BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Rutgers @ Georgetown

February 22, 2006

At this time in the Big East season, it really is exciting because every game seems to mean something for each team. Tonight, Rutgers/Georgetown is no different as the Hoyas try to remain in the mix for a first round bye in the conference tournament and Rutgers tries to stay just ahead of the rest in the fight for the last spot or two to be in the conference tournament.

Here are the links to pregame stories and articles on the game:

Injured Joynes has Tough Assignment (Courier News)
Thompson Devoted to Ill Wife and Rejuvinated Hoyas (Star-Ledger)
Hibbert Becoming Elite Georgetown Center (Star-Ledger)
Hoyas Look Ahead, Not to the Past (Washington Post)
Hoyas Senior Trio Look to Finish Strong (Washington Times)
Rutgers/Georgetown Scouting Report (Courier News)



Click below for our brief preview and prediction on this game and don't forget to leave your prediction in the comments section.

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Last year Georgetown raced to an 8-3 conference record before the bottom fell out and the Hoyas finished 8-8 and a bid to the NIT, not the NCAA. Even though their current 3-game losing streak might bring back some memories for Georgetown fans, it is not the same team as last year. Also, the schedule is set up in their favor with home games with Rutgers and Syracuse before wrapping up the conference schedule with a trip to South Florida. Winning out and finishing 11-5 in the conference should re-energize the Hoyas and sharpen their focus heading into the post-season, which will include a bid to the NCAA's.

Rutgers is fighting for the post-season lives, just to be invited to the Big East tournament is their first order of business. Although the task tonight is a tough one to pass, the Scarlet Knights are probably assured of a trip to NYC with one win in their last three games, which include a home date with USF and a trip to meet St. John's, in addition to the game at Georgetown tonight. Being invited to the NIT is also within reach and the Scarlet Knights could use another win or two to make them more attractive to the new NIT selection process, so, much to play for on the Rutgers side as well.

Tonight is probably not a good match-up for Rutgers, however. Georgetown is big with Roy Hibbert, Jeff Green and Brandon Bowman starting along the frontline. They are also atheltic and can play a tough match-up zone that could suffocate the Knight's offense that is almost solely dependent on Quincy Douby, and if you watched the last minute of their game against St. John's, you would know how true that is. Look for the Georgetown guards to spy exclusively on Douby, daring ANYONE else to try and beat them and for the Hoyas to have their way inside. Georgetown is a 10-pt favorite, and they should be in for an easy one tonight as they snap their 3-game slide.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 72 Rutgers 59

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: St. John's @ Rutgers

February 15, 2006


The Big East conference certainly has some critics about the size of the league and the fact that 25% of the conference will be left out of the conference tournament in March. However, it also makes for some high drama in mid-February, even when you see St John's/Rutgers on the schedule, you know they game has meaning. Tonight is for conference tournament eligibility as St. John's currently finds themselves in 13th place (3-8) and out of the mix. Sitting just one game ahead of them is Rutgers (4-7). These two teams also meet again to close out the Big East regular season. So, these are pivitol games.

St John's has dropped six straight games, so a sense of urgency to pick up a win has definitely set in. Their schedule down the stretch includes home games with Rutgers, DePaul and Seton Hall along with road trips to the RAC (tonight) and Villanova. Rutgers has lost six of eight and are coming off a surprising win over Marquette in their last outing. Their remaining schedule includes the pair with St John's as well as a pair with South Florida and a road trip to Georgetown. If they get a win tonight, Rutgers puts themselves in pretty good position to be included in the festivities at Madison Square Garden come March.

Here are the pregame stories and previews we found around the internet:

Rutgers Webb Ensnares Scorers (Star-Ledger)
Rutgers Bailey Convinced He's Regained Fiery Form (Courier News)
Rutgers/St John's Scouting Report (Courier News)
Storm's Hill Done for Season (Newsday)
SJU Faces Steep Hill (NY Daily News)
Daryll forced Down and Out (NY Post)



To read our preview and see our game prediction, click read more below and don't forget to leave your prediction in the comments section!

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Obviously the big news on the St. John's side is they will have to finish out the season, and hope to qualify for the Big East tournament, without their best player, Daryll Hill. Hill has been hampered by a knee injury for most of the season and finally decided to shut it down for the year. Now the question surrounding Hill is if he has played his last game for Norm Roberts and the Redstorm, but that question will have to wait for another day as there is a basketball game tonight and his teammates will have to press on.

