When you think of Rutgers, you don't think of championships, because they have not had many of them, at any level. Certainly not in basketball. They have been to the Final Four once, in 1976. They have been to the round of 32 only four times, most recently 1983. They had had 13 straight losing seasons. Not the stuff of legends.
However, before the 2016-17 season, they hired Steve Pikiell from Stony Brook, and although the progress has been slow, there has been steady progress. Last season they won 7 Big Ten games, the most since they entered the league in the 2014-15 season. So far this year they are 9-3, and have split their two league contests so far.
Pikiell's teams are known for strong defense and toughness, qualities that effort can provide even when talent might be sub-par. It is unlikely they will make their way into the top half of the Big Ten this season, but they are moving in the right direction. It is nice to see teams who work their way to success instead of buying their way. I'll take blue color over blue blood every day.
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