Rutgers Men's Basketball ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll
For the first time since the 1978-79 season, the Rutgers men’s basketball team is ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll.
Coming off of a 20-11 season (11-9 in Big Ten play), the Scarlet Knights are the No. 24 team in the country according to the ranking.
SIGN UP FOR PREMIUM NOW AND GET 30 DAYS FREE — CLICK HERE FOR MORE!!
It is the third time they’ve been slotted in the AP Top 25 in the preseason and fourth time overall in national polls. Rutgers was previously ranked in the preseason in 1975-76 (17th in the Coaches Poll), 1976-77 (17th in the AP Poll and 18th in the Coaches Poll) and in 1978-79 (15th in the AP Poll and 18th in the Coaches Poll).
Last season, Rutgers was receiving votes in the final AP and Coaches rankings and the team spent a total of eight weeks either ranked or getting votes. In the Jan. 20 poll when Rutgers was ranked No. 24, that marked the first time the Scarlet Knights were ranked in 41 years since the final AP Poll in 1978-79. They were also No. 25 the following week.
Rutgers recorded its first winning season in 14 years in 2019-20 and won the most regular season home games in the country with 18, which set a new program high. Rutgers was tied for fifth in the Big Ten after being picked 12th at the beginning of the season.
The Scarlet Knights secured a bye in the first round of the conference tournament, the first time that happened in 25 years and they were on the verge of making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991 if it wasn’t for COVID-19.
Rutgers is currently No. 27 in the KenPom rankings as well and returned the bulk of its roster in addition to a strong recruiting class, featuring Clifford Omoruyi, the highest ranked recruit in Rivals' ranking history at No. 42 overall.
Senior point guard Geo Baker (preseason All-Big Ten, Bob Cousy Award Watch List) and junior guard Ron Harper Jr. (Julius Erving Award Watch List) have earned preseason award recognition so far as well.
The Big Ten has yet to release a schedule for the 2020-21 season, but here’s what is on the slate as of right now:
Nov. 25 - HOME - Sacred Heart
Nov. 27 - HOME - Fairleigh-Dickinson
Nov. 28 - HOME - Rider
Dec. 8 - HOME - Syracuse
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel