Category: Rutgers basketball

Two future Rutgers basketball stars named as McDonald’s All-Americans

Two future Rutgers basketball players named to the McDonald All-American Game.

Two members of the Rutgers basketball 2024 recruiting class were named McDonald’s All-Americans on Tuesday. Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, both five-star recruits, received one of the top honors in high school basketball by being named to the game.

And for the last time before they unite at Rutgers, Harper (East) and Bailey (West) will be on opposite teams. Over 700 high school players were nominated to the game.

Earlier this year, Harper’s Don Bosco (Ramsey, New Jersey) beat Bailey and McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia) 76-50 in the City of Palms Classic. Harper scored 28 points to key Don Bosco’s win.

This year’s game will be played at the Toyota Center (Houston, Texas) on Apr. 2. The game will air on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET.

 


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Bailey was named as the second-best player in the nation by 247Sports this week. He moved up at the expense of Harper, who dropped one spot to the third overall recruit in the 2024 class.

Rutgers recruit Ace Bailey moves up in 247Sports player rankings

Ace Bailey makes a move in the national recruiting rankings.

Rutgers basketball commit Ace Bailey has continued to dazzle scouts with his scoring ability. While he was already one of the top recruits in his class, he has moved up the 247Sports player rankings and is now the second-best player in his class.

With the move up the rankings, Bailey is now the second-best player in the nation behind just Cooper Flagg. In moving up a spot (Bailey was previously ranked No. 3 nationally), he surpasses future Rutgers teammate Dylan Harper in the rankings.

Harper had been the nation’s top player until Cooper Flagg re-classified in August and became a part of the 2024 recruiting class.

As for Bailey, he scored 33 points in a 63-62 win over Milton on Saturday at the Georgia Nike Elite Classic. However, that is not his only big game in national competition this season.

 

In a 60-59 loss to Harvard-Westlake at the Hoophall Classic, he added 23 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks to his resume. In the Battle in New Jersey, he added 40 points and 21 rebounds to his resume in a win over Camden on December 29.

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Although Rutgers fans will have to wait a few more months to see Bailey make his collegiate debut, his latest rankings show why his future is bright. In an up-and-coming program, Bailey is a vital piece of the future.

Watch: Rutgers basketball’s 5-star commit Dylan Harper is impressive with this putback dunk

Rutgers basketball commit Dylan Harper has a quiet game but made an impressive play for Don Bosco Prep.

Dylan Haper’s latest highlight is one that might be seen in a video game. This time, the Rutgers basketball commit almost nonchalantly puts back a rebound with a two-handed dunk this past Saturday.

A five-star guard, Harper committed to Rutgers in December. He is having a strong year for Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey), averaging 22.7 points per game in 11 games played.

Harper is the No. 2 recruit in the nation according to ESPN.

The highlight sees Harper follow a three-point shot from teammate Jordan Ghee, jump, get the rebound and put it back with a two-handed dunk. Good instincts from Harper on the play while also showing a flash of his explosiveness.

 

Harper had a quieter game on Saturday, scoring nine points in Don Bosco’s 62-45 win over Paul VI (Haddonfield, New Jersey).

Despite injuries this season, Harper is still looking strong. He is one of two five-star commits in the Rutgers 2024 class, joining forward [autotag]Ace Baile[/autotag]y from McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia).

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Ranked the No. 3 player in the nation, Bailey is having a very strong season. Harper and Bailey are the two highest commits in Rutgers basketball history.

Rutgers Basketball: 2024 commit Ace Bailey is the No. 1 prospect in Georgia

Rutgers basketball five-star 2024 recruit Airious “Ace” Bailey is Georgia’s top senior boys basketball player this season.

Rutgers basketball five-star 2024 recruit Airious “Ace” Bailey is Georgia’s top senior boys basketball player this season as he guides McEachern High School to the No. 2 ranking school in the state.

Bailey, a 6-foot-10 small forward from McEachern, Georgia, is the state’s No. 1 boys basketball recruit this season and the No. 3 prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports. On November 11, 2023, Bailey signed his letter of intent with Rutgers basketball as he became the first five-star recruit in their 2024 recruiting class.

