NCAA Basketball: Top 12 candidates for 2022-23 Coach of the Year
By Joey Loose
Steve Pikiell (Rutgers)
Before this season, we were already in awe of what was happening at Rutgers. Pikiell arrived in Piscataway back in 2016 and has already accomplished what few coaches thought possible, leading the Scarlet Knights to a pair of NCAA Tournaments. However, this offseason saw Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. end their collegiate careers; and those two were a major part of this new success at Rutgers.
Suffice to say, the success has not concluded at Rutgers. Despite being picked to finish 8th in the preseason polls, Rutgers sits comfortably in 2nd place in the Big Ten with an overall record of 16-7. They’ve been one of the few teams to figure out top-ranked Purdue, upsetting them on the road back in early January. The Scarlet Knights have been far from perfect, but have also beaten Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, and a number of other conference foes.
They were all here last season, but we’ve seen players like Paul Mulcahy, Clifford Omoruyi, and Cam Spencer playing increased and more important roles this season. These are now the highlight players for the Scarlet Knights, and the result is a program that still somehow is one of the best in the Big Ten. Pikiell’s work at a dormant power conference program has already been legendary, and leading this team to a third straight NCAA Tournament nearly makes him worthy of sainthood.