Rutgers Basketball is finally off the snide of not making the NCAA Tournament, qualifying for their first one in three decades. Unfortunately, it ended much too soon with a Second Round loss at the hands of Houston.
Next year’s Scarlet Knights team will be very different from this year’s. Three of the most important players of this era are set to depart in guard Geo Baker, guard Jacob Young, and big man Myles Johnson, who is set to transfer.
Those guys can’t easily be replaced. Johnson was a force on the interior, while Baker was the heart of the team throughout his career. Young, meanwhile, was the scoring spark plug who made a major difference after transferring from Texas.
While Rutgers is losing a lot, they’re also retaining just as much. First and foremost is Ron Harper Jr., the best player on the Scarlet Knights and a legitimate Big Ten Player of the Year candidate for much of the 2020-21 season.
Harper came on like a supernova at the beginning of the year, knocking down threes at a rapid clip and distinguishing himself as a legitimate threat each time down the court. Over the season, defenses adjusted and Harper regressed slightly. There’s no reason he can’t be a Big Ten Player of the Year candidate in 2021-22, however, as long as he doesn’t go to the NBA Draft.
The other most important returning figure is the coach, Steve Pikiell. The tough-as-nails coach has put the program on the right track in a sustainable fashion. As long as he’s around, an NCAA Tournament berth should always be within reach.
A few other notable contributors should be returning. Montez Mathis averaged 8.2 points per game and didn’t take the next step forward, but maybe he will next year. Caleb McConnell, who was originally redshirting this year, came up big in a few moments against Clemson. And Paul Mulcahy will continue providing heart while contributing to each facet of the game.
An important aspect for next year’s team will be the development of Cliff Omoruyi. The freshman couldn’t live up to the hype, partially due to an injury, as he averaged 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game coming off the bench.
With Johnson out of the way, there will be plenty of minutes available for the taking. Rutgers’ success next season will depend on a big sophomore step forward for Omoruyi.
Rutgers has been quiet on the recruiting trail so far. Their only commit for next season is three-star point guard Jalen Miller.
One name to keep an eye on is point guard Jaylen Blakes. 247 Sports ranks the prospect just outside of their top 100. He has offers from the likes of UConn, Texas, and Illinois, but he is a New Jersey native, which gives the Scarlet Knights a shot.
This would’ve been the second straight year Rutgers made the NCAA Tournament, had one been played in 2020. This year’s team was built from the legacies of players like Shaq Carter and Akwasi Yeboah.
There’s no reason to think next year’s team won’t continue to rise, despite the absence of Baker and Johnson. A second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament is within reach.