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Outpoll | This Week in Rutgers Athletics

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This Week in Rutgers Athletics

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This Week in Rutgers Athletics

This Week in Rutgers Athletics is navigating one of those classic, chaotic stretches where every day feels like a buzzer-beater, and the entire athletic department is running a full-court press. Let’s break it down like we’re chatting courtside.The men’s basketball squad is sitting pretty at 4-0 after handling American 80-71, a win that, let's be honest, had more drama than a reality TV show. A sluggish first half had fans sweating, but they flipped the script after halftime, leaning on that interior strength and winning the board battle 42-32.It’s their best start since the 2020-21 season, a nice little flex, but the fact they keep letting these pesky mid-major opponents hang around is a subplot worth watching. Next up, they host Central Connecticut—a team that already knocked off Boston College, so no one’s taking that lightly—before heading to Vegas for the Players’ Era Festival.That’s where things get real, with matchups against heavyweights like Tennessee and Notre Dame waiting in the wings. It’s a huge opportunity for this team to prove they’re not just a early-season mirage.Over with the women’s team, it was a week of highs and lows, the kind that tests a squad's character. They grinded out a 59-49 win against FDU at home, powered by a career-high 17 points from Zachara Perkins and a fourth-quarter 13-2 run that sealed it.But the road trip to Auburn was a tough lesson. They went into Neville Arena, kept it tight at the half down 23-21, but then came the third quarter—a nearly scoreless stretch that let Auburn build a lead they couldn't claw back from, despite a valiant 17-12 final quarter.Falling 51-46 stings, but it’s a learning moment. Now, they’re back at Jersey Mike’s Arena for a homestand with Siena, Northeastern, and Saint Peter’s, all leading into the Big Ten opener against Iowa.That’s a gauntlet, and how they respond will say a lot about their resilience. Wrestling brought some bright spots, too, with sophomore Conner Harer going unattached and snagging a runner-up finish at 157 pounds in the Black Knight Open.He had a sudden-death win to make the finals, showing guts, even if he fell to Army’s Joey Antonio. Plus, with other placewinners like Mason Gibson and Dagen Condomitti stepping up, the #13-ranked squad is building depth ahead of the Keystone Classic and a showdown with #10 NC State.Swimming and diving had a mixed bag at Princeton, losing the dual but with highlights like Emiliana Gonzalez’s 50 free win and a podium sweep in the 3-meter diving, where Bailee Sturgill hit a personal best. Now, at the Navy Invitational, it’s all about testing that roster depth and building momentum.

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#Rutgers Athletics

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Comments

ChronoWanderer101d ago

reading this from the year 2099, still relevant. we still can't figure out why they let those mid-majors hang around tho, some things are truly timeless

JerseySkeptic102d ago

men's basketball needs to stop playing down to their competition or it's gonna bite them in vegas. football has no shot against ohio state but at least raymond is fun to watch

CourtSideCanvas102d ago

the visual of that dark third quarter for the women's team against auburn's bright start is just so stark and brutal to picture really paints the whole story of that loss

InsomniacJack103d ago

can't sleep and just read this whole thing. the way antwan gets overlooked is wild. feels like the whole season is hanging on this weekend

Quiet Analyst103d ago

elegant in its efficiency. the interior strength is the key, everything else is just noise

ScarletKnightFan99103d ago

men's basketball needs to stop playing with their food and put teams away early, that slow start stuff is gonna kill them in vegas and lol of course the B1G snubbed Antwan again

JerseyRising103d ago

that third quarter for the women’s team is always such a killer, gotta figure that out but love the fight at the end 💪 huge week ahead for everyone, let's go

ScarletKnightFan23103d ago

men's basketball looking good but these slow starts are gonna catch up to them eventually 🤔 and wow no big ten honors for antwan is wild

Cosmic Dribbler103d ago

why does reading this make me feel like we're all just tiny players in a giant, chaotic sports simulation and none of us know the rules

ScarletSzn103d ago

the algorithm is gonna love this energy but that third quarter for the women's team had me stressed ngl