The Powder Springs, Georgia standout has guided McEachern High School to a 13-5 recruit this season. In 18 games this season, Bailey has averaged 26 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, and logged 33 total three-pointers.

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Rutgers added one of the best players in the country when Bailey signed with the Scarlet Knights. He can play and guard every position on the floor while showing off his athleticism. He plays way above the rim, scoring and grabbing multiple rebounds at the small forward position. Bailey can shoot the rock and facilitate the basketball when needed.

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This 2024 recruit will bring instant offense for the Scarlet Knights next season, with the ability to score points off the dribble and raise his level of play against the top competition.

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Rutgers men’s basketball drops fifth conference game of the year to Illinois

Rutgers basketball is flat in a loss at Illinois.

It was a flat day at the office for Rutgers men’s basketball who were unable to build off their thrilling win over Nebraska. The Scarlet Knights took an Illinois and had no answer defensively in an 86-63 loss. From the start, the Fighting Illini were in complete control.

As Illinois built a lead early on, they were nearly unstoppable close to the basket. The Fighting Illini scored 50 points in the paint and only allowed 32. They also dominated on the boards with 46 rebounds.

While Illinois’ success was a team effort, they were led by Justin Harmon. The Chicago native added 18 points to his resume and hauled in eight rebounds. He got some help from Terrence Shannon Jr., who scored 16 points.

Although Rutgers didn’t get the result they wanted, Clifford Omoruyi had his best game in weeks, scoring 22 points. It marked the first time in over a month that the talented center reached the 16-point mark. Aundre Hyatt and Noah Fernandes also scored double digits.

 

 

Illinois took advantage of their opportunities in this matchup, shooting 50.8 percent from the field. Rutgers wasn’t able to match their success, only shooting 37.7 percent from the field.

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With their 19th game of the season in the books, Rutgers will shift its focus to finishing the month strong. They will face Purdue and Penn State before the calendar flips to February.

Watch: Rutgers basketball signee Ace Bailey is pure dominance for McEachern

Future Rutgers basketball forward Ace Bailey has a huge weekend.

Rutgers basketball has a real gem in Ace Bailey.

Bailey, who signed with Rutgers in December, is putting together an absolutely dominant senior season. The 6-foot-9 forward from McEachern High School (Powder Spring, Georgia) is showcasing his entire repertoire in his final season before heading to the Big Ten.

A five-star forward, Bailey is a consensus top-three player in the 2024 recruiting class.

On Saturday night, he poured in 33 points for McEachern in a win over Milton (Milton, Georgia). But the night before was nothing short of a clinic as Bailey was unstoppable for McEachern.

Showing off his inside and outside game, Bailey turned heads against North Paulding (Dallas, Georgia) on Friday night with his game above the rim. It was his ability to dunk that was on display as Bailey showed his explosiveness.

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Bailey will arrive at Rutgers over the summer as part of the Scarlet Knights’ much-celebrated 2024 recruiting class. Also in the class is [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag], a five-star guard from Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey).

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Harper committed to Rutgers in December during an event at the Fanatics headquarters building.

Check out these highlights from Bailey during his Friday night game against North Paulding:

Rutgers men’s basketball looking to build on thrilling Big Ten win

Rutgers men’s basketball faces a ranked Illinois on Sunday.

After a thrilling overtime win over Nebraska on Wednesday, Rutgers men’s basketball is back in action on Sunday against Illinois. They will be looking to secure their third conference win and continue to climb up the Big Ten standings. However, they have a tough matchup in the Fighting Illini.

Through 17 games this season, No. 14 Illinois has posted a 13-4 record. They have been led by Marcus Domask, who is averaging 14.9 points a game. In his latest masterpiece against Michigan on Thursday, Domask added 15 points to his resume while shooting 71.4 percent from the field.

 

As Rutgers looks to stop the talented forward, they will need Mawot Mag and Aundre Hyatt to have big games. Mag has been a scoring machine of late with 41 points in his last three games. Hyatt has also been hard to stop during that stretch with 43 points.

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While Rutgers is coming off their best win of the season, they have struggled on the road. In five games, they only have one win compared to nine at home. Sunday represents a great opportunity for Rutgers to pull off an upset and prove they can beat ranked opponents away from Jersey Mike’s Arena.

