Q&A with Rutgers Basketball HC Steve Pikiell previewing College Basketball Crown

Following the team’s first practice back since the season ended, Rutgers Basketball Head Coach Steve Pikiell spoke with the media about participating in the College Basketball Crown, the latest on his roster and much more.

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Just excitement level coach, with this opportunity, a couple extra practices, we’re sure but competitive games and a chance to win a tournament?

STEVE PIKIELL: “We’re excited to keep the season going. You can see by the way we practiced today, these guys are excited. Young guys get some opportunities to keep playing. Huge schools in this, we’re in Vegas on national TV. You know, get to go home for Chris [Nwuli] too, he’s from Vegas, so we have a player from Vegas. We got West Coast guys too, Lino [Mark]. The guys are excited about playing in it and excited to take advantage of the opportunities. The longer you can keep your season going, great experience for the guys, and it’s going to be a good trip for us.”

How are you guys doing health-wise? I know you had a couple guys questionable towards the end of the season, a couple guys out.

STEVE PIKIELL: “Yeah, I mean, okay. I think as healthy as you can be right now, a couple guys tweaked their ankles and some things like that. Chris is back playing, he couldn’t play the last few games. So those guys have gotten back healthy and hopefully we get through this week healthy too.”

How have you guys – from learning that you were gonna be able to play in the Crown, and to now in practicing – how have you guys kind of processed that and gotten back in the swing of things?

STEVE PIKIELL: “Yeah, I mean, they went on spring break, so they were home for the week. We just got them back into the swing of things this week. They just came back to school on Monday, so lifting weights, get ’em moving, doing individuals, and then today was the first day back on the floor as a team. So slowly getting them back to where they were at the end, and at the end of the year they we’re playing really good basketball. So I think they’re excited about this opportunity but gotta get them back into the swing of things. Tomorrow will be a good practice, Saturday will be a good practice, and we’ll be well prepared.”

When you talk about development, it’s a young group, still kind of coming together, how important are these practices for being able to take that step for next year?

STEVE PIKIELL: “You know, I think really, really important. You know the young guys, just anytime you could play on national TV against Creighton and against teams that are in the Stanfords and the West Virginias and the Oklahomas, it’s just great. It’s great for your program, it’s great for the kids, you steal some pressure time. You know, games, you got more film to watch, more scouting reports. They would be working out anyways, but now they’re working out for an opportunity to win something. So I think really, really important. And our young guys they’ve developed as the year went on, this is another great opportunity for them to take another opportunity and get better.”

I think the biggest concern among the fans when you guys accepted the invite was the portal prep and all that stuff. I know you said the phone works everywhere, but how’s the kind of prep been with all that?

STEVE PIKIELL: “We got a great plan for the portal. I mean, the portal doesn’t open until after, like last year it was very different. I have a GM who’s awesome. We got an AD now that, you know. But phones ring in Vegas, last time I checked. When I was there this year, the phone rang a lot, and it rings in Piscataway. So it really absolutely affects nothing. When that opens, that’ll be that time of the year. So we’ll worry about that, but we have a good game plan. I got a guy that’s doing a fantastic job, and Keli has been awesome, so huge help.”

I know it’s early in the preparation process, but Creighton as a team, what they do, what kind of stands out to you?

STEVE PIKIELL: “Yeah, I mean, terrific three-point shoot. Creighton’s been known for their ability to shoot, really skilled players. Obviously a great coach, and I think he’s coaching for the last time, so it’ll be emotional and they’ll play hard, but really good basketball program. Real skilled shooters at every level, and a couple of them played in our league. The Iowa kids were elite when they were at Iowa, so I have a little feel for those guys, and then the rest of them can really complement each other. You make mistakes, and they make threes, and they run the floor, they run good stuff, so another challenge for us. They kind of remind me a little of Minnesota, the way they play on the offensive end.”

This time last year, you were probably evaluating the film on Tariq Francis. Do you remember what popped out from him when you saw him?

STEVE PIKIELL: “You know what was the great part of him, I talked to every coach, I used to coach in the America East. I talked to every coach, some unbelievable perspective when you talk to the Vermont coach and the UMBC coach. So I watched a lot of film, scores at an elite level, came here this year scored at an elite level. Scoring translates, but I also knew he was a great kid, he’s a great student, he’s a worker, knew a lot of those things. You do the best job you can evaluating in a short period of time, but he’s a guy that led a league in scoring. There’s only a few of those guys, there’s only so many leagues. Had a fantastic year, obviously.”

Looking back at last summer, you guys brought in a big freshman class. Looking at that first practice, compared to now, what’s the biggest thing that stands out among that group of freshmen?

STEVE PIKIELL: “You guys saw them play this year. Some of them didn’t check into games early in the year, then they were in the starting lineup. They’ve progressed tremendously, guys get better. They’ve all gained weight, they’ve all learned how to play basketball, they’ve learned how to practice. So it happens, we had a lot of young guys, but that’s kind of your resources dictate your roster. And so they had to get better, and they good part is they all got better. So it’s been a good progression.”

You touched on this already, but you said the guys would have been working out anyways. But now they’re working towards being able to win something. How does that change, or does it change at all, like the preparation, the way that they attack certain parts?

STEVE PIKIELL: “They’re excited, I mean there’s some NIL on the line, it’s a great tournament. Again, you got eight teams, all really good programs. They’re excited about playing on national TV. They’ve been practicing and lifting, and they’ve been grabbing some film in between here, but just another opportunity. These guys wanted to keep their season going, and I like the fact they were all very excited about the opportunity. I’ve had conversations with Fred Hoiberg about last year, people don’t remember, he didn’t make it to the Big Ten Tournament. He played in this, and played really well, and it was a great experience for his guys. Then he went on to, obviously have an outstanding year this year, but he really felt like that tournament was really good for his team. I’m glad we got the opportunity, and got to play some of these great programs.”

You talked about Rob Sullivan a couple times. What does it mean to have him now in this role, focused on the men’s basketball side? What’s the working relationship been like with him?

STEVE PIKIELL: “I mean, only three and a half years ago – four years ago – I wish he was here, he’s an experienced guy. And there’s not a lot of experience in that area, everything’s new. That’s why I laugh, everything’s new, the rules change by the minute. Things you could do yesterday, you can’t do today. We never had rev share, before it wasn’t no rev share, we had collectives. Now we don’t have a collective. It’s just, everyone has the answers, and I laugh sometimes. I said, no one even in the world that we live in has all the answers, you’re learning everyday. He had tremendous experience, dealing with all the different obstacles, and he wakes up every day, that’s what he thinks about. I am thinking about Creighton right now, I am thinking about my workout today with Kaden [Powers], I’m thinking about a lot of different things, scheduling for next year. To have a guy that just wakes up thinking about that has been huge. We talk too many times each day, so I don’t even know what to tell you it is, but he’s very organized, he’s experienced, and it’s been really good, a great game plan.”