Is Miami basketball being fairly matched in ACC-Big Ten Challenge?

The consensus ACC Power Rankings for the 2018-19 season have Miami basketball ranked 11th in the conference. The Hurricanes will host Rutgers in this year’s ACC- Big Ten Challenge. The Scarlett Knights are projected 14th in the Big Ten in 2018-19.

The Miami basketball program is hosting Rutgers for the second time in the last three ACC-Big Ten Challenges. Rutgers is entering its fifth season in the Big Ten. They have finished 14th, last in the conference in their first four seasons. The Scarlet Knights have a cumulative record of 9-63 in Big Ten Games in those four years.

Playing the Scarlet Knights is not a representative challenge for where the Miami and Rutgers basketball programs are currently at. Rutgers should be playing Pittsburgh in this year’s Challenge. The Panthers have lost 34 of their last 39 ACC basketball games.

Changing coaches didn’t make a difference. Former Rutgers star Eddie Jordan guided the Scarlet Knights for six seasons. He oversaw Rutgers transition from one season in the American Athletic Conference to the Big Ten.

Jordan came to Rutgers with 17 seasons experience of coaching in the NBA. That included seven as a Head Coach and parts of two others.

Jordan led the Washington Wizards for five seasons before being fired after a 1-10 start in the 2008-09 season. He also led the Sacramento Kings in the late 1990s and the Philadelphia 76ers in 2009-10.

Jordan led the Wizards to four consecutive playoff appearances between 2005-08. The 2005 team defeated the Bulls in six games in the first round. The Wizards were swept in the second round by the Miami Heat. Even Jordan was unable to elevate Rutgers basketball program.

The Scarlet Knights have not had a winning season since 2005-06 when they were in the Big East. Rutgers has not made the NCAA Tournament since 1991 when they were a member of the Atlantic Ten.