Rutgers basketball: Paul Mulcahy is molding the offense in his image – Asbury Park Press

Watch: Raw highlights from Rutgers basketball practice

Watch: Raw highlights from Rutgers basketball practice

Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press

PISCATAWAY -- Paul Mulcahy was open in the left corner at the beginning of Rutgers mens basketball practice Friday. The ball quickly worked its way around the perimeter through the air, no dribbles and found him.

Swish.

A few minutes later, he was open in the right corner. Same ball movement, same result: nothing but net.

The casual observer will focus on Mulcahys 3-point stroke. As a freshman, the former Gill St. Bernards star from Bayonne rarely took a shot. As a sophomore he took what defenses gave him and hit a team-high 39% of his triples. Now the junior is looking like a full-fledged sniper, but Mulcahy would rather talk about the passing that led to his open looks.

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I think thats contagious, he said Friday, during the teams media day. Unselfish basketball is contagious. Selfish basketball is contagious. You make the right play, the next guy will make the right play.

No matter how many jumpers he makes, Mulcahy wants the pass-first ethos to be his main imprint on this program. For the Scarlet Knights to return to the NCAA Tournament, thats the roadmap. Last year, there were times when everyone stood around while explosive guard Jacob Young (who is now at Oregon) and others drove headlong at the bucket. Judging from early glimpses of this group, those days are over.

I try to make the right play, and I think a lot of guys are buying into that, Mulcahy said. A lot of guys have learned from last year. Its a fun way to play, its the right way and it works.

For the first time, hes preaching that to the team.

In the past I deferred, but Ive matured a lot, he said.

Its been cool to see his evolution, backcourt mate Geo Baker said. Ive told him, Listen, you know the game better than some of these guys, you have to use your voice. I think we have the right group where he can really excel. We have veterans who are willing to listen and we have younger guys who are willing to listen and learn.

So is Mulcahy. He gets together with newly elevated assistant coach T.J. Thompson two or three times a week to break down film.

T.J. helped me a ton this offseason, he said.

Thompson was a standout point guard at George Washington from 2001-2005, playing under current Rutgers coaches Steve Pikiell and Karl Hobbs.

Pauls been phenomenal, from the way hes improved his jump shot to the way hes leading the team and being more vocal, Thompson said. Im so proud of his growth.

Mulcahy, who stands 6-foot-6, averaged 5.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 27 minutes per game last season. He did much of that with a mangled pinky on his shooting hand.

I got surgery, so Im still trying to come back from that, he said, adding that hes undergoing daily treatment with athletic trainer Richard Campbell. Its better than it was; now its about strengthening it.

Although Pikiell calls Mulcahy a point guard, hell split ball-handling duties with Baker, and there will be times when fellow upperclassmen Ron Harper Jr. and Caleb McConnell initiate the offense as well.

The way weve been playing, we dont really have a set point guard, Baker said. I think well be really sharing the game.

So far, in practice at least, its happening.

This team truly shares the basketball, Pikiell said. That starts with Paul, and it starts with Geo, too.

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Pikiell added two players from the transfer portal, LSU wing Aundre Hyatt and San Jose State center Ralph Agee, and on Friday Pikiell shed some light into thatprocess.

A lot of teams want to stockpile whatever they can in terms of talent five-star, six-star, eight-star guys, he said. Im trying to find guys who are going to fill in the needs we have and fit in with the personality of the team.

In some calls Pikiellmade to transfering players, their first commentwas, How many shots can I get? or Ive got to play this position or Ive got to start.

That was a red flag for a coach with five key players returning.

Aundre and Ralph both said, Well compete, Pikiell said.

Thats exactly what he wanted to hear.

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The freshman guard continues to show thedefensive chops that will earn him minutes. He locked up Baker on a few sequences Friday and held his own no matter who he was matched up against.

In one telling half-court set, he dropped down to double Cliff Omoruyi after the big man received a deft pass from Mulcahy on the low block and would up slapping the ball out of bounds.

Pikiell said Miller and sophomore wing Mawot Mag have been his most consistentdefenders throughout the preseason.

After shooting the lights out at a recent practice observed by media members, Rutgers was not nearly as hot this time around. The Scarlet Knights struggled from the free-throw line Friday and did a bunch of extra wind sprints because of it.

Worth noting: Omoruyi led the teams sprints nearly every time. Thats highly unusual for a center.

Pikiell said it privately in recent weeks, and Friday he went public: McConnell has graded out as the programs most efficient player throughout the preseason based on the teams internal metrics.

While McConnell got denieda seat forthe television interviewduring Big Ten media day the Big Ten Networks setup in Indianapolis only allowed for two players to join the broadcasters (they wanted Baker and Harper, understandably) his contributions will be vital as the Scarlet Knights top defender andjunkyard dog.

Pikiell announced that the season opener vs. Lehigh Nov. 10 has sold out, going off the board along with Michigan (Jan. 4) and Michigan State (Feb. 5). There will be more.

I go to the store now and people want to know (how many tickets are left), Pikiell said. I just tell them, youve got to call.

That was unimaginable when Pikiell took the job in 2016 not just the sellouts, but people recognizing him in stores.

Times have changed.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him atjcarino@gannettnj.com.

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Rutgers basketball: Paul Mulcahy is molding the offense in his image - Asbury Park Press