Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season
By Tuck Clarry
12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Since 2019, Steve Pikiell’s Knights of Piscataway have been a solid member of the Big Ten. They’ve reached the tournament two of the last three years, just missing out last season. This is after Rutgers finished their first three seasons at the bottom of the conference.
The Knights lost a considerable amount from the backcourt and wing. Caleb McConnell graduated out of college basketball and Cam Spencer and Paul Mulcahy, Rutgers’ two best perimeter shooters, hit the transfer portal. And Pikiell found talent to bring in both in the portal and recruiting class, but by far the best additions this offseason was the commitment of Ace Bailey, set to come in 2024.
The floor will still be high for the defensive-minded Pikiell, as stalwart Clifford Omoruyi comes back fro his senior year to protect the rim. Omoruyi’s elite shot-blocking and rebounding will allow for variance in the backcourt, but only so much. Guardplay will decide if Rutgers will be able to bounce back after a frustrating finish to the season (they lost eight of their lost 10 games).
Transfer senior Noah Fernandes from UMass will be the de facto point guard, requiring a major leap to the Big Ten for a guy who was pretty good in an injury-laden season that offered just 11 games in the A10 (averaged 13.4 points per game, 4.1 assists on 50% shooting from the field, 45% from three).
Returning wing Muwot Mag is also coming off of a lost season to injury (ACL). Mag was a huge defensive piece for Pikiell and that should help maintain the team’s identity. Should these guys not be back to total form, it may be another season until Rutgers continues their development as a program.