Its 30-year-old demons finally exorcised, Rutgers now takes dance floor

Geo Baker shot Rutgers into NCAA Tournament for first time in three decades, but Scarlet Knights’ senior guard is not satisfied with just being there. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

The 30-year wait is over.

But just because Rutgers finally exorcised its 1991 demons once and for all when the Scarlet Knights were announced Sunday as the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Regional and Clemson’s opponent in the NCAA Tournament, by no means is New Jersey’s representative in the field of 68 just thrilled with merely showing up.

“For two years now, this has been a journey,” a visibly relieved Steve Pikiell remarked after Rutgers was locked into the field, making good on his guarantee the day he was hired in 2016 that March Madness would be present on the banks. “Last year never ended, the season just stopped. Not being able to play last year just carried over to this year, and these guys just kept plugging away. But I’m just happy for our guys. They did all the sacrificing, they did all the work. My staff, too, does an unbelievable job.”

“To have an opportunity for a national championship — 30 years ago, I was playing in this tournament at Connecticut — I’m happy now our guys get to experience now what I experienced as a student-athlete. They made history.”

With the exception of Jacob Young, who suited up in the NCAA Tournament at Texas before his arrival in Piscataway, the events to come over the time between Selection Sunday and the opening tip sometime after 9 p.m. Friday are a maiden voyage for every other player on the roster. Despite the uncharted territory, Pikiell believes the mindset will be a positive one, in an atmosphere he considered his team to be well-equipped to handle.

“What are you going to do with this opportunity? That was my first question to them,” he said. “Confidence is never a problem with this group, it hasn’t been for two years. We’ve played really good basketball, so I feel really good. We’re ready for any challenge, we’ve seen every style. We’re a confident group. If we defend and rebound, we can play with anybody, and we’re exciting to watch, too.”

“Even though we haven’t been to the tournament, I feel like we have an experienced group,” Geo Baker added, doubling down on his head coach’s optimism. “We understand that we can’t let our emotions get the best of us during games, so as long as we stay level-headed, I’m not too worried about that. I think we should be okay.”

Last year remains a sensitive subject, and rightfully so given the abrupt and uncontrollable nature of the circumstances that snatched a potential deep run into March away from this group, but all it has done is make this iteration of the Scarlet Knights more determined to prove they belong on the national stage.

“That disappointment turned into hunger,” Ron Harper, Jr. declared. “It adds fuel to the fire, it makes you want to do it again.”

“It’s an awesome feeling,” Paul Mulcahy proclaimed, citing an education received along the way. “It really kind of told us a lot about the history of the program. Obviously, 30 years is a long time, none of us were alive, but there’s also been a lot of people that supported the program those 30 years, so I’m really happy for those people.”

Delirium has set in, the anticipation of getting there having culminated in the achievement of one goal. But as one door closes, another opens, a new sense of enthusiasm and big dreams waiting to greet its newfound visitor on the other side.

“It was just everything we dreamed of, everything that we’ve been waiting for,” said Baker. “We’re just really happy to see our hard work paid off. We’re a big part of history. That’s something that’s always going to be really special to me and all the other guys.”

Its time, at long last, has arrived, and if this blue-collar group has its way, the culture and style it spent the past two years honing into a unique brand will not be a cameo appearance on the dance floor after working this hard to come this far.

“(We're) a bunch of humble and hungry guys,” Young opined. “I feel like we’re always looked over and we’re always talked down on, and we feel like we’ve got something to prove.”

“We’re all winners,” Baker reiterated. “I feel like we all came here to win, and now we’re in a tournament of winners, so we get to really see what could happen. I just really feel like it’s destiny.”