The field of 68 was revealed on Sunday night for the 2023 NCAA Tournament. However, there’s always one team every year that many expected to get into the tournament and ultimately doesn’t. That team this year appears to be the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers didn’t have the best finish to the season, losing seven of their last 10 games including a Big Ten Tournament loss to eventual Big Ten champion Purdue. This seems to be the deciding factor that ultimately had them on the outside of the bubble.
They were ultimately the second team left out of the NCAA Tournament according to the NCAA Tournament selection committee behind Oklahoma State.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) March 12, 2023
Their resume compares pretty favorably to teams that ultimately did get into the tournament. Rutgers have a higher NET rating, which ranks both defensive and offensive efficiency than both Providence and Arizona State, who were both tournament teams.
Rutgers is 16 places higher (40th) than Providence in NET. Nine places higher (35th) on KP's adjusted efficiency.
Arizona State is 66th in NET and 68th in KP.
Make it make sense.
— Jeff Neiburg (@Jeff_Neiburg) March 12, 2023
Many around the college basketball world see this as the major mistake of this year’s NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday.
78 of 83 bracketologists on Bracket Matrix had Rutgers in. THAT is as big a surprise snub as you will ever see
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 12, 2023
ASU and Pitt getting in over Rutgers is a joke. https://t.co/wDlEnHGV5g
— Tork Mason (@CoachMason33) March 12, 2023
How Rutgers didn’t make it just is confusing to me
— Brian Butch (@Brian_Butch) March 12, 2023
Rutgers got sort of screwed, and this coming from someone who really doesn't like Rutgers.
— Ⓙⓔⓕⓕ Ⓐⓑⓡⓐⓜⓞ 🍊 (@JeffAbramo) March 12, 2023
Rutgers beats Purdue at Purdue and doesn’t make the tourney. Brutal beat
— Ryan Wing (@RyanWingFOX11) March 12, 2023
For real though Rutgers got SNUBBED
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) March 12, 2023
Perhaps the biggest reason for Rutgers’ omission could have been prevented entirely before the season even began. Their non-conference strength of schedule left much to be desired, sitting at 314th most difficult in the country.
Rutgers with the No. 314 nonconference SOS. Seems like the committee punishes at least one bad noncon SOS per season
— Eamonn Brennan (@eamonnbrennan) March 12, 2023
If they had tested themselves better outside of conference play, they would certainly have a much better argument to be in the tournament.
They will instead be playing in the NIT Tournament, agreeing to play in the tournament on Sunday night shortly after missing out on the NCAA Tournament.
Rutgers will accept bid to NIT which comes out at 10 p.m.
— Chris Nalwasky (@ChrisNalwasky) March 13, 2023
