12/7/2020 basketball Edit

No. 21 Rutgers Basketball is back at it on Tuesday against Syracuse

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

The No. 21 Rutgers men's basketball team returns to the hardwood for game action on Tuesday night against Syracuse at the RAC in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Rutgers (3-0) hasn't played since having three contests in five games to start the season. It beat Sacred Heart, Farleigh Dickinson, and Hofstra, each by double digits. But the next foe will be a more formidable one as the Orange (3-0) is rated at No. 40 per KenPom and they've beaten Rutgers 13 straight times going back to the Big East Conference days.

"We're 0-13 against them in the last 13 games," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "Great program, Hall of Fame coach, really terrific shooting the basketball. We know a lot about (Illinois transfer Alan) Griffin. He's a really really good player and he is started off the season playing great. (Joseph) Girard III is really good too. They have a lot of good players Hall of Fame coach. Their defense is nationally renowned -- 2-3 free zone. Obviously is huge test for us and it is a program that I have a ton of respect for back from my UConn days. I know a lot about Syracuse and respect that program a great deal. So, a lot of different things will be tested tomorrow, our resolve on the back boards, our ability to defend the 3-point land, our patients on offense, a lot of different things will be tested. I thought we had a good week of practice and we got some rest too that we needed and I'm hoping that we can play some good basketball tomorrow night."

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Pikiell and the Scarlet Knights tried to schedule a game or two prior to tomorrow's game, but nothing came to fruition.

"I mean every day we're talking to people," Pikiell said. "We were close I thought last week to play a Top 10 team and then the dates just didn't work out and our testing protocol is tough. But, we got the fourth toughest schedule in the country right now and, we'll continue to field questions and you know people are on pause and call up and see if they'e willing to schedule games and stuff. We'll probably schedule a couple more games in the non-conference at some point in time, but as of today, I don't have any updates for you on that."

Pikiell also said when asked by TKR that he's not concerned with the long layoff. In fact, the freshmen, Cliff Omoruyi, Mawot Mag, Oskar Palmquist, and Dean Reiber, could benefit having a little break after a fast and furious beginning.

"No, I'm not. We actually breaks like this during the season," Pikeill told TKR. "I mean we needed one after those three games. That was it was a very difficult stretch. We had 10 straight practices. I like the fact that we were able to implement some new stuff and get better and try some different lineups, so I'm excited about that. I think we're gonna have breaks this year at different times. Hopefully we keep staying COVID free. We're one of the rare teams in the country that haven't been paused at all. Knock on wood with that. I told our guys, the great part is we could get better and hopefully we've used this time to get better.

"(The freshmen) were exhausted. I had them all in. College basketball is very different -- the demands. The silver lining for the freshmen was they probably got more minutes than they normally would because of injuries. They learned a lot. They learned game speed, game physicalness, and game pressure."

The extra rest time also has benefitted senior point guard Geo Baker, who was injured in the season opener. He has yet practice (he's only done some shooting), but he is out of the walking boot protecting his ankle. However, Pikiell doesn't expect him to play against Syracuse.

"I don't think he's going to practice today, and if you don't practice it's hard to play guys in games. I'm just glad yesterday first time he was in the gym shooting around a little bit. So that's good," Pikiell said. "He didn't run. He was just shooting. But until he practices full and all that, you can't expect the guy to play."

On the flip side, junior forward Ron Harper Jr. (21.0 points per game and 7.7 rpg) as well as the likes of Jacob Young and Montez Mathis among others have thrived from the jump. Harper Jr. recently was named to the Wooden Award Watchlist.

"He's been spectacular defensively, " Pikiell said of Young's ability to defend. "So he's really done an unbelievable job especially with Geo being out and guarding the other team's leading scorer and usually theri best player in the backcourt. Real proud of me. As you can see he's getting steals but he's in the right positions and he's doing a great job. I'm so excited about how far he's come in a lot of ways. He's become a really good basketball player and his defense really catapults him.

"Any time our guys get mentioned for those kind of awards, it's just unbelievable, and it's a credit to the work they put in. It says how far our program has come, but more importantly how hard they've worked. To get national recognition, you can see how far our programs come. We're ranked. Real pleased for him, our guy should be up for a lot of awards. They really should be and hopefully they'll perform like that all year long and have a chance to get some of those. Ron's come a long way in a lot of areas defensively and offensively and leadership wise."