ESPN analyst Dick Vitale (a former Rutgers basketball assistant) is battling cancer, provides a post-surgery update

Dick Vitale provides an update on his battle with cancer.

Dick Vitale provided a positive and encouraging update on his battle with cancer. The ESPN college basketball analyst, who was a Rutgers basketball assistant at the start of his career, appears to be making progress following surgery this week.

Vitale has been bravely (and successfully) battling vocal cord cancer for the past several years. In July, he was diagnosed with cancer for a third time.

He has been posting regular updates on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) about his surgery and recovery this week.

One of the most popular analysts and personalities on ESPN, Vitale was an assistant with the Rutgers men’s basketball program for two seasons before taking over the University of Detroit in 1973.

He has been a college basketball analyst at ESPN since 1979.

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Rutgers basketball has been active in rooting for Vitale’s recovery.

The ESPN analyst has used his fight with cancer as a platform to encourage others and also as an educational tool to create greater awareness for screening and treatment.

The surgery came at the recommendation of Dr. Steven Zeitels of Massachusetts General Hospital. He is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on laryngeal surgery, making him a real PTP (prime time physician).

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The intent of the surgery is to strengthen Vitale’s vocal cords.

 

Rutgers basketball: Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper were named to the Naismith Boy’s Midseason Team

Rutgers 2024 recruits Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey were named to the Naismith Trophy Boy’s High School Player of the Year Midseason Team.

Two Rutgers basketball commits were named to the 2023-24 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Boy’s High School Player of the Year Midseason Team.

The prestigious national honors went out to Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, who are five-star commits and part of the 2024 recruiting class.

It wasn’t a surprise to see either player make the cut.

Harper is the No. 1 prospect in New Jersey, the No. 1 guard in his recruiting class, and the No. 2 ranked prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports.

The 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard has averaged 29 points per game this season for Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ), ranking No. 2 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association for scoring.

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Throughout his career, Harper has been one of the most productive players in high school basketball, showing off his size, very long arms, and scoring in the backcourt. The five-star recruit is a true combo guard who is effective on or off the ball.

As for Ace Bailey, the five-star recruit is the No. 1 prospect in Georgia, the No. 1 small forward in his recruiting class, and the No. 3 ranked prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports.

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The 6-foot-7, 195-pound small forward has terrific size and athleticism on the wing. He plays way above the rim, scoring and grabbing multiple rebounds. Bailey can shoot the rock and facilitate the basketball when needed.

With Harper and Bailey reporting to campus next season, the sky is the limit for Rutgers basketball in 2024-25.

 

Rutgers men’s basketball wins overtime thriller against Nebraska

Rutgers basketball got an impressive and gutsy win on Wednesday night.

Rutgers answered the bell on Wednesday night, overcoming a 12-point deficit in the second half to emerge with an 87-82 overtime win over Nebraska in a hard-fought battle.

Down 63-51 with 8:22 left in the game, Rutgers pulled off the impressive comeback and were the better team in overtime.

As the Scarlet Knights improved to 10-7 (2-4 Big Ten) on the season, they were led on the night by Aundre Hyatt and Mawot Mag. That talented duo combined for 37 points and came through in overtime. Two free throws from Hyatt made it an 83- 79 game with less than a minute left in overtime, giving the Scarlet Knights a lead they would not relinquish.

Additionally, Rutgers dominated in the paint, scoring 34 points while only allowing 24. Their play in the paint was key as Rutgers slowly put the game out of reach.

 

While the Cornhuskers hard work went unrewarded, they still had some strong performances on the road. Those include the play of Brice Williams, who led the way offensively with 22 points. It marked the first time since he reached the 20-point mark since November 18. He got some help from Keisi Tominaga, who added 16 points.

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Although Rutgers was far from perfect, they showed a lot of grit in this game. They were able to wear down the Cornhuskers and end their losing streak in conference play.

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Rutgers will get a chance to build on their success on Sunday when they take on No. 14 Illinois. On the season, Illinois is playing well and currently is 12-4 (3-2 Big Ten).