Rutgers Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Scarlet Knights

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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) /

Non-conference schedule

Nov. 7 – Bryant (Garden State Showcase)
Nov. 10 – Niagara
Nov. 13 – Drexel (Garden State Showcase)
Nov. 16 – vs. St. Bonaventure (James Naismith Classic in Toronto, ON)
Nov. 20 – Stephen F. Austin (Garden State Showcase)
Nov. 26 – NJIT
Nov. 29 – UMass
Dec. 3 – at Pittsburgh (ACC-Big Ten Challenge)
Dec. 14 – Seton Hall (Garden State Hardwood Classic)
Dec. 22 – Lafayette
Dec. 30 – Caldwell

Notice anything missing from Rutgers’ non-conference schedule? That’s right, the Scarlet Knights only have to play a single true road game outside of conference play. In fact, they only have to leave Piscataway twice, once for a trip to Pittsburgh for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and once to participate in the James Naismith Classic north of the border against St. Bonaventure.

The non-conference schedule is also almost entirely bereft of major-conference foes. That includes none in the month of November. The first one is Pittsburgh, an ACC school on the rise, but certainly not one of the conference’s upper echelon programs right now. Seton Hall is the other one; Rutgers beat the Pirates two years ago and played them close last year, though Seton Hall is expected to be a juggernaut this year.

Beyond that, the non-conference schedule is weak. A couple of Big Ten games thrown into the mix in December will give the illusion of difficulty, but don’t be fooled. They finish against Caldwell, a Division II school.

Even an undefeated run through non-conference play probably wouldn’t be enough to book a trip to the NCAA Tournament without a strong Big Ten record.

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