3/14/2022 football Edit

Pikiell excited, confident in Rutgers heading into First Four vs Notre Dame

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

The Rutgers men's basketball team had to sweat out the last two days since its loss to Iowa, the eventual champions, in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

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But the sweating ended fairly quickly as it didn't take long for 11-RUTGERS/NOTRE DAME to pop on CBS' Selection Sunday show for the NCAA Tournament. The Scarlet Knights were a part of the first region that the bracket was being revealed for. Rutgers will face Notre Dame on Wednesday in Dayton, OH as part of the First Four. Tip is set for 9:10 p.m. on truTV.

"You just want to hear your name, but I guess you can say that. Nice to hear it early," head coach Steve Pikiell told TKR. "But you just want to be part of the greatest tournament in the world. Been there as a player and been there as a coach. Nothing better. Excited about this opportunity and thankful to the committee for really taking a look and rewarding a team that deserves a chance."

There were questions regarding Rutgers' resume. It had six wins against Quad 1 opponents, but also a Quad 4 loss at home and two Quad 3 defeats. It also defeated four ranked teams in a row during an unforgettable stretch in February, but lost to lower half teams in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights also knocked-off then-No. 1 Purdue and won at Indiana in the final week of the regular season.

"Just felt like we did enough in everything. So just excited for our guys to get off their feet for a little bit. Obviously a tough game vs. Iowa, but you guys obviously see Iowa's a pretty good basketball team. Excited for them," Pikiell said. "They work really hard and they've been here since June. We fought through COVID again this year. These last couple years have been tough years and this group has been great. They're great and practice, they get along, and I'm telling you, this group deserve to keep playing and I'm glad we're having that opportunity."

Pikiell, before the bracket show began, addressed the players and everyone in attendance at the watch party held inside the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Center in Piscataway. He feels this team can do some "interesting things" in the tournament despite playing in a First Four contest.

Pikiell is confident in his squad.

"I'm excited. We're gonna watch some tape and Notre Dame. That's the first thing I'm going to do. But this group has been good. I'm confident," said Pikiell, who just signed a contract extension on Friday. "I've been confident all year long about my team. We got good players and when we play Rutgers basketball, we have an opportunity to as we proven we've beat No. 1, we've beat No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, No. 14. We went to Wisconsin and went on the road plus senior night at Indiana. This team's done some good things. So I'm very confident."

Rutgers made the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. It is the first time the program has done so since 1975 and 1976. The Scarlet Knights went to the Final Four in '76. They likely would have it in 2019-20 if it wasn't for COVID shutting the world down just days prior the tournament was set to begin.

After a shaky start to say the least to start the season, Rutgers found a way to bounce back not just once, but several times throughout the roller coaster campaign.

"It's really our third year. We don't get any credit for winning 20 games before COVID cut it short (in 2019-20). This league got nine in today," Pikiell said. "It's challenging but it says a lot about those guys. They fought through a lot of injuries with backs against the wall. We had to win games. I mean, they won three straight senior nights on the road. They've done a lot of unbelievable things. I'm really happy for them, proud for them and for all the people to at Rutgers that work hard that are behind the scenes that are important as anyone. Excited that they get an opportunity to enjoy March Madness."

Rutgers and Notre Dame, two old Big East foes, will meet for the 34th time on Wednesday night. Rutgers, which has won 13 times, last won in 2012. The two teams haven't played since 2013. Mike Brey has been the head coach of the Fighting Irish since 2000. Brey played one year at George Washington in 1981-82, and Pikiell was an assistant at "GW" in the 2000s.

"Mike Brey's awesome," Pikiell said. "He's a GW guy and worked at GW for a long time and he's one of the great college coaches and has done a really good job at Notre Dame since he's been there. Players on their roster we've recruited so, do know a lot about him. First class guy who does it the right way."

The Scarlet Knights were squarely on the bubble heading into Selection Sunday. Bids were being stolen by conference tournament champions like Virginia Tech and Richmond. Bracketologists had Rutgers in or out of the field depending on who you talked to or where you looked. The Scarlet Knights had a NET of 77 and are now the lowest team in history to make the tournament.

Rutgers was the hottest thing going in February after beating all the ranked teams.

"Everyone talked about Rutgers for the whole month of February and March. Like understand my first year, no one talked about us ever during the season, after the season, and in the summertime. And now for the last three years everyone talks about Rutgers," Pikiell said. "It gives me an opportunity to explain what a great place this is and my players so it's been awesome. The more people that talk about Rutgers, I think it's great. Hadn't been in 30 years, haven't won in 38, COVID comes and we go through it again. So, I think it's great. People are talking about us and it's great for the university and I'm thankful that they're talking about us in the basketball world every February."

Making the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years can no doubt help in the recruiting process, too.

"Before Geo (Baker) and those guys I was just selling hopefully we can get to the tournament. Now I'd say we've done that," Pikiell said. "We show them the incredible practice facility and show them this place. There's a lot of things now that I can show recruits. Before I was just talking about it. Players get better here. All those things help. In recruiting you still want to get great kids that want to be here at Rutgers. I'm still big believer in that. But our success always helps those kinds of things."