One of the most successful seasons in Rutgers basketball history came to a close on Sunday night in Indianapolis, where the 10-seeded Scarlet Knights fell to two-seed Houston in a gut-wrenching 63-60 loss in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
It concludes a season that featured Rutgers’ first March Madness appearance in 30 years, its first NCAA Tournament win in 38 years and its second consecutive winning record, a feat it had not achieved in 30 years.
The offseason the Scarlet Knights now enter is as fascinating as its season was successful.
Who will stay, who will go?
Every player on the roster has the option to return next season after the NCAA issued a blanket waiver on eligibility prior to the season, and head coach Steve Pikiell said Sunday that he would welcome everyone back.
“I love this group. I wanted to coach them forever,” he said. “I told all of them they could all come back. I’d be the happiest coach in America.”
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It took less than an hour after that comment for the first domino to fall: Senior guard Jacob Young hinted his Rutgers career was over with a pair of social media posts, and he might not the only one who chooses not to return.
Senior guard Geo Baker said in his postgame press conference he had not given the decision any thought, but most signs point to him moving on.
Baker is a vocal critic of the NCAA, most recently starting the #NotNCAAProperty hashtag days before the NCAA Tournament began. He already has played four years of college basketball — and attended four years of college classes — so a professional career can be an attractive option.
On the other hand, Baker spoke Sunday night like he might leave the door open a crack while he deals with the devastating loss: “I’ve always wanted my legacy to be a winner,” he said. “I don’t really know where that stands right now, to be honest with you. That is just what I always felt like I am, a winner. That is just what I want to be known for.”
Another question mark is center Myles Johnson, who has two years of eligibility remaining and has the option of becoming a graduate transfer.
An engineering major who wants one day to work in Silicon Valley, Johnson takes his academics as seriously as he takes basketball. He applied to several graduate schools and likely will have the pick if he chooses to pursue other opportunities.
Johnson left all possibilities on the table when he last spoke on the topic in a press conference previewing Senior Night, which he participated in.
“I’m in here, I love it here, I’ve been here for four years,” Johnson said. “Rutgers is definitely still an option, it’s never been off the table.”
And, of course, given the current nature of college basketball, the potential of transfers is always there. There are more than 600 players in the transfer portal as of Sunday afternoon, and that number only will grow in the coming weeks. Every program in the country is vulnerable to players deciding to enter it, and Rutgers is no exception.
Who will come in?
Roster turnover is a natural part of college basketball, but even if Young is the only player to leave the program this offseason, Pikiell and his staff will need to acquire new talent. Incoming freshman Jalen Miller cannot replace Young’s production immediately, and there is no one on the roster who can play the role of ball-dominant guard he did. The only way Rutgers can replace that is through the portal.
The Scarlet Knights already reportedly reached out to Penn State transfer John Harrar, and he likely will not be the last. With the program as marketable as its ever been, Pikiell has a lot to sell in Piscataway.
How does the freshman class develop?
Pikiell was high on the current crop of freshmen in the preseason, but with no proper preseason and a minuscule non-conference schedule, the group had a tough time adapting. Center Cliff Omoruyi was the only one of the quintet to play significant minutes (15 per game), with the other three left to play garbage time minutes during Big Ten play.
With a full offseason ahead, the development of the group could determine the trajectory of next season. Early enrollee Jaden Jones will have an opportunity to earn some minutes after spending the winter watching, learning and bulking up. The same goes for Oskar Palmquist, Dean Reiber and Mawot Mag.
Will the coaching staff stay intact?
Pikiell held his coaching staff together for a remarkably long time, losing just one assistant coach — Jay Young, who became the head coach at Fairfield -- in his five seasons at Rutgers. Can he do it again?
Assistant coach Brandin Knight is viewed as a future head coach, and it is only a matter of time until he gets serious consideration for a low-to-mid-major job. Expect his name to show up on a shortlist or two this offseason.
How will fanbase set expectations?
The 2019-20 season was an unexpected odyssey into success for Rutgers. The 2020-21 season was about getting back to the NCAA Tournament after the coronavirus pandemic took the chance away from the program, and Scarlet Knight supporters were thrilled just to be in March Madness for the first time in 30 years.
How will expectations shift?
It will not take another 30 years for Rutgers to return to March Madness; the program’s foundation is too solid, the man in charge is too good at his job and the enthusiasm around the program is unprecedented in the past half-century. It is not a question of whether Rutgers will be back in the NCAA Tournament, but how often? The question for the fanbase is: how often is enough to satisfy it?
That will be answered in time, but it is a fascinating question those in Piscataway have not had to ponder throughout a long stretch where fans were just desperate to get into the NCAA Tournament one time.
For Pikiell, the measuring stick is clear.
“This team made history,” Pikiell said. “They now become the standard for what we want to be at Rutgers.”
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com.