Cliff Omoruyi treats the notion that Rutgers is rebuilding the same way that he has 128 of his opponents’ shots over the last three seasons.
“I’m going to swat that like a blocked shot,” Omoruyi told The Post. “With everything we have, the goal is to go deep in the NCAA Tournament.”
Omoruyi is the last remaining of the foundational players who helped Rutgers end a 20-year NCAA Tournament drought in 2021 and become an annual bubble team. For the first time, however, the 6-foot-11 center will be the focal point of the offense as much as he is the eraser on defense.
“He’s going to be one of the best big guys in the country,” said head coach Steve Pikiell, who is allowing Omoruyi to handle the ball in the open floor. “Going from a rookie who I think led the league in fouls-per-minutes to being on the All-Defensive Team, two years later, is unbelievable in this league.”
After expanding his game beyond an NCAA-leading dunk total to knock down mid-range shots on his way to averaging 13.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game as a junior, Omoruyi wants to round out his offensive skill set in accordance with feedback received while participating in pre-NBA draft workouts. He withdrew his name in May.
“I have a lot of tricks whenever my back is to the basket. If you don’t double, it’s 80 or 90 percent that I’m making it, so you better come with a double every time,” Omoruyi said. “This year, I want to become a better passer and reduce my turnovers. We have a lot of shooters, so we can spread the floor and once they come to double, I can kick it out and get more assists.”
Rutgers missed the tournament last season after a stunning 3-8 finish (19-15 overall) when it seemed like there was confusion on who wanted to take the big shot.
“It is a little bit of both motivation — every little thing matters — and it’s in the past now,” Omoruyi said. “There’s a lot of unfinished business. One of the things is to fill Coach Pikiell’s trophy case: Final Four, NCAA Tournament and the Big Ten trophy. That is what we’re aiming for.”
Omoruyi is on pace to become the third player in program history to notch 1,000 rebounds and the sixth to reach 200 blocks. He will share some esteemed company with 1970s legends Phil Sellers and James Bailey.
Beginning with Monday’s season-opener against Princeton, if Rutgers is down two late in the game, what happens?
“I want that ball,” Omoruyi said. “I’m going at it. I’m going to get an and-one.”
Omoruyi is a franchise player who has expanded his offensive game while still protecting the rim. He is surrounded by improved athleticism and depth to keep those speedy guards’ legs fresh. The Big Ten has a couple national powers, but the overall depth is down and Rutgers should compete for a spot as high as No. 5 in the regular season.
Is there enough shooting to win games if Rutgers no longer is going to play slugfests in the 40s? It seems there never is enough frontcourt depth for when Omoruyi winds up in foul trouble. A lot of vocal leadership walked out the door. What happened to one of the Big Ten’s best home-court advantages? Last season’s 14-6 mark isn’t good enough.
The rise of the program in Pikiell’s first seven seasons is synonymous with roster stability and player development. Five newcomers joining the rotation at once is unprecedented. Starting point guard Noah Fernandes (UMass) and Austin Williams (Marist) are transfers, Gavin Griffiths and Jamichael Davis are freshmen, and Emmanuel Ogbole is a junior-college transfer. They have six games to develop chemistry before the big tests start.
If Pikiell allows it, the offense will ditch the traditional Big Ten plodding pace for more fastbreaks and quick shots. Fernandes is the key to an up-tempo style. Derek Simpson flashed microwave scoring as a freshman. But that means more time spent at the other end of the floor, where Pikiell keeps saying he is “scared to death” of the defense.
It took heartbreak for Pikiell to finally revisit his soft non-conference scheduling philosophy. Rutgers is at Wake Forest (preseason No. 6 in the ACC) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and added “neutral-site” in-state games against Mississippi State (preseason No. 7 in the SEC) and Princeton (off its surprise Sweet 16 run). If nothing else, the team should be more prepared for Big Ten play.
Rutgers crumbled down the stretch after Mag tore his ACL last season. He is the best option for filling even half of the enormous shoes left behind by 2023 National Defensive Player of the Year Caleb McConnell. Mag is cleared for contact but likely will be brought along slowly in the early part of the season. How is his lateral movement?
The Scarlet Knights have lost four straight on the road to the Pirates dating to 2013 and two straight overall. The two teams are evenly matched, and the rivalry always produces controversial calls and unlikely stars. This is the third of three games against New Jersey rivals because Princeton and St. Peter’s (Nov. 27) were added to the schedule after a decade of series dormancy.
Jersey Mike’s Arena (formerly the RAC) has been a headache for former New Jersey recruits returning home to play as a visitor. Next up is consensus five-star Mackenzie Mgbako, who played high school ball about 30 minutes from campus but committed to Indiana despite Rutgers’ dominance in the rivalry (8-2) since 2020. There’s already bad blood between the teams.
Purdue better hope it is not ranked No. 1 that week. Rutgers has upset the top-ranked Boilermakers in each of the past two seasons, earning this game a national audience on Fox. Omoruyi and reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey couldn’t go about making huge impacts at center any differently.
Health, defense, 3-point shooting: There is no shortage of questions. It’s a talented roster, but will the whole be equal to the sum of the parts? Molding individuals into a team with chemistry happens to be Pikiell’s specialty. Expect another anxious wait and coin-flip decision on Selection Sunday.