we saw against Clemson can become a regular offensive occurrence. This team needs every bit of talent it can get, and Baker is a useful talent that this team will need for the rest of the season.
Also, the level of play of Mulcahy and McConnell can’t be solely based on Baker’s presence. They need to find a way to mesh with Baker and get this team back on track, especially with the schedule about to get even more difficult. Coach Pikiell has his work cut out for him, but he needs all of his star players to begin to play well together.
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