Game Day Essentials: Game #32 vs Rutgers

Rutgers Info

Head Coach: Steve Pikiell
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Scarlet Knights

Last time out: Lost to Northwestern

Conference Record: 7-13
Typical Rotation Depth: 9
Line: Nebraska by 2

KenPom explains the roster

Rutgers doesn't have a player under 6'4"

• Eugene Omoruyi is Rutgers' goto player. He's been pretty inefficient in league play especially since his 3pt shot isn't dropping
• Doorson is efficient with the ball and a terrific rebounder but isn't an overly aggressive scorer and is turnover prone. Shotblocker but foul prone. A career 34.5% FT shooter!
• Juco transfer Shaq Carter doesn't have the size of Doorson but is just as efficient and more active offensively. This is the post player that Nebraska needs to worry about the most
• Ron Harper Jr is defensively challenges shots with his length and his offense has picked up during conference play.
• Mathis is a highly regarded Palmer type guard out of Maryland that Rutgers beat out a lot of teams to land. Currently a poor shooter from the outside, Mathis is a slasher who excels at drawing contact.
• Quinnipiac transfer 6'5" SG Peter Kiss was meant to add some scoring punch but has struggled with his shot and is shooting about 30% from outside
• 6'6" Fr Caleb McConnell is the backup PG with a nice shooting stroke. His minutes have picked up in conference play.
• 6'10" 255# Myles Johnson is a less effective Doorson though a better FT shooter.

Scouting Rutgers Thread

The Skinny:  Nebraska showed heart vs Iowa but we're talking about a Hawkeye team that plays pretty poor defense, Nebraska playing at home, and Amir Harris being available.  On the road Nebraska really hasn't played much defense and the problem here is what exactly is Nebraska playing for?  Are they playing for the NIT, which they could conceivably make by winning this game?  It seems doubtful because Nebraska hasn't even bothered to mail out ticket applications this year.  Do they think they can win 3-5 of these games? 

If anything, Rutgers is maybe 3 wins away from an NIT bid and even thought they've lost their last two games they've been against two hot teams.  Nebraska isn't a hot team.  While it should be close and a game that Nebraska very well could win, it seems like there won't be enough rebounding and enough shooting to take this game.

Let's hope we live to see another day against Maryland.

Prediction: Rutgers 70 - Nebraska 63