Category: Rutgers basketball

Rutgers men’s basketball struggles offensively in loss to Maryland

Rutgers basketball had a bad loss on Sunday against Maryland.

On Sunday afternoon, Rutgers men’s basketball welcomed the Maryland Terrapins to Jersey Mike’s Arena and struggled offensively. In the second matchup of the season between these two programs, the Terrapins recorded a 63-46 win.

With the loss, Rutgers is now 14-13 (6-10 Big Ten).

As Maryland was able to get their revenge, Julian Reese set the tone offensively. The Baltimore native added 20 points and six rebounds to his resume. He got some help from Jahmir Young, who scored 12 points and dished out nine assists.

While Rutgers had thrived at home entering this matchup, they could not make clutch shots when needed. The Scarlet Knights only scored seven points in the final seven minutes of play. Maryland also had a knack for going on extended scoring runs whenever Rutgers made it close.

 

 

Although Sunday ended in disappointing fashion for Rutgers, there were a few bright spots. That includes Aundre Hyatt, who scored 13 points while adding three rebounds to his resume. He was the only Rutgers player who scored more than ten points.

[lawrence-related id=35648,35637]

With only one game left in February, Rutgers will need to play a lot better against Michigan. The Wolverines have struggled this year, but they will be motivated to add another conference win to their resume. Struggling to put the ball in the basket like they did against Maryland could be fatal.

Rutgers will welcome the Wolverines to Jersey Mike’s Arena on February 29.

Watch: Rutgers basketball’s five-star forward Ace Bailey posts a double-double in a playoff win

Ace Bailey impresses in a playoff game, the Rutgers basketball commit showcasing several promising tools.

Rutgers basketball signee Ace Bailey poured in 33 points on Saturday, posting a double-double in a playoff win. Bailey showed every tool in his game in what is another statement about not just his skill set but also his Big Ten and NBA potential.

Bailey didn’t just overpower and jump over his opponents in the playoff win. He scored in a variety of ways, including showing off his considerable range from the floor.

His versatility and athleticism are a plus for Rutgers, but it is the continued development of his outside game that is perhaps most impressive. This is what is making him not just Big Ten-ready but also a likely candidate to jump to the NBA after one year in college.

Bailey’s McEachern (Power Springs) defeated Newton 67-64 to advance in the Georgia state playoffs. With the win, McEachern has now won 11 straight games.

The consensus No. 2 player in the nation, Bailey is a complete and total package at 6-foot-9. He is a strong player in going to the rim but is able to create his own shot.

[lawrence-related id=35637,35619]

And his range is NBA-impressive. There are very few Big Ten basketball players who currently have his combination of size, quickness and shooting touch.

 

On Saturday, Bailey registered 33 points and 14 rebounds along with three assists.

[lawrence-related id=35598,35590]

 

Bailey signed with Rutgers in December. He has been committed to Scarlet Knights now for over a year.

 

Rutgers men’s basketball looking to get back In the win column against Maryland

Rutgers basketball is looking to break a two-game slide on Sunday against Maryland.

On Sunday afternoon, Rutgers men’s basketball will be looking to return to their winning ways against Maryland. The Scarlet Knights are set to welcome the Terrapins to Jersey Mike’s for a Big Ten matchup between two teams with 14 wins.

After entering February at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, Rutgers has seen their positioning improve due to better play. They have four conference wins this month. One of those came against No.11 Wisconsin. They have also already beaten Maryland once this month.

 

Mawot Mag led the way offensively for Rutgers in the previous matchup between these two teams, scoring 15 points. He also got some help from Jeremiah Williams, who scored 14 points and hauled in five rebounds. Against a Maryland team looking for revenge, Rutgers will need their talented duo to have a big game.

[lawrence-related id=35619,35598]

Additionally, Rutgers will be tasked with stopping Jahmir Young. The Terrapins star is averaging 21.1 points and five rebounds a game. In Marlyland’s loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday, he scored 20 points.

While this game should be full of fireworks, making big stops will be essential to Rutgers success. On Thursday, they were outscored in both halves and allowed 30 points in the paint to Purdue. Against Maryland, those mistakes will be fatal.

This game represents a perfect chance for Rutgers to build on its success in the Big Ten before taking on a Michigan team with only eight wins to close out the month.

Two Rutgers commits named Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year finalists

Rutgers basketball sees two commits named finalists for the Naismith Award.