Even without Hill, tonight's game is not without hope. The Scarlet Knights have their own injury problems with JR Inman and Adrian Hill done for the season and Byron Joynes and Anthony Farmer being limited by nagging injuries that will not seem to go away. Of course, the key for any Rutgers win is the point production of Quincy Douby and if anyone else will step up and give him a hand. St John's does have a tenacious attitude on defense for the most part and the strong Eugene Lawrence and quick Cedric Jackson and Anthony Mason could give Douby some different defensive looks.

The Redstorm still have Lamont Hamilton and Aaron Spears inside which they should be able to use to their advantage against the weak interior of the Scarlet Knights. Where the Redstorm fall short is their ability to make shots and something happen from the perimeter and without Daryll Hill, things will get a little tighter inside.

For Rutgers, they need to score points tonight, not matter from whom. Douby is going to be hounded by the St John's pressure so someone else is going to have to step up. The defensive effort they face tonight is bound to be ratcheted up a few notches from what Marquette put forth on Sunday, allowing Rutgers to score 91 pts. St John's probably will not show any quit, yet, even without Hill as they will be determined to show they have more than just Daryll Hill on their team.

I expect the game to be close and intense. Both teams are fighting for something in the conference, even though they are well down the standings...that is what makes the conference special!

The Scarlet Knights are 6=pt favorites, but expect a tussle tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Rutgers 63 St John's 59

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Marquette @ Rutgers

February 12, 2006


Usually the RAC is an unwelcomed place to enter this time of year. However, this Rutgers team seems to have hit a low point and are now battling an endless list of injuries which have already claimed JR Inman and Adrian Hill for the season and has forced Byron Joynes and Anthony Farmer to miss time recently.

Marquette has suffered their own injury losses, but have Wesley Mathews back in the mix. However, big men Mike Kinsella and Jamil Lott will both be unavailable for the Golden Eagles. Marquette can not afford a slip up here and get caught looking ahead to Georgetown or Pittsburgh which are both ahead, at home, next week.

To read our preview and see our game prediction, click read more below and don't forget to leave your prediction in the comments section!

READ OUR PREVIEW...CLICK "Read More" BELOW


Rutgers has lost six of seven and things do not look to be getting any better. Quincy Douby is their only threat offensively and Marquette has a deep backcourt that will allow them to rotate fresh and athletic defenders on him if need be. Thw story for Rutgers all year is where else can they get offense? Well, to this point, they have not found an answer and the best possibility, JR Inman, is done for the season. Anthony Farmer has shown glimpses, but injuries have taken much of his chance away.

Marquette is one of the biggest surprises on the season, led by likely BE freshmen of the year Dominic James and senior Steve Novak, the Golden Eagles have shown they can play with anyone, anywhere. They are the only team to defeat Connecticut and had a couple near misses at Pittsburgh and Villanova. Their style and talent should not face that much difficulty against a reeling Rutgers.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 72 Rutgers 64

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Rutgers & Notre Dame

February 8, 2006

Notre Dame looks to take out some frustration tonight on their home floor against Rutgers. We all know the Notre Dame story and all their tough losses as they are just 1-8 in the conference and fighting for an invite to the Big East tournament, let alone the NCAA or NIT. Tonight, they will attempt to close the gap on themselves and 12th place when they take on the Scarlet Knights.

Things are not going well for Rutgers as they have lost five of their last six games and now must face the next several weeks without starting freshmen forward JR Inman who broke his leg in their loss to Seton Hall on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights and reeling and Gary Waters has to be feeling the pressure.

Here are the pregame stories and previews from around the internet:

ND Not Your Average .500 Team (Chicago Tribune)
Rutgers Guard Lacks Experience, Not Production (Journal Gazette)
Rutgers Test is Douby-ous (South Bend Tribune)
Rutgers/ND Notes (Star-Ledger)
Rutgers-ND Scouting Report (Courier News)


For our preview and prediction on the game, click below!

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Maybe it is the craze that Villanova and Jay Wright has started with the four guard look because you can expect to see up to eight guards on the floor at a time in tonight's Notre Dame/Rutgers battle. With Rob Kurz, Luke Zeller and Rick Cornett not producing how Mike Brey would like, he has turned to a line-up lately that has featured Chris Quinn, Russell Carter, Kyle McAlarney and Colin Falls on the perimeter with Torin Francis in the middle. At Rutgers, the injury to JR Inman has limited their depth along the front line and it is very likely that the Scarlet Knights will counter with a line-up that features Anthony Farmer, Quincy Douby, Marquis Webb and Jaron Griffin with a revolving door at C that will include Byron Joynes, Frank Russell, Jimmie Inglis and Dan Waterstradt. They will also use Ollie Bailey at forward when they go to a more traditional 3-guard line-up (my how the game has changed in college to where a 3-guard line-up is traditional).

