It’s February 4th, 2023 and Rutgers has just beaten Michigan State at the Garden. Mawot Mag went down with a scary leg injury, but the Scarlet Knights are riding high, starting the conference slate 8-4. The availability of Mag is a concern, but with Rutgers projected as high as a 4 seed in some brackets, many are very optimistic about their chances to finish the season strong.
Now fast forward a month to today. It’s now March 12th, Selection Sunday, and Rutgers has been left out of the NCAA tournament. In just over a month, the Scarlet Knights’ season has done a complete 180.