Rutgers Basketball Enters Big Ten Gauntlet With Questions Still Unanswered
Rutgers has wrapped up its non-conference slate, and what’s waiting on the other side is a 10-week Big Ten grind that’s as unforgiving as any in the country. Sitting at 7-6, the Scarlet Knights are about to find out exactly where they stand-and fast. The Big Ten is loaded, and Rutgers’ margin for error is razor-thin.
The Road Ahead: No Easy Outs in the Big Ten
Let’s not sugarcoat it-Rutgers is entering the lion’s den. At No. 196 in the NET rankings, they’re the lowest-rated team in the Big Ten.
That’s not just a number; it’s a snapshot of where this team is right now. Maryland (No.
146), Penn State (No. 140), Minnesota (No. 108), and Oregon (No. 97) are the only other conference foes sitting outside the top 100.
Every other Big Ten team is ranked No. 69 or better, and six are in the top 13. That’s not a schedule-that’s a gauntlet.
The good news? Rutgers has already faced two of those top-tier squads-No.
1 Michigan and No. 6 Purdue-and won’t see them again in the regular season.
That leaves five games against the conference’s elite. The rest?
Well, those are the games Rutgers has to circle.
Two matchups each against Maryland and Penn State, plus one against Minnesota, offer the clearest paths to stacking wins. Add in a home tilt against Oregon-who, like Rutgers, sits at 7-6-and you’ve got a handful of games that could swing the season. Oregon comes to Jersey Mike’s Arena on Monday, and that’s a must-win if the Knights want to build any kind of momentum heading into the meat of the Big Ten schedule.
Searching for Stability in the Starting Five
Head coach Steve Pikiell has been tinkering with his starting lineup all season, and 13 games in, it still feels like he’s searching for the right combination. Denis Badalau has started 11 times, but the production hasn’t followed. He’s averaging under two points per game over his last six starts-a stretch that makes it tough to justify keeping him in the first five.
Harun Zrno, another freshman from overseas, flashed early with 29 points across starts against Michigan and Seton Hall. But since then?
Just five points combined in his last two outings. It’s still possible he performs better against power-conference competition, but if scoring is his calling card, he needs to start answering the bell consistently.
Then there’s Kaden Powers. The freshman guard came off the bench and dropped nine points against Delaware State.
He’s only hitting 25% of his shots so far, but he’s shown a willingness to shoot and flashes of confidence that suggest there’s something to build on. If Pikiell is looking for a spark-and let’s be honest, he is-Powers might be worth a longer look.
Transfers: Mixed Results So Far
The transfer portal was supposed to bring reinforcements, but it’s been a mixed bag. Tariq Francis has been the most reliable of the bunch, averaging 13.6 points per game.
He was a proven scorer at NJIT, and he’s delivered against lower-level competition. But in five games against high-major opponents, Francis is averaging just 7.8 points.
For Rutgers to compete in the Big Ten, he’s going to have to find that scoring touch against tougher defenses.
Baye Fall, a former McDonald’s All-American, has barely made an impact. Just 5.2 minutes per game across eight appearances isn’t what anyone expected, especially given his pedigree. His stops at Kansas State and Alabama didn’t pan out, and so far, the trend hasn’t changed in Piscataway.
Then there’s Darren Buchanan, who came over from George Washington with a reputation for versatility. But he’s struggled to find his footing.
Against Delaware State, turnovers piled up in a game where he should’ve been able to assert himself. Thirteen games in, and he still looks like a player without a clear role.
Part of that may be due to Pikiell’s constant rotation shuffling, but Buchanan hasn’t made the most of his chances either.
Could Help Be on the Way?
Midseason additions have become a trend in college basketball, and Pikiell didn’t rule it out after the Delaware State game.
“You pursue every lead you have and go through all the steps to try to make it happen. It’s very complex,” he said. “I’m hopeful we can add players, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”
It’s a long shot, sure. But given the lack of impact from recent transfer classes, even the possibility of a midseason addition feels like a lifeline.
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At 7-6, the record doesn’t tell the whole story. What matters more is how the team is playing-and right now, the signs are mixed at best.
“We’ve been working extremely hard the last few weeks and we’re better. I like what I’m seeing,” Pikiell said.
But the eye test tells a different story. Rutgers struggled to put away Delaware State, one of the lowest-ranked teams in Division I.
That’s not the kind of performance you want heading into Big Ten play. This is the time of year when teams start to click.
Instead, Rutgers looked disjointed against an overmatched opponent.
That was the last non-conference game on the schedule. From here on out, it’s nothing but Big Ten battles-and they won’t be forgiving.
If Rutgers is going to turn the corner, it’ll have to happen in the fire of conference play. There’s still time to find answers, but the clock is ticking, and the road ahead isn’t getting any easier.