Men’s College Basketball Preview: Rutgers, Seton Hall

Optimism is in the air in Piscataway and South Orange as two of New Jersey's biggest men's college basketball programs, Rutgers and Seton Hall, prepare to take to the court this season.

RUTGERS: Rice Expects Rutgers To Take Big Step This Season

The last time Rutgers was a player in its conference, Syracuse transfers Keith Hughes and Earl Duncan helped the Scarlet Knights win 11 of their final 12 conference games to finish 14-4 in the Atlantic 10 en route to the NCAA tournament.

That was 20 years ago.

Rutgers hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since. It has also not had a winning conference record since. And only five winning seasons in the past two decades.

Coach Mike Rice expects all that to change this season. That's what happened at his first head coaching job in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, when he took Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Northeast Conference championship in 2009.

Granted, the NEC is not the Big East Conference. But this is who Mike Rice is.

Seton Hall: Pope The Key Cog For Seton Hall With Hazell Gone

After undergoing heart surgery 15 months ago and struggling somewhat last season, Seton Hall senior forward Herb Pope is healthy and ready to return to the premier status he enjoyed two seasons ago.

"I feel like I'm a little better than 100 percent," Pope said. "My ultimate goal this year is to be the Big East Player of the Year. I totally respect the others in the league. "But I now feel like I am one of the best power forwards in the  country."

That's a complete resurrection for the 6-foot-8 Pope, who was a mere shell of himself last season. He averaged 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, a year after averaging 11.5 and a conference-leading 10.7, becoming the first Seton Hall player to lead the league in rebounding since Glenn Mosley in 1976-77.