Rutgers basketball is getting one more year of Cliff Omoruyi. The center, who had tested the NBA draft waters, made his announcement on Wednesday night.
The news about Omoruyi’s return is a big development for Rutgers basketball, giving them a returning piece with All-Big Ten credentials. Omoruyi returns to the Big Ten as one of the best big men in the country.
Omoruyi is coming off a season of growth and development. Last season as a junior, he posted a career-high scoring average (13.2 points per game). He also had a career-high in rebounds (9.6 per game) and blocks (2.1 per game).
Earlier this month at the G-League Elite Camp, Omoruyi had some strong flashes and performed very well in his opening game. As a starter, Omoruyi scored 12 points and added seven rebounds in Saturday’s win for ‘Team Four.’
With the return of Omoruyi, Rutgers has a team that has NCAA Tournament potential, especially with the offseason addition of Noah Fernandes out of the transfer portal.
A lot will be expected of Derek Simpson, the guard who flashed at times last season as a freshman for Rutgers. Also, incoming freshman Gavin Griffiths, a four-star, is expected to factor into the rotation and adds a strong shooting touch to the program.