School basketball rankings: Rutgers makes case for at-large NCAA Event bid after win over Illinois

Illinois misplaced at Rutgers on Wednesday evening 70-59, so the Illini have now dropped two of their previous three video games and fallen to sixteenth in Thursday morning’s up to date CBS Sports activities Prime 25 And 1.

Now can we give attention to Rutgers?

Sure, this house is normally reserved for groups within the Prime 25 And 1. No, the Scarlet Knights haven’t entered the Prime 25 And 1. However Rutgers, ranked or not, is popping into probably the most fascinating tales in school basketball. Steve Pikiell’s staff is trending towards an at-large bid to the 2022 NCAA Event after beginning the season 3-3 with no good wins and losses to UMass and Lafayette.

Rutgers now has six Quadrant 1 wins. That’s nice. However the Scarlet Knights even have three losses outdoors of the primary two quadrants, together with a Quadrant 4 loss. That’s actually dangerous.

And it’s all bizarre.

Actually no faculty within the nation with at the very least three losses outdoors of the primary two quadrants has greater than three Quadrant 1 wins – besides Rutgers. And, once more, Rutgers has six Quadrant 1 wins.

It’s the goofiest abstract within the sport.

I’ll anticipate the nice Jerry Palm to weigh in on whether or not this four-game profitable streak that includes victories over Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Illinois has been sufficient to push Rutgers to the best aspect of the bubble earlier than I name the Scarlet Knights a probable at-large staff. But when they’re not there but, they’re clearly getting shut. And now Sunday’s journey to Purdue is approach larger than anyone assumed it might be simply two weeks in the past.

Itching for extra school hoops evaluation? Pay attention under and subscribe to the Eye on School Basketball podcast the place we take you past the hardwood with insider info and instantaneous reactions.

Prime 25 And 1 rankings