For Rutgers, playing on the road is never easy and going to South Bend after the loss to Seton Hall on the court and JR Inman to injury is probably not what they had in mind as a relaxing winter trip. As usual, it will be as far as Quincy Douby can take them, but without Inman, who had the most potential in giving Douby some help, it almost seems that not matter what Douby does, it will not be enough.

Again, it never seems like Notre Dame plays bad, they just come up short. Usually, the key defensive stop or rebound is not within their grasp, but they can still shoot it and that will continue to put the pressure on Rutgers to score. Rutgers actually matches up fairly well, especially with the athletes they can put on the floor against the 4-guard look for Notre Dame, but I don't beleive they will keep up with the Irish three's. Of course, live by the three, you could die by the three as well. But, on their home floor, the Irish should live tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 72 Rutgers 64

The Irish are 7-pt favorites in the game.

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Rutgers @ Syracuse

February 1, 2006

The struggling Syracuse Orange, losers of four consecutive conference games, host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights tonight in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse looks to rebound after the demoralizing home loss Sunday to Seton Hall and Rutgers will look to continue some newfound optimism after their win in the RAC over Louisville on Saturday.

Here are the pregame stories and previews from around the internet:

Syracuse Hopes to Avoid 5-Game Skid (Syracuse Post-Standard)
One Basketball, Many Scorers (NorthJersey.com)
Rutgers/SU Scouting Report (Courier News)
Another Knee Injury Likely Ends Hill's Season (Courier News)
SU/Rutgers Preview Star-Ledger)


For a unique perspective on Syracuse and Rutgers, check out Mike Waters' SU Basketball blog on the Syracuse Post-Standard website where he and Glenn Wohl, of the RAC 'Em Up: Rutgers Basketball Blog and regular contributor to our weekly Bloggers Poll, go back and forth on tonight's game and things to look out for: Blogging with a Blogger.

READ REST OF PREVIEW...CLICK "Read More" BELOW


Rutgers and Syracuse both find themselves at 3-4 in the conference and both in need of this game. Syracuse has dropped four consecutive games in the conference and another loss like Sunday's home loss to Seton Hall and NCAA talk will definitely be intermingling with NIT talk. For Rutgers, the schedule ahead is a lot less daunting than what Syracuse has to face and stealing a quality win on the road could give them the momentum to make their own case for the NCAA tournament with a string of wins down the stretch.

The Scarlet Knights will once again be without Adrian Hill whose latest knee injury will likely keep him out for the season. As usual, finding a scoring compliment to Quincy Douby is a must. Several players have taken turns being the guy here and there, but if they could find someone to be in that role consistently, they will find life much easier. JR Inman has the potential to do so, but he needs to find a little more inside game with his size to go with a very promising face up game.

Syracuse continues to struggle scoring, especially in the half court offense as Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins continue to let the team down offensively. Their inability to develop as players has been one of the biggest disappointments in the conference this season. Each player is above average in terms of athletic ability and strength for thier positions, but they do not play to their size inside and niether has anything that resembles a face up game or touch around the basket. Without these two providing a scoring threat in the half court, teams can crowd Demetris Nichols and Gerry McNamara on the perimeter, making it difficult for them to get open and stationary shots. McNamara is usually forced to put up a shot on the move to get his offense going.

Last year, these two teams met at the RAC and Rutgers rushed their way to a 20-pt 1st half lead, only to watch Syracuse apply full court pressure and take the game away from them and win, a game that deflated the Rutgers season. I really thought this SU team was going to be one of Jim Boeheim's best on the defensive side with their length and athletic ability in the zone and the same traits would allow the Orange to unleash a full court press that could suffocate a team with young guards. Maybe the 4-game losing streak will give the Orange the sense of urgency to play with some more intensity on the defensive side and to play a smarter game on the offensive end.

Rutgers needs to keep close in this game and try to have Douby steal it in the end for them. Winning on the road in the conference has never been something that Rutgers has done very well and I do not think tonight will be that much different for the 8-pt underdogs.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 72 Rutgers 63

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