As the high school basketball season begins to wind down, Rutgers had a reason to celebrate on Thursday. Future Scarlet Knights Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper were named Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year finalists. The talented duo is expected to be critical to Rutgers success starting in the fall.

While Harper and Bailey are already well known to scouts, they will have competition. That includes Cameron Boozer, AJ Dylantsa and Cooper Flagg who has already committed to Duke. All five finalists are Jersey Mike’s Naismith First-Team All-America selections.

Although each finalist has dazzled fans with their play, they were also chosen because of their character.

 

“Each candidate is being recognized for his exceptional prowess on the court and exemplary leadership throughout the season,” said Eric Oberman, the Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “The finalists stand worthy in their unique capacity, and choosing a single winner will be challenging. But we eagerly anticipate witnessing the culmination of these players’ and coaches’ seasons.”

[lawrence-related id=35592,35584]

For Rutgers fans, March 8 will be a day to mark on the calendar. That is when the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy will be announced. Harper and Bailey both have a good chance of hearing their names called.

 

Watch: Rutgers basketball five-star commit Ace Bailey balls out with a 32-point performance this week

Ace Bailey, a five-star forward and a Rutgers basketball commit, was impressive once again this week.

Ace Bailey continues to make a statement this season, the five-star forward from Georgia putting together a complete performance in his most recent game. Bailey signed with Rutgers basketball this past December.

He is the highest-ranked commit/signee in Rutgers history.

A 6-foot-9 forward from McEachern High School (Powder Springs, Georgia), abiley has been impressive in facets of his game. His range continues to improve, providing a very strong complement to his play at the rim.

He is the second-ranked recruit in the nation according to ESPN.

In a 105-72 win for McEachern over Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia), Bailey was dominant. He scored 32 points along with 17 rebounds.

Check out Bailey’s impressive night as McEachern notched their tenth straight win:

 

Bailey is part of an impressive 2024 recruiting class for Rutgers that also features five-star guard Dylan Harper.

The class is consensus top 10 in the nation.

Rutgers defense struggles in loss at Purdue

Rutgers basketball has now lost two straight games.

On Thursday night, Rutgers men’s basketball was unable to stop the Purdue Boilermakers’ offense in a 96-68 loss. While Rutgers had performed well in conference play this month, they were unable to replicate their success against the No.3 ranked team in the country.

As Purdue fell four points shy of 100, they were led by Zach Edey. The Toronto native scored 25 points and was tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven. He also got some help from Lance Jones, the game’s second-highest scorer with 15 points.

While Rutgers did allow a lot of easy buckets, Purdue was deadly from beyond the arc. They made 52.2 percent of their three-pointers. Rutgers only shot 38.5 from three-point range.

 

Although this game ended in disappointing fashion for Rutgers, there were a few bright spots. That includes Jeremiah Williams, who scored 12 points and added three rebounds to his resume. He has scored at least 10 points five of Rutgers six games this month.

With only two games left this month, Rutgers will be looking to bounce back on February 25th when they take on Maryland. To beat the Terrapins, Rutgers must be much better at both ends of the court. Rutgers has already beaten Maryland once this month.

What are the ESPN projections for Rutgers basketball final six Big Ten games?

A look at ESPN’s projections for the rest of the Rutgers basketball season.

It was inconceivable a month ago to think that Rutgers basketball could be in a position to make a push for the postseason. But despite winning four of their last five games, ESPN has Rutgers projected for a so-so finish to their Big Ten schedule.

Nevertheless, Rutgers is in a far better position to potentially make the postseason than this time a month ago. And whether it ends up being the NCAA Tournament or the NIT, any tournament berth for Rutgers would be an accomplishment given the hole they found themselves in around mid-January.

Rutgers is currently 14-11 (6-8 Big Ten) and needs to continue stacking wins for their NCAA Tournament resume.

With a  Big Ten road trip on Thursday night at No. 2 Purdue next on the schedule for the Scarlet Knights, these final six games will determine the viability of Rutgers’ postseason hopes.

Rutgers needs to close out the regular season with at least four wins and they likely needs to nab at least two wins in the Big Ten Tournament to have a resume worthy of tournament consideration.

Here is the breakdown of Rutgers basketball’s outlook according to ESPN Analytics:

  • Feb. 22 @ Purdue (Rutgers 3.7 percent chance to win)
  • Feb. 25 vs. Maryland (Rutgers 55.7 percent to win)
  • Feb. 29 vs. Michigan (Rutgers 76.2 percent to win)
  • March 3 @ Nebraska (Rutgers 18.7 percent to win)
  • March 7 @ Wisconsin (Rutgers 12.0 percent to win)
  • March 10 vs. Ohio State (Rutgers 65.3 percent to win)
  • Four wins and two wins in the Big Ten Tournament would likely put Rutgers on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament or the NIT.

