Head coach Steve Pikiell and the Rutgers men’s basketball team had an adventurous last couple of days.
The Scarlet Knights flew out to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament, only to see its game with Michigan, and the rest of the tournament, cancelled just moments before tip-off was scheduled on Wednesday at noon due to precautions for the COVID-19 that is going around.
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With the way things were headed with the NB’s season being suspended for example, it was only a matter time that Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament were going to be no more in 2020, and that’s exactly what happened hours later.
For Rutgers, which went 20-11 overall including 11-9 within the conference and 18-1, its historic campaign was finished.
Pikiell walked TKR what went down and how the team felt after the season was cut short.
“Obviously, you know, there was about 14 minutes before tip-off when we found that the (Big Ten Tournament) was being cancelled. The guys were crushed,” Pikiell told TKR on Friday. “I thought we were playing really well (heading in after wins over Maryland and Purdue). We had a great week of practice, too. We were locked in. At that time, we didn’t know about the NCAA Tournament. I was thinking well this tournament is done, but we have another one. We’d be ready for that. I kind of heard that the NCAA was going to take a deep breath.
“Back at the hotel, the guys -- the seniors -- were disappointed. By the time we landed, (the NCAA Tournament being cancelled) was all over social media. I didn’t break any news to the guys. Like anything nowadays, they find out everything first. We didn’t have everyone on the plane. Some went home with their families. There were like six of them on the plane coming back.”
Collectively, as Pikiell mentioned, everyone was at a loss of words as “March Sadness” was upon them. The 29-year drought of not making the “big dance” will extend to 30, but with an asterisk as the Scarlet Knights were expected to hear their name called on Sunday in the bracket.
“We were disappointed that the season was over,” Pikiell said. “At one moment we were warming up getting ready to play a game. It was a tough, crazy day. I don’t know how I could put it into words.”
The NCAA has since announced that spring sports for 2020 has been cancelled as well. The student-athletes in baseball, lacrosse, softball, track, and others will be getting a year of eligibility back. However, that might not be the same for the winter sports as most teams’ seasons are over anyway.
Joey Downes, Shaq Carter, and Akwasi Yeboah have likely played their final college game.
“I tell our seniors this all the time, don’t be in a hurry to leave college. I tell that to the freshmen. If they give them another year and some guys take advantage of it, that would be awesome,” Pikiell said. “Other guys won’t. I don’t know who is making that decision or if it’s viable. I would tell all of our guys to stay in college as long as you can.”
Rutgers held its senior day to honor the three aforementioned players as well as its managers, band members, cheerleaders, etc., but Pikiell talked about the Yeboah, Downes, and Carter once more.
“I’m thankful for all of those guys,” he said. “Starting with Akwasi, he was here for one year and he had as good of a senior season as you can have. He brought maturity to our program and stability. He was a great student and will play basketball for a long time. I think 11 agents contacted me today about him alone. I love him. He was a captain and a starter and had an unbelievable year. He’s a tremendous person to go along with his 3.7 GPA in grad school. He checked every box. He was a great teammate.
“Shaq was a captain and starter at the end. I love him, too. I wish he had two more years with us. He’s going to graduate in the spring. Agents have reached out to me about him, too. Just proud of him and how he helped uplight this team.
“Joey was here for four years. I could always count on him. He was a great teammate and one of the best students to play basketball here. He did so much for the university and in the community so he took that to another level. He did community service. He was awesome.”
Pikiell is one to enjoy the journey and the grind. He even watches all the tapes. But he didn’t and doesn’t have the perfect strategy for the last few days and for what’s to come in the near future.
“I have a gameplan for everything, but I have no gameplan for any of this stuff,” Pikiell said. “There’s a new set of rules now for recruiting. The kids aren’t on campus and taking online classes. I don’t know where the Coronavirus is going. So, I don’t have any answers other than we’ll be in the office working for these guys like we always do. Our seniors will be meeting with agents. We have a great class coming in that I’m excited about. There’s a lot of things we have to figure out.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisWasky.
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