PISCATAWAY -- Rutgers basketball fans have decades of experience dealing with disappointment in the regular season, but a preseason gut-punch is something new.
Coming off a hopeful season that injected some life into a dormant program, Rutgers put together possibly the easiest non-conference schedule in the country. It was released Monday afternoon.
For fans hoping that Rutgers can end a drought of 11 straight years with no postseason by reaching the NIT, the non-conference schedule will be a real obstacle to overcome in March.
Unlike when Rutgers reached the 2004 NIT final, the top consolation field is picked based on resume and strength of schedule these days.