# Rutgers beats Rider - Program Changing Win



## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

THIS IS FROM RUTGERSAL, ONE OF THE BIGGEST HOMERS I HAVE EVER SEEN. THIS WAS HIST POST AFTER RUTGERS BEAT... RIDER..... IN OVERTIME. JN


Program CHANGING Win 

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Years from now, when Fred Hill is inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame, we will look back on the performance of this Rider Game, as the contest which changed the fortunes of this Rutgers basketball program.

What is so significant about this game, is that we won, in the face of great adversity, with our best player shooting poorly, and our second best player, Greg Echinique unavailable. In their stead, other players rose to the occasion, picked up the slack, and have now made Rutgers a possibility to beat any team on any given day. 

I want to start out with Hamady because he epitomizes the metamorphisis that Rutgers basketball is undergoing. 9 Points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocked shots are an Emeka Okafor like performance. He only mishandled a few shots, and really got us going early on, scoring our first 4 points, and had 6 points within the first 6 minutes of the game. I didn't have a problem with Hill taking out Hamady after his first four points, because we were going to need him to stay out of foul trouble the entire game, and sure enough, he picked up his second foul with a minute to go in the half.
If Hamady continues to get better, there's no reason why he can't be a lottery pick.

When Hamady went out, Austin Johnson came in, gave us quality minutes, played hard, hustled, and even picked up 6 points and three rebounds along the way. Coming into this season, i was expecting a little more than nothing, from Austin Johnson, but he is really demonstrating to be a player, which is a pleasant surprised.

Dane Miller struggled a little bit, but I love how he is always looking to pass the ball, and seems to be a very unselfish player.

Jonathan Mitchells shooting was quite a revelation, especially going 2 of 3 from downtown to contribute 17 points to the cause.

Mike Rosario, even though he didn't have that great of a game, shooting the ball and turning it over, did other things such as snaring rebounds, and getting to the free throw line. With him being so productive, (18 points) despite a subpar game, I can't wait to see the boxscore, when he hits his stride.

Mike Coburn was an assist machine yesterday, getting 5, and while some are down on his ability, I think he continues to get better, and is a clear example of Coach Hills player development ability. Heck, I don't know if any of our guards had 5 assists total last season!

And finally last, but definitely not least, James Beatty turned in a Jerome Coleman like performance. Over the weekend, I was really wishing we had landed Eric Bledsoe, especially after Bledsoe led Kentucky over Indiana with around 22 points. Now after that UNCONSCIOUS performance (6 of 8 behind the arc), I'm content with the talent of our guards. 

This was a program changing win, because we won with players other than Rosario and Echinique making significant contributions. This shows that Fred Hill has successfully stocked the Rutgers cupboard with enough talent to be competitive and I feel confident in our prospects to pull some upsets along the way. We're young but unselfish, and from watching the games, i think our team chemistry is the best its been in quite a long time.

With Rutgers basketball probably looking at 9-3 before the onset of our big east schedule, I can't help but wonder if this is basketballs season like Rutgers footballs 2006 season. Can't wait to find out!


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## bball2223 (Jul 21, 2006)

He is a riot. He is a legend on the rivals football recruiting board for his homer ways. His act is getting kind of old, but I still get a chuckle out of it.


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## SheriffKilla (Jan 1, 2004)

Rosario = Ben Gordon
Hamady = Okafor
AND Echenique is > Blake Griffin
NC RUTgers


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## TucsonClip (Sep 2, 2002)

You mean the greatest recruiting class the history of the Eastern seabord didnt change the program?


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

bball2223 said:


> He is a riot. He is a legend on the rivals football recruiting board for his homer ways. His act is getting kind of old, but I still get a chuckle out of it.


Did not realize that he was such a well known figure. Figured he was just an isolated nutcase.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

RutgerSal is on Jersey Shore right? Tee hee. Joisey baby.


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