Tag: Paul Mulcahy

Can the Rutgers Scarlet Knights make it to their third straight NCAA tournament?

The Scarlet Knights are on a mission this year to punch their third straight ticket to the NCAA tournament, but does head coach Steve Pickiell have enough firepower to get them there?

The Scarlet Knights are on a mission this year to punch their third straight ticket to the NCAA tournament, but does head coach Steve Pickiell have enough firepower to get them there? Last year, Pickiell relied on veteran experience from guard / forward Ron Harper Jr. and guard Geo Baker to provide scoring for the Scarlet Knights. Harper Jr. and Baker both averaged double-digit points for Rutgers, Harper averaging almost 16 points per game and Baker averaging a little over 12 points per game. Unfortunately, both of these veteran players moved on from Rutgers, making their positions difficult to replace.

The Rutgers men’s basketball program got extremely lucky this off-season, as none of their rotation players opted to enter the transfer portal. Unlike football, the men’s basketball program has found some success playing in the Big Ten Conference, beating teams like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan State. With the tip-off of the 2022-23 season just a few days away, it will be interesting to see who Pickiell leans on to carry his team to another NCAA tournament.

Come tip-off on Monday, November 7, 2022 against Columbia University, look for Pickiell to call upon junior center Clifford Omoruyi and senior guard Paul Mulcahy. Last season, Omoruyi led the Scarlet Knights in rebounding owning the paint with roughly 8 rebounds a game. As for Mulcahy, he was a big contributor to Rutgers’ success as he was an excellent vacillator averaging a little more than five assists per game. Going into the 2022-23 season, Mulcahy is going to have to be more of a score-first guard rather than passing it off. Look for Mulcahy’s points per game to increase this season since Baker and Harper are no longer in the lineup. It will be interesting to see who Pickiell’s sixth man will be this year as many returning Scarlet Knights have experience from last season. My guess would be Dean Reiber who averaged 7.5 minutes a game last season. Reiber will be called upon when Omoruyi needs some rest allowing Rutgers to stretch the floor with his ability to shoot the three-ball.

The 2022-23 season is going to be an exciting year for Rutgers basketball as each year the team has shown signs of improvement. Come Monday, November 7, look for Pickiell and the Scarlet Knights to make strides toward their third straight NCAA tournament.