Rutgers Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Scarlet Knights

MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 23: Head coach Steve Pikiell of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights meets with Geo Baker #0 in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center on February 23, 2020 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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Rutgers Basketball Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images /

Season Outlook

Nobody who roots for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will ever forget the 2019-20 season, even if they have little to show for it. But the name of the game is succeeding when expectations are their highest.

If last season was the year Rutgers came on to the scene, this is the year they establish themselves there long-term. Geo Baker isn’t just trying to lead Rutgers to the promised land – he’s trying to lead them to long-term respect.

Odds are, he gets them there. This team is largely a year older and more experienced without dealing with the typical huge pile of losses top programs are forced to contend with. Once Cliff Omoruyi gets comfortable in the college game, the 2020-21 version of Rutgers should be better than the team from a year ago.

Of course, if there’s anything last season taught us, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. Rutgers was just days away from their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 29 years. While an NCAA Tournament is expected to happen this spring, anything can happen and take that reality away once more.

Next. Preseason Big Ten power rankings for 2020-21. dark

Still, success is in reach. It will be a good year for Rutgers, not only if they make the Big Dance, but if they finish in the top six in the Big Ten and earn a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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