Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team represents Rutgers University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. Rutgers competes in the Big Ten Conference.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights
2020–21 Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team
UniversityRutgers University
First season1906-07[1]
All-time record1,260–1,223 (.507)
Head coachSteve Pikiell (5th season)
ConferenceBig Ten
LocationPiscataway, New Jersey
ArenaRutgers Athletic Center
(Capacity: 8,000)
NicknameScarlet Knights
ColorsScarlet[2]
    
Uniforms
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1976
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1976
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
1976, 1979
NCAA Tournament Round of 32
1975, 1976, 1979, 1983
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1975, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1989, 1991
Conference Tournament Champions
1975, 1976, 1979, 1989
Conference Regular Season Champions
1943, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1991

History

The Rutgers men's basketball team played in the Final Four in the 1976 NCAA Tournament and ended the 1976 season ranked fourth in the nation, after an 86–70 loss against the Michigan Wolverines in the semifinal round and a 106–92 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the tournament's third-place consolation game.[3] This was the last men's Division I tournament to date to feature two unbeaten teams, as both Indiana, who won that year's title, and Rutgers entered the tournament unbeaten. Rutgers went 31–0 during the regular season.

The Scarlet Knights also played in the championship game of the 2004 NIT Final, losing to the Michigan Wolverines 62–55.

The Scarlet Knights had a prolonged down period through the following decade, cycling through a number of coaches and routinely finishing at the bottom of the Big East standings. This period included a scandal in 2013 with then head coach Mike Rice Jr. being shown on video verbally and physically abusing players.[4] The scandal resulted in the firing of Coach Rice as well as the resignation of then Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti.

Rutgers basketball played their first season in the Big Ten conference in 2014-2015. Fortunes began to improve following the hiring of Head Coach Steve Pikiell in 2016. The 2019–20 Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team saw their win total improve from 14 to 20 and included multiple wins over ranked teams, as well as an 18-1 home record, one of the best in the country. Experts widely predicted Rutgers's inclusion in the 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament which was subsequently cancelled before the field was announced. [5] Additionally, this season marked the first time since 1979 that Rutgers basketball was ranked in the top 25 teams.[6]


Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Scarlet Knights have appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times. Their combined record is 5–7.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1975First RoundLouisvilleL 78–91
1976First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game
Princeton
Connecticut
VMI
Michigan
UCLA
W 54–53
W 93–79
W 91–75
L 70–86
L 92–106
1979#6Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
#3 Georgetown
#10 St. John's
W 64–58
L 65–67
1983#9First Round
Second Round
#8 Southwest Louisiana
#1 St. John's
W 60–53
L 55–66
1989#13First Round#4 IowaL 73–87
1991#9First Round#8 Arizona StateL 76–79

NIT results

The Scarlet Knights have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 14 times. Their combined record is 16–14.

Year Round Opponent Result
1967First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game
Utah State
New Mexico
Southern Illinois
Marshall
W 78–76
W 65–60
L 70–79
W 93–76
1969First RoundTennesseeL 51–67
1973First RoundMinnesotaL 59–68
1974First RoundUtahL 89–102
1977First RoundSt. BonaventureL 77–79
1978First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game
Army
Indiana State
Texas
Georgetown
W 72–70
W 57–56
L 76–96
W 85–72
1982First Round
Second Round
Iona
Purdue
W 55–51
L 65–98
1990First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Holy Cross
Fordham
Penn State
W 87–78
W 81–74
L 55–58
1992First Round
Second Round
James Madison
Manhattan
W 73–69
L 61–62
1999First Round
Second Round
Hofstra
Clemson
W 58–45
L 68–78
2000First RoundKent StateL 62–73
2002First RoundYaleL 65–67
2004First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Temple
West Virginia
Villanova
Iowa State
Michigan
W 76–71
W 67–64
W 72–60
W 84–81
L 55–62
2006Opening Round
First Round
Penn State
Saint Joseph's
W 76–71
L 62–71

