Caleb McConnell came back just in time.
The senior guard and reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year knows the upcoming five-game gauntlet against high-major opponents will go a long way toward helping to determine Rutgers’ NCAA Tournament fate.
“I’m very excited for this team,” McConnell said Saturday after making his season debut following a left knee injury in an 83-49 blowout of Central Connecticut State at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
“I think these next couple of games is going to be a good test to who we are and what kind of team we actually have so I’m excited, man, to hit these stretch of games.”
Beginning with Wednesday’s game at Miami in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Scarlet Knights (5-1) will face five high-major teams ranked in the top 77 of KenPom.com: at Miami, Indiana (Dec. 3), at Ohio State (Dec. 8), Seton Hall (Dec. 11) and Wake Forest (Dec. 17).
Rutgers is ranked No. 34 on Ken Pom, but consider that so far the highest-ranked team they have played was Temple, currently No. 99, and that resulted in Rutgers’ only loss so far. Three of their victories have been over teams in the 300s on KenPom, and one is over an opponent in the 200s.
Here are the KenPom rankings of every team Rutgers has played so far, and the rankings of their upcoming opponents:
344 - Columbia (Win)
303 - Sacred Heart (Win)
144 - UMass-Lowell (Win)
99 - Temple (Loss)
228 - Rider (Win)
340 - Central Connecticut (Win)
50 - Miami
10 - Indiana
20 - Ohio State
44 - Seton Hall
77 - Wake Forest
The next five games will include two Big Ten opponents, two ACC opponents and one from the Big East. Rutgers is 23-1 against non-conference opponents at home under Steve Pikiell, so that bodes well for at least the Seton Hall and Wake Forest games, although both figure to be tough. Still, if the Knights hold serve at home and go 3-2 (beating Indiana, Seton Hall and Wake Forest), it would go a long way toward helping them make a third straight NCAA Tournament.
“Yeah, of course, man, even this game [Saturday] is going to help us out,” McConnell said. “You get 20-22 wins, man , you’re in there. So that’s been kind of our goal. Let’s get 20-22 wins and let’s see what happens. Especially this gauntlet that we’re about to come in. I think if we get a couple wins, it’s definitely going to help us out.”
Said Pikiell: “Every game moving forward is important and these non-conferences games are very important, too.”
McConnell is hopeful that senior point guard Paul Mulcahy (shoulder stinger) will return soon, and one source close to the player said he would “most likely [return] for the Miami game.”
Pikiell said Saturday Mulcahy is practicing but not cleared for contact.
“Yeah, that’s where he’s at,” the coach said.
Even with the departures of former stars Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker, McConnell said he thinks this is a “better” team than last year.
“Those guys were great for us, but now we have a whole different team,” he said. “We got Jalen [Miller], we got Cam [Spencer]. From top to bottom, I think we’re good. And actually since we have such a different dynamic, I think this is actually a better team because we’re just loaded. So I’m really excited to get back in the mix with these guys. I can’t wait till Paul gets back. And that’s just going to add even more strength.”
He added: “From top to bottom, I love our team.”
Now it’s time to test that team against some real competition.
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
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