This all lines up for that March 3 game at Nebraska to be a potential season-changer. If Rutgers holds serve and wins their home games against Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State, then they will need to flip at least one game to get four wins during this stretch.

[lawrence-related id=35512,35537]

Nebraska (19-8, 9-7 Big Ten) is the game that looms the largest and has the potential to be make or break for Rutgers.

It won’t be easy though, as Nebraska has won their last three games including an impressive result at Indiana.

Rutgers basketball looks to get back on track at Purdue

Rutgers basketball faces a huge game on Thursday at No. 3 Purdue.

After losing their first game of the month to Minnesota last week, Rutgers men’s basketball is back in action Thursday night at No.3 Purdue. With one win against a ranked team already on their resume, Rutgers will be looking to shock the college basketball world.

Purdue (23-3) dropped one spot this week in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll. Rutgers is 14-11 (6-8 Big Ten).

Entering this matchup, Rutgers is 4-1 in its last five games. During that stretch, they looked much better in conference play and scored at least more than 65 points three times. However, they have a tough challenge ahead in Purdue.

Through 26 games, the Boilermakers have been led by Zach Edey. The Toronto native is averaging 26 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. He has also gotten some help from Lance Jones, who is averaging 12.8 points per game.

 

While Purdue will rely on their two stars, they will also have their hands full with Jeremiah Williams and Clifford Omoruyi. Since making his season debut earlier this month, Williams has averaged 13.2 points per game. Clifford Omoruyi has been a monster on the boards, averaging nine rebounds a game.

[lawrence-related id=35486,35484]

Additionally, Rutgers will be looking for revenge in this matchup. Purdue beat Rutgers 68-60 earlier this season at Jersey Mike’a Arena. With a win on Thursday night, Rutgers would improve its road record and prove that their success this month has been no fluke.

Decision Day: Electric four-star ’25 guard Brandon Stores Jr. announces decision date with Rutgers basketball in the mix

Brandon Stores Jr. is set to make his college decision with Rutgers basketball in the mix.

Brandon Stores Jr. is set to make his decision, with the New York guard including Rutgers basketball in his final three.

A 6-foot-4 guard, Stores is having a strong junior season at St. Raymond’s (Bronx, New York).

In late January, Stores announced that he is down to a final three of Georgia Tech, Rutgers and Xavier. A four-star guard, Rivals ranks him as the No. 58 player in the nation in the 2025 class.

He is the fifth-best player in New York in his class and the No. 25 guard in the nation per ESPN.

He is a complete guard who is a good distributor and can score in multiple ways. Defensively, he is strong and aggressive to the ball.

The college decision announcement will be made at his school on Monday afternoon.

 

In the 2024 class, Rutgers basketball features two five-star commits in forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] (McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia) and guard [autotag]Dylan Harper [/autotag](Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey).

[lawrence-related id=35481,35474]

The duo of Bailey and Harper are top-five national recruits and the highest-ever players to have committed/signed with Rutgers basketball.

 

Watch: This weekend, five-star Rutgers commit Ace Bailey continues to make the case he is the nation’s top player

Ace Bailey showed off his five-star ability on Friday.

Ace Bailey is a special and unique talent, a likely one-and-done for Rutgers basketball.

The consensus No. 2 player in the nation, Bailey has the size and length to be a presence around the basket but the versatility with his game to stretch the floor. A natural glider, he runs the floor effortlessly with a handle that is rarely seen from 6-foot-9 forwards.

Rutgers received Bailey’s commitment over 13 months ago and the five-star forward signed with the Big Ten program in December. He has an elite skillset on the offensive side of the ball, combining the ability to post-up with a strong outside game.

In transition, Bailey is almost unstoppable given his ability to run the court and then get to the rim.

Check out these highlights from Friday night as Bailey’s McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia) defeated Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Georgia) 75-48:

 

McEachern is now 22-5 and has won nine straight games. They close out the regular season on Wednesday against Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia).

[lawrence-related id=35451,35448]

Bailey and fellow class of 2024 commit [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag] are the first five-star commits in Rutgers basketball history. They are the focal point of a recruiting class that is the best in program history and ranked top five nationally.