In an unofficial media preseason poll conducted together by The Columbus Dispatch and The Athletic, the Rutgers men’s basketball team has been shown greater respect than ever before. The Scarlet Knights were picked last every year up until last season when they were picked to finish 12th. After a program best 11-9 conference record since joining the league, they ended up finishing in a four-way tie for fifth place, earning the 8 seed due to tiebreakers in the eventually cancelled Big Ten Tournament.
In this season’s poll, released on Tuesday morning, Rutgers was picked to finish 5th in the conference out of 14 teams.