Newman: Can the RAC make a comeback?

PISCATAWAY -- Corey Sanders' tenure at Rutgers dates back to the Eddie Jordan Era. In those days, the Scarlet Knights weren't drawing much to the Rutgers Athletic Center, especially in November.

On Tuesday, the Scarlet Knights welcomed 4,853 fans to its 8,000-seat barn. If that doesn't sound like a lot, Sanders has a counter-argument for that because at certain points during the second half of a 78-73 loss to Florida State, this seemingly outdated 40-year old building was alive.

The student section was full, the crowd was engaged, and it was often deafening as Rutgers attempted to make a statement. Better yet, Rutgers did make a statement, not in the win column on this night, but by showing what the RAC can be when people show up and make noise.

"It's crazy, it almost hurts your eardrums," Sanders said. "You can't call a play. It's good when you're on defense because you can feed off that and want to get into your man, but it's really hard to hear. You have to be loud, use your outside voice when you call plays."

An atmosphere like Tuesday hasn't happened at the RAC in November since at least 2006, when Gary Waters in charge, the team was winning, and eventually found its way to the postseason. This Rutgers team has won thus far, albeit against a soft non-conference schedule, but there is buzz and intrigue. There were certainly enough of both to draw people in for a name opponent on Tuesday.

That begs the question, can the RAC make a comeback?

If Rutgers keeps winning, or is reasonably competitive, and if people keep showing up, the RAC can be a house of horrors for an opponent. Relative to other programs at this level, the building is intimate despite its capacity.

The baseline on the entry side of the building has almost no seating, and has very little room to operate beyond the out-of-bounds line. The other baseline is home to the student section. The 200 and 300-level seats behind both sidelines are steep, climbing all the way to the rafters. Imagine looking up and seeing people seated, or standing, or hanging, all the way up in the rafters. That would have to be disconcerting for any opposing player.

"I'm always wondering what it's going to be like if it ever hits the top," Sanders said. "That comes with beating some of these ranked teams and having a winning record. More people will want to come and be a part of this.

"We had almost 5,000 tonight, and I could barely hear when everybody chipped in. It was great seeing that student section packed. I'm thankful for whoever came out today."

"To have the RAC like that this year, that’s an awesome advantage for us," Pikiell said.

Rutgers fans will come out for a good team and a name opponent, The first part of that equation is coming around under Steve Pikiell. The name opponent? Well, the next time Rutgers is here, this building will experience a litmus test.

Third-ranked Michigan State will make its way to the Garden State on Tuesday. Legitimate national-title hopes will be in tow, as will a star attraction in sophomore Miles Bridges, a projected top-10 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. A crowd of 4,850 helped against Florida State helped, but one would think that number will (should?) rise against the Spartans.

It would help the cause if Rutgers played well Sunday at No. 12 Minnesota, whose arena is affectionately referred to as "The Barn."

"We need everybody that can come out and support," Sanders said. "It just cranks up, makes us want to play harder, makes us want to put on a show for our fans."

A crowd of 4,853 made a dent on Tuesday at the RAC. Sanders knows it, but he also knows what his gym can become if everyone keeps buying in.

Staff writer Josh Newman: @Joshua_Newman: jnewman@app.com