After an up-and-down season, Rutgers men’s basketball has plenty to prove next season. Big Ten Network analyst and college basketball insider Andy Katz expects Rutgers to be headed to March Madness again.
Expectations are also higher due to an influx of talent that will include potential stars in [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag], [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag], [autotag]Lathan Somerville[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Dortch[/autotag]. Katz expects the Scarlet Knights to make a March Madness appearance for the first time since 2022.
There certainly is plenty of transition this offseason for Rutgers as only three players from last season are projected to return. That list includes Jeremiah Williams, one of Rutgers’ best scorers. In 12 games last year, Williams averaged 12.2 points while shooting a career-high 44.4 percent from the field.
Will we see @RutgersMBB and @UCLAMBB back in the Dance next season? đź•ş @TheAndyKatz says YES. #B1GMBball pic.twitter.com/rsRBnnwsS5
— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) May 31, 2024
Although Katz is high on Rutgers, that was not the only team in the conference he highlighted. He also picked UCLA as a team to qualify for the NCAA Tournament after not making the cut last year.
[lawrence-related id=38614,38591,38588]
In a social media post on X, Katz highlighted some of the talent UCLA has brought in. That list includes Kode Johnson, who transferred from USC, and a talented freshman, Eric Perry. They will be led by veterans Andy Mara and Dylan Andrews. During their first year in the Big Ten, UCLA will look to make a good first impression.