A loss on Sunday night at Nebraska might just be the end to any realistic dreams of Rutgers basketball making the NCAA Tournament. According to ESPN Analytics, Rutgers isn’t likely to sweep the final two games of the regular season.
All of which means that anything short of making a run to the Big Ten Tournament’s title game, and Rutgers is likely on the outside looking in come March Madness
The loss comes after Rutgers thoroughly dominated Michigan in a blowout performance. Rutgers is now 15-14 (7-11 Big Ten) on the season.
The breakdown from ESPN has Rutgers splitting their final two Big Ten regular season games:
- March 7 @ Wisconsin (ESPN Analytics has Rutgers at 12.2 percent to win)
- March 10 vs, Ohio State (ESPN Analytics has Rutgers at 54.3 percent to win)
Now, the postseason isn’t necessarily out of the question for Rutgers, who made the NIT last year. The Scarlet Knights would need to split their final two Big Ten regular season games and win twice in the Big Ten Tournament.
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If that happens, they could be an attractive option for the NIT.
As things stand right now, Rutgers is not projected to make the tournament according to NIT Bracketology.
Four Big Ten teams, including Ohio State, are projected to make the NIT, which makes the regular season finale a vitally important one for Rutgers.