Founded in 1906, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team represents Rutgers University in the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA Division I. The Scarlet Knights play their home games at the Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Team History

The Scarlet Knights have a rich history, with a number of notable achievements and milestones:

1976 NCAA Tournament: The team made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1976, losing in the first round to the eventual national champion, Indiana.
1983 NIT Championship: Rutgers won the 1983 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), defeating Washington in the championship game.
2004 NCAA Sweet 16: The Scarlet Knights advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, losing to eventual national champion Duke.
2015 NCAA Tournament: Rutgers earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2004, losing in the first round to Kentucky.

Notable Players

Rutgers has produced a number of notable players throughout its history, including:

Phil Sellers: The program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Sellers was a two-time All-American and played in the NBA.
Roy Hinson: Hinson was a three-time All-American and led the Scarlet Knights to the 1983 NIT championship.
Mike Rosario: Rosario was a First Team All-American in 2014 and was the Big East Player of the Year that same year.
Geo Baker: Baker was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and led Rutgers to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2004.

Current Team

The current Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team is led by head coach Steve Pikiell. The team’s roster includes several talented players, including:

Caleb McConnell: A senior guard, McConnell is a three-time All-Big Ten Defensive Team selection.
Cam Spencer: A sophomore forward, Spencer was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2021.
Paul Mulcahy: A junior guard, Mulcahy is a talented passer and defender.

Future Outlook

The future looks bright for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team. With a talented roster and a strong coaching staff, the Scarlet Knights are poised to make a run at the NCAA Tournament in the years to come.

Team Statistics

Season	Overall Record	Big Ten Record
2021-22	18-14	12-8
2020-21	15-11	10-10
2019-20	20-12	12-8
2018-19	14-17	7-13
2017-18	15-18	4-16

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where do the Rutgers Scarlet Knights play their home games?
- Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey
Who is the head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
- Steve Pikiell
Who is the all-time leading scorer for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
- Phil Sellers
When did the Rutgers Scarlet Knights win the NIT championship?
- 1983
When did the Rutgers Scarlet Knights last appear in the NCAA Tournament?
- 2015

Conclusion

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team is a proud and storied program with a rich history and a promising future. With a talented roster and a strong coaching staff, the Scarlet Knights are poised to make a run at the NCAA Tournament in the years to come.

References

Overview of the Big Ten Conference

The Big Ten Conference is a college athletic conference that consists of 14 universities located primarily in the Midwest region of the United States. Originally founded in 1895 as the Western Conference, the Big Ten has expanded several times throughout its history to reach its current number of members.

Members:

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Indiana University Bloomington
University of Iowa
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Michigan State University
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Pennsylvania State University
Purdue University
Rutgers University
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sports:

The Big Ten Conference sponsors 24 sports for men and 22 sports for women. Some of the most prominent and successful programs include:

Football
Basketball
Volleyball
Field Hockey
Wrestling

Competition:

The Big Ten is considered one of the toughest and most competitive athletic conferences in the United States. Its teams regularly compete for national championships in various sports, and many Big Ten athletes have gone on to become professional athletes.

Academics:

In addition to athletics, the Big Ten is also known for its academic excellence. Its member universities are all research institutions with high graduation rates and faculty members who are leaders in their fields.

Roster

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team represents Rutgers University in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. They are led by head coach Steve Pikiell and play their home games at the Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The team’s roster for the 2023-24 season includes:

Guards:
- Derek Simpson (Freshman)
- Elijah Jennings (Sophomore)
- Brandon Russell (Junior)
- Paul Mulcahy (Senior)
- Gavin Griffiths (Graduate)
Forwards:
- Mawot Mag (Sophomore)
- Cliff Omoruyi (Junior)
- Oskar Palmquist (Sophomore)
- Cam Spencer (Graduate)
- Aundre Hyatt (Junior)
Centers:
- Dean Reiber (Junior)
- Ralph Agee (Freshman)

Tickets

Attend exciting home games for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team. Tickets are available for purchase now, allowing fans to secure their spots for thrilling match-ups at the Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey. Witness the team’s skilled players, cheer them on as they chase victory, and experience the vibrant atmosphere of college basketball.

