Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: 10 key questions for the league entering 2021-22 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

Mar 14, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate with the Big Ten Conference Tournament trophy after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate with the Big Ten Conference Tournament trophy after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big Ten Basketball Rutgers Scarlet Knight forward Ron Harper Jr. Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports
Big Ten Basketball Rutgers Scarlet Knight forward Ron Harper Jr. Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports /

Will Rutgers connect from any line?

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights made history during the 2020-21 season. Not only did they participate in the tournament for the first time since Keith Hughes led them as a senior to end the 1990-91 season, but the Scarlet Knights also won a game in the tournament for the first time since the 1982-83 season when Clarence Tillman scored 11 points versus Lousiana in a seven-point first-round victory.

In the ’83 victory, the Scarlet Knights went 14-20 from the free-throw line, a success rate they showed flashes of last tournament as they went 15-21 over their two tournament games.

The 71 percent free-throw shooting they maintained over two games, was a vast improvement when compared to the under 64 percent they shot from the line over a 28 game schedule. A percentage that left them better than just 16 other teams in the entire nation. To add to their woes, Rutgers’ three-point percentage of 31 percent had them ranked slightly higher at No.291 in the nation.

The Scarlet Knights received unwanted news when it became official that second-leading scorer and 72 percent foul-shooter Jacob Young planned to transfer to Oregon, even though his three-point percentage was just 37 percent. The good news for Coach Steve Pikiell and the 8,000 fans that hope to pack the Rutgers Athletic Center is leading scorer Ron Harper Jr and third-leading scorer Geo Baker did not choose to take their chances in the pro ranks and will bring back their 73 percent and 75 percent free-throw shooting.

The two scorers however almost equally divided their three-point attempts to combine for an average that was slightly over 10 three-pointers per game.  In the same fashion the shots were distributed evenly, so were the percentages as Ron Harper Jr. had the slightest of advantages at 31 percent.

The obvious correction would be for the two stars to take fewer three-pointers and get to the basket and draw contact. If the Scarlet Knights are to make history yet again by participating in back to back NCAA Tournaments since achieving that feat during the 1975-76 season, Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr have to shoot from the free-throw more and their teammates less, while leaving the three-point shooting to their teammates.

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