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Rutgers Basketball: Outlook for the future of the Scarlet Knights

By Bryan Mauro

PISCATAWAY, NJ - JANUARY 09: Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights reacts after scoring the game winning three-point basket defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 64-61 in a game at Rutgers Athletic Center on January 9, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - JANUARY 09: Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights reacts after scoring the game winning three-point basket defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 64-61 in a game at Rutgers Athletic Center on January 9, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 09: Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights celebrates with Jacob Young #42 after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 64-61 in a game at Rutgers Athletic Center on January 9, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. baker scored the game winning three point basket. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 09: Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights celebrates with Jacob Young #42 after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 64-61 in a game at Rutgers Athletic Center on January 9, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. baker scored the game winning three point basket. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Recruiting

When gauging a program and whether they are going to have staying power, many will go straight to the recruiting. Coach Pikiell has been selling the Rutgers product and many of his targets are buying. Pikiell has been able to infuse the program with local talent that was lacking under the old coaching staffs. Baker, Mathis, Harper Jr. and Quinnipiac transfer Peter Kiss are all from the New England Area, and are playing for the home town school.

For the 2019 season Pikiell was able to secure another New Jersey high school player commitment. That player Paul Mulcahy is a national top 150 ranked player by some outlets, and with a program who has struggled for so long on many facets, these are all huge gets. The first player who led the New England resurgence was point guard Geo Baker.

Rutgers is in the middle of a recruiting hotbed in the New England area. They are never going to be able to compete with the players who are going to go to Syracuse or some other top schools, but the Scarlet Knights are no longer letting the players in their area who they have a chance at get away. The fact they are now winning some basketball games and putting themselves on the national map does not hurt either.

dark. Next. Buy or Sell Big Ten bubble teams

All of this may not lead to the NCAA tournament this season or even next season, but after everything that Rutgers has been through in the last 29 years even an NIT appearance would be a gigantic step in the right direction.

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