Why Rutgers Needs a Point Guard

Rutgers needs a point guard for next year.

This much seems as obvious as the news that the sun will rise tomorrow.

As things stand now, the Scarlet Knights have just three guards on the roster for next season: Corey Chandler, Mike Rosario and Mike Coburn. Chandler is a combo guard who excels best in transition and when creating for himself, not for others; Rosario (pictured) is a shooter who needs someone to set him up and dish him the rock; Coburn is a solid contributer but not a starting point guard in the Big East. He started and had 3 points and 2 assists Sunday when Rutgers struggled before coming out on top against Delaware State, 60-55, at the RAC.

And it’s not like there’s a glut of available point guards out there, either.

Vincent Council, a 6-foot-2 New York native at The Patterson (NC) School, says Providence and Rutgers are his top two, but Providence expects he will sign with them sometime soon. Patterson coach Chris Chaney also said he’s “leaning toward Providence.” Council says he’ll decide sometime in January.

If Rutgers doesn’t get Council, they could be in trouble next year.

As things stand right this moment, Anthony Farmer is Rutgers’
top point guard…and he’s graduating. Farmer had a season-high 17 points and 3 assists in the Delaware State game.

“I have all the confidence in the world in him,” Rutgers head coach Fred Hill said. “He is the senior leader and we went to a couple things that we haven’t run a whole lot this year that I think he is particularly good at and confident in. I put the ball in his hands to go make a play. Today, he was outstanding. One turnover and three assists, and obviously he made shots.”

As a team, Rutgers is 15th in the 16-team Big East at 10.1 assists per game…and that’s with Farmer on the roster. Only DePaul (9.8) is worse.

The teams at the top of the conference in the all-important assists category all happen to be ranked in the Top 25. Here’s how the assists leaders look: Louisville (20), Notre Dame (19.6), Syracuse (18.7), Pitt (18.3), Marquette (16.6), UConn (15.4) and Villanova (15.2). St. John’s (14.3) is 11th and Seton Hall (13.1) is 13th.

Rutgers needs to find itself a point guard for next year…and quick.