Rutgers Basketball Will Not Participate In Postseason Tournaments
The Rutgers basketball season has come to an end.
After days of consideration, the program made it official. The Scarlet Knights announced that they will not participate in postseason tournaments this year.
Rutgers was eliminated by USC in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday night. Following the elimination, the internal discussions started about participating in either the NIT or College Basketball Crown tournament. The program announced in a statement that the team would not be playing in either.
"The Rutgers men's basketball program will not participate in any postseason tournaments this season. We would like to thank our players and staff for their hard work this year and our fans for their continued support."
Head coach Steve Pikiell and the team came to this decision after a disappointing season ended with a record of 15-17. After beginning the season ranked No. 25 in the nation, the Scarlet Knights quickly fell down rankings with poor performances up and down the schedule.
If Rutgers would have accepted a bid to the NIT, it would have opened up on the road. The tournament did away with its .500 record requirement years ago. The College Basketball Crown is a new tournament that will feature 16 teams battling it out in Las Vegas over the course of one week to win the title.
If Rutgers did accept a bid to the postseason, it would have come into question whether Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper would have declined to play. Both are expected to be among the top players taken in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Recommended Articles
Greg Patuto is a sports writer who covers College Football, College Basketball, MLB, and NBA. He previously worked as Managing Editor at SB Nation's On The Banks, covering Rutgers Athletics, and has also been featured on Fox Sports, NJ.com, ClutchPoints, and FanSided. Greg enjoys spending time with his family while rooting for the Washington Commanders and New York Mets.