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TagsBY KYLE FRANKO
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
PISCATAWAY — On paper, the 2010-11 version of the Rutgers men's basketball team shouldn't win many games.
The Scarlet Knights are undersized, lack depth and, frankly, are not as talented as three quarters of the conference.
But as the old cliché goes: "Games aren't won on paper."
"It's not always about talent," said a confident Dane Miller yesterday during Rutgers' media day at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. "It's about hard work and how much heart you have.
"We beat Georgetown last year. On paper, you could say they were more talented. But that doesn't matter. It's about more heart and we wanted it more that game. Talent plays an effect, but at the same time, it's about how hard you come in and how well you prepare for that game."That's not to say there isn't talent on this Rutgers team. Miller, a Big East All-Freshmen selection, probably has the best skill set of any sophomore in the league.
That's why Scarlet Knights coach Mike Rice is pushing Miller harder in practice than he's ever been pushed before.
"He has a lot on his shoulder, to be honest with you," said Rice, who also admitted he pushes his best players harder. "Dane is somebody who is as gifted as anybody in the Big East. He's learning how to play better with his teammates; he's learning how consistent you have to be to be an elite player in the Big East. Your team leaders have to be the hardest workers, can't take possessions off and they have to buy into what we are doing."
It hasn't always been easy with Miller. Despite his ultra-athletic 6-foot-7 frame and out-of-the-gym hops he can be temperamental at times, throwing unnecessary passes and taking bad shots.
If Rice can eliminate that from Miller's game, he could have one of the best players in school history ready to break out.
"It's a process with Dane," Rice said. "Certainly, he oozes talent and athleticism, but he's somebody that we need to step up night-in-and-night-out and do the little things, not just the spectacular things. The small things are what help us win and Dane has to buy into doing those small things."
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Best yet, Miller's buying into what the preacher's selling.
"It's time to forget about the no-look passes," Miller said. "I have to throw the bounce pass or take the charge or dive on the floor after a loose ball."
"We feed off Coach Rice's energy. The entire program does. When it comes down to it, we are going to work harder and have more heart than you."
A little energy, a little fine-tuning and some attacking basketball and the Scarlet Knights might just surprise a few people.
"I feel like the swagger that we have and the chip we have on our shoulders - we're going to come out and win," Miller said. "I think every player has something to prove. Our main thing is we are going to shock the world, in any way possible. I guarantee you, we will shock the world."
Rutgers (15-17, 5-13) no postseason
Head Coach: Mike Rice, fourth season, first at Rutgers, 73-31 overall
Schedule:
November
12 at Princeton; 15 Fairfield*
21 Miami (Fla.); 23 Norfolk St.*
26 St. Joseph's*
December
1 NJIT; 7 Marist
11 vs. Auburn^; 14 Fairleigh Dickinson
18 at Monmouth; 23 St. Peter's
28 vs. North Carolina (at MSG)
January
2 at Villanova; 5 Marquette
8 Providence; 11 at Connecticut
15 Georgetown; 20 South Florida
22 at Seton Hall; 26 at Cincinnati
29 Pittsburgh
February
2 at St. John's; 6 at Notre Dame
9 Villanova; 12 Seton Hall
19 at Syracuse; 22 Louisville
27 West Virginia
March
2 at DePaul; 5 at Providence
*Philly Hoops Classic ^Big East/SEC Challenge at Pittsburgh
Best Case Scenario:
Mike Rice's high-energy attitude rubs off on his players, who bang above their weight and don't finish in the Big East' bottom four.
Worst Case Scenario:
Rutgers gets off to a 0-3 start and Rice can't keep his undersized team from losing confidence. By the time league play rolls around, the Scarlet Knights are dead in the water and finish a discouraging 15th for the second straight year.