Seasons

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Tom Young (Independent) (1973–1976)
1973–1974 Rutgers 18–9NIT First Round
1974–1975 Rutgers 22–71st ECAC MetroNCAA First Round
1975–1976 Rutgers 31–21st ECAC MetroNCAA Final Four
Tom Young: 71–18
Tom Young (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1976–1985)
1976–1977 Rutgers 18–107–11stNIT First Round
1977–1978 Rutgers 24–77–31stNIT Semifinals
1978–1979 Rutgers 22–97–32ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
1979–1980 Rutgers 14–147–31st
1980–1981 Rutgers 16–147–65th
1981–1982 Rutgers 20–109–52ndNIT Second Round
1982–1983 Rutgers 23–811–3T-1stNCAA Second Round
1983–1984 Rutgers 15–139–96th
1984–1985 Rutgers 16–149–94th
Tom Young: 168–9973–42
Craig Littlepage (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1985–1988)
1985–1986 Rutgers 8–212–1610th
1986–1987 Rutgers 8–205–139th
1987–1988 Rutgers 7–223–1510th
Craig Littlepage: 23–6310–44
Bob Wenzel (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1988–1995)
1988–1989 Rutgers 18–1313–53rdNCAA First Round
1989–1990 Rutgers 18–1711–73rdNIT Quarterfinals
1990–1991 Rutgers 19–1014–41stNCAA First Round
1991–1992 Rutgers 16–156–106thNIT Second Round
1992–1993 Rutgers 13–156–87th
1993–1994 Rutgers 11–166–107th
1994–1995 Rutgers 13–157–96th
Bob Wenzel: 108–10163–53
Bob Wenzel (Big East Conference) (1995–1997)
1995–1996 Rutgers 9–186–1210th
1996–1997 Rutgers 11–165–1313th
Bob Wenzel: 20–3411–25
Kevin Bannon (Big East Conference) (1997–2001)
1997–1998 Rutgers 14–156–1212th
1998–1999 Rutgers 19–139–96thNIT Second Round
1999–2000 Rutgers 15–166–1010thNIT First Round
2000–2001 Rutgers 11–163–1313th
Kevin Bannon: 59–6024–44
Gary Waters (Big East Conference) (2001–2006)
2001–2002 Rutgers 18–138–85thNIT First Round
2002–2003 Rutgers 12–164–127th
2003–2004 Rutgers 20–137–99thNIT Runner Up
2004–2005 Rutgers 10–192–1412th
2005–2006 Rutgers 19–147–910thNIT First Round
Gary Waters: 79–7528–52
Fred Hill (Big East Conference) (2006–2010)
2006–2007 Rutgers 10–193–13T-14th
2007–2008 Rutgers 11–203–15T-15th
2008–2009 Rutgers 11–212–1615th
2009–2010 Rutgers 15–175–1314th
Fred Hill: 57–7713–57
Mike Rice Jr. (Big East Conference) (2010–2013)
2010–2011 Rutgers 15–175–1313th
2011–2012 Rutgers 14–186–12T-13th
2012–2013 Rutgers 15–165–1312th
Mike Rice Jr.: 44–5116–38
Eddie Jordan (American Athletic Conference) (2013–2014)
2013–2014 Rutgers 12–215–137th
Eddie Jordan (Big Ten Conference) (2014–2016)
2014–2015 Rutgers 10–222–1614th
2015–2016 Rutgers 7–251–1714th
Eddie Jordan: 29–685–13 (AAC) 3–33 (B10)
Steve Pikiell (Big Ten Conference) (2016–present)
2016–2017 Rutgers 15–173–1514th
2017–2018 Rutgers 15–193–1514th
2018–2019 Rutgers 14–177–1312th
2019–2020 Rutgers 20–1111–9T-5thNo postseason held
2020–2021 Rutgers 6–12-1T-2ndTBD
Steve Pikiell: 69–6525–53
Total:

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Retired numbers

Three Rutgers players have had their numbers retired:[7]

Rutgers Scarlet Knights retired numbers
No. Player Years
12Phil Sellers1972–1976
14Bob Lloyd1964–1967
20James Bailey1975–1979

Players in international competition

References

  1. Rutgers Men's Basketball History, 22 December 2020.
  2. "Colors | Visual Identity System". Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  3. 1976 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament Archived 2008-01-19 at the Wayback Machine at shrpsports.com, accessed 29 December 2006.
  4. The Guardian, Rutgers' firing of coach Mike Rice exposes a toxic locker-room culture, 3 April 2013.
  5. NCCA.com, .
  6. ESPN, .
  7. Rutgers Men’s Basketball Media Guide (PDF), 2020 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s Basketball Media Guide”, Rutgers Sports Information Department, Pages 92–94.
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