Rutgers Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Scarlet Knights
After a historic season was cut short, expectations for Rutgers Basketball will be as high as ever entering the 2020-21 season.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights had a magical year in 2019-20. For some teams, going 20-11 overall and 11-9 in conference play would be nothing special, but for Rutgers Basketball, it was historic.
In fact, the team entered the national rankings in January for the first time since 1979 – 41 years since AP poll appearances. They were poised to make some more noise in March, destined for their first NCAA Tournament trip in almost three decades.
The coronavirus pandemic cut short the greatest year in the history of Rutgers basketball since 1991. It failed to cut short the long-term hopes and dreams the program has of competing at a national level.
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Entering 2020-21, the expectations in Piscataway for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are through the roof (though perhaps they’re still flying under the radar elsewhere). The Scarlet Knights are losing a couple of key contributors in Akwasi Yeboah and Shaq Carter. Additionally, shooting guard Caleb McConnell is taking a redshirt year to nurse a back injury.
But the Scarlet Knights will still return the vast core of last year’s potent lineup. They will be led by Geo Baker, who was a Third Team All-Big Ten performer last season. Ron Harper Jr. will also take another leap after being named an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten teams as a sophomore.
Steve Pikiell will be entering his fifth season in charge of the program. He led Stony Brook to the postseason for the first time during his fifth year with the Seawolves, so he’ll be looking to repeat history in 2020-21.
There’s still so much unknown about the coming season, particularly with COVID-19 lingering close by. It should still be an exciting (and potentially historic) year for the Scarlet Knights.