Coach

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team is coached by Steve Pikiell, who has held the position since 2016. Pikiell has a 119-124 overall record at Rutgers and has led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances. Prior to Rutgers, Pikiell was the head coach at Stony Brook from 2005 to 2016, where he led the Seawolves to five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Standings

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team competes in the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA Division I. The team has been playing since the 1906 season and has never won a national championship. Rutgers has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 14 times, most recently in 2021. The team is currently led by head coach Steve Pikiell.

History

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball program is the intercollegiate basketball team of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The team competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Scarlet Knights have appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Elite Eight in 1976 and the Sweet 16 in 1979 and 1991.

The program has been led by several notable coaches, including:

Bob Hurley Sr. (1973-1981)
Tom Young (1981-1993)
Gary Waters (1993-2001)
Steve Pikiell (2016-present)

In recent years, the Scarlet Knights have struggled, posting just one winning season since 2001. However, the program has shown signs of improvement under Pikiell, reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and the NIT in 2022.

Despite their recent struggles, the Scarlet Knights remain a proud and respected program. They have a strong tradition of success and a passionate fan base. The future looks bright for Rutgers men’s basketball, and they are poised to make a return to prominence in the coming years.

Recruiting

Rutgers has a rich history in college basketball, with 30 NCAA Tournament appearances and two Final Four appearances. In recent years, the Scarlet Knights have struggled to maintain success on the court, but they have made significant strides in recruiting under head coach Steve Pikiell.

Pikiell has brought in several highly-touted recruits to Piscataway, with a focus on players from the Northeast and New Jersey in particular. He has also been successful in developing his players, with several former recruits becoming stars in the Big Ten and beyond.

The Scarlet Knights have a promising future on the horizon, with a talented roster that includes several top-100 recruits. Pikiell has set a strong foundation for the program, and he is poised to lead the Scarlet Knights back to the NCAA Tournament in the years to come.

News

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball team has been making headlines with several recent developments:

Geo Baker Returns: Former star guard Geo Baker has announced his return to Rutgers for his final collegiate season, bringing experience and leadership to the team.
New Assistant Coach: The Scarlet Knights have hired former Boston College assistant Adrian Autry as an assistant coach. Autry has a proven track record of developing players and recruiting top talent.
Non-Conference Schedule Revealed: Rutgers released its 2022-23 non-conference schedule, which includes notable matchups against Syracuse, Louisville, and UConn.
Recruiting Momentum: The Scarlet Knights’ 2023 recruiting class currently ranks among the top 25 in the nation, with several highly-touted prospects expected to join the program.
Increased Expectations: With the return of Baker and the addition of Autry, Rutgers is expected to build upon last season’s success and compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Stats

NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament: 8 appearances, last in 2021
NIT: 16 appearances, last in 2019
CBI: 2 appearances, last in 2013
Overall record: 1,839-1,422
Conference record: 859-680
All-Americans: 2 (Phil Sellers, Mike Dabney)
Consensus All-Americans: 1 (Phil Sellers)
NCAA Tournament wins: 8
NIT wins: 9
CBI wins: 1
Leading scorer: Eddie Jordan (2,103 points)
Leading rebounder: Roy Hinson (1,088 rebounds)
Leading assists: Kevin Bannon (667 assists)
Most games played: Quincy Douby (135 games)
Most minutes played: Quincy Douby (4,358 minutes)
Head coach: Steve Pikiell (since 2016)

Injuries

Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s basketball has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, which have contributed to the team’s struggles.

Geo Baker (2021): The point guard suffered a torn ACL in the team’s season opener and missed the entire season.
Paul Mulcahy (2022): The junior guard suffered a torn ACL in October and is expected to miss most of the 2022-23 season.
Caleb McConnell (2023): The All-Big Ten defensive team selection suffered a broken nose and cheekbone in practice. His return timeline is uncertain.
Derek Simpson (2023): The senior forward missed the first five games of the season with a foot injury.
Mawot Mag (2023): The junior forward suffered a concussion in the team’s game against Lafayette and missed several contests.

These injuries have forced Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell to adjust his lineup and game plan, leading to inconsistent performances and a subpar record.