Rutgers has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 1991, but the Scarlet Knights are fielding one of their best teams since.
When Steve Pikiell switched from Stony Brook to Rutgers, expectations among fans were that it would take a while to return the Scarlet Knights to a place of prominence.
The five previous head coaches failed to collect a single NCAA Tournament during their tenures, which stretched from the Big East to the American Athletic Conference all the way to the Big Ten.
Pikiell could be on the verge of changing that, though.
With just two nonconference games remaining on the schedule, the Scarlet Knights are 10-3. Prior to Sunday, all three games against major power foes saw Rutgers defeat.
Then, Seton Hall came to town on Saturday.
Upset complete, and the largest @RutgersMBB crowd at The RAC since 2002 goes home happy. 🙌
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 16, 2017
And some took the floor to celebrate: pic.twitter.com/adC5j2Exjv
The 71-65 win over the No. 15 Seton Hall Pirates was easily the biggest win in Steve Pikiell’s brief tenure. In fact, it was the biggest win since a January 11, 2015, win over Wisconsin in just their second Big Ten game.
“The environment was awesome,” Pikiell told the school’s official athletics website. “I’m really proud of our guys. We weren’t making shots, weren’t making free throws, but we just hung in there. That’s what we’ve done and we figured out a way to win.”
Corey Sanders scored 22 points in the win, while Deshawn Freeman came down with a double-double. Freshman Geo Baker also burst on to the scene, dropping 17 points of his own.
Even if Rutgers finishes nonconference play with the optimal 12 victories, they will still have to probably win at least six or seven Big Ten games to make the NCAA Tournament.
Last year, the Scarlet Knights went 11-2 before Big Ten play began. They proceeded to win just three conference games, officially finishing with a record of 15-18 after the Big Ten Tournament. There was no postseason play in Piscataway.
Rutgers is one of the best rebounding teams in the entire country and has some bonafide Big Ten players. But they’re also weak in comparison to the rest of the conference, suggesting the conference slate will be a struggle.
Don't underrate what Rutgers did today. This was the worst Power Five job in the country when Steve Pikiell took over.
— Josh Newman (@Joshua_Newman) December 16, 2017
If Steve Pikiell can guide Rutgers to the NCAA Tournament in his second season, there will be a plethora of happy New Jersey basketball fans.
The road is still long, though.