Rutgers men’s basketball looks to end January with a win against Penn State

Rutgers men’s basketball has an important game on Wednesday night against Penn State.

For Rutgers men’s basketball, a tough January will come to an end Wednesday night against Penn State. While Rutgers has posted a 2-5 record since the start of the new year, they will be looking to close out the month with their first conference win in two weeks.

In this matchup, Rutgers (10-9, 2-6 Big Ten) will be tasked with stopping Kanye Clary and Ace Baldwin Jr. Clary has led the way offensively for Penn State this season, averaging 18.3 points per game. Baldwin Jr. has put his teammates in the position to be successful, averaging a team-high 4.9 assists per game.

Penn State comes into this game 9-11 (3-6 Big Ten) and with two straight losses.

 

As Rutgers looks to end their two-game losing streak, they will need big games from Clifford Omoruyi and Aundre Hyatt. After a slow start to the month, Hyatt has looked better of late and scored at least 10 points in five straight games. During that stretch, Omoruyi was a reliable scoring option with one 20-point game.

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For Rutgers, avoiding a slow start will be crucial to victory. The Scarlet Knights have struggled to play complete games of late, making comebacks in the second half hard. That was on display Sunday when they were outscored 33-20 in the first half against Purdue.

However, they will take on a Penn State team that has struggled away from the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions are 0-4 on the road this season. At Jersey Mike’s Arena, Rutgers has thrived with a 9-2 record.

Rutgers basketball offers a bigtime four-star recruit Jayden Hodge

Rutgers basketball offers Jayden Hodge.

Consensus four-star Jayden Hodge was offered by Rutgers basketball on Monday. They join a recruitment that features several big offers for a player who is fast becoming a national recruit.

Hodge is ranked the No. 23 player in the nation by Rivals. The class of 2026 guard plays for St. Rose (Belmar, New Jersey) and is the second-best shooting guard in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

He is a 6-foot-5 guard who can easily run an offense but has an impressive inside/outside game on offense. A solid defender, Hodge is dynamic in the open court.

Rutgers joins a recruitment that includes Maryland, Old Dominion, Penn State, St. Bonaventure, Seton Hall, Temple Villanova and Virginia Tech among others.

On Monday, Hodge posted on social media about his Rutgers offer.

The class of 2024 is a big-time group for Rutgers and a consensus top 25 class. It features two recruits ranked as five-star players in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

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Bailey was recently bumped up to being the nation’s second-highest-ranked recruit according to 247Sports. Harper checked in at third nationally on the list.

Both Bailey and Harper were named McDonald All-Americans last week.

Rutgers men’s basketball: Four-star Jaylen Harrell takes an official visit

Jaylen Harrell took an official visit this weekend to Rutgers.

Over the weekend, Rutgers men’s basketball welcomed one of the top recruits in the 2025 class, Jaylen Harrell, to campus for an official visit. The four-star guard has drawn interest nationwide due to his ability to impact a game offensively.

While Harrell is in no rush to make his final decision, he was impressed by what he saw at Piscataway. That has increased excitement about what the future holds for the Scarlet Knights.

Harrell is a 6-foot-6 guard from CATS Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts. He is ranked the No. 91 player in the nation by Rivals.

Rutgers is certainly in a crowded field to land Harrell, with the likes of Alabama, Georgetown, Providence, Washington and Xavier all having offered.

 

 

As Rutgers looks to add to their 2025 class, they will have competition for Harrell’s services.

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The 2025 class hasn’t yet taken shape for Rutgers, but the 2024 class is looking very strong. The class features two recruits ranked as five-stars in forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] and guard [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag].

Bailey was recently ranked the second-best player in the nation. The player right after him? Harper.

Rutgers men’s basketball nearly beats Purdue

Rutgers men’s basketball almost upset No. 2 Purdue.

Rutgers men’s basketball comeback fell short against No. 2Purdue on Sunday afternoon. In Rutgers 68-60 loss, Boilermakers star Zach Edey made history at Jersey Mike’s Arena.

Edey added 26 points and 12 rebounds to his resume in Purdue’s latest win. As the Toronto native again played a crucial role in Purdue’s success, he became the sixth player in Big Ten conference history to reach the 2,000 point and 1,000 rebound mark. His latest masterpiece was another example of why he is a special player.

While Rutgers could not shock the college basketball world, Clifford Omoruyi and Aundre Hyatt continued to be scoring machines. Hyatt led the way offensively with 15 points. Omoruyi added 13 points of his own while hauling in six rebounds.

 

In this matchup, Rutgers struggled to put together a complete game. They were outscored by 13 points in the first half. The Scarlet Knights also allowed 30 points in the paint and 15 points off turnovers.

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Additionally, Rutgers continued to struggle since the start of the new year. They are now 2-5 since the calendar flipped to January. While Rutgers will only have a few days before their next game, they will have an opportunity to end the month strong against Penn State on Tuesday.

Rutgers men’s basketball faces daunting challenge in Purdue

Rutgers basketball faces a huge challenge against Purdue on Sunday.

On Sunday, Rutgers men’s basketball will face their toughest test of the season when they take on Purdue. The Boilermakers are ranked as the second-best team in the country and have won five straight games. As Rutgers looks to shock the college basketball world, they will need to contain the Purdue offense.

So far this season, Purdue has been led by Zach Edey. The Toronto native is averaging 22.9 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. Edey has reached the 30-point mark three times in his last five games. He has gotten some help from Lance Jones, who is averaging 12.5 points per game.

While Edey and Jones are a talented duo, they will be tasked with stopping Clifford Omoruyi. The Rutgers center is coming off a 22-point performance against Illinois. It was the first time he reached the 20-point mark since December 16.

 

 

Although Rutgers has struggled in conference play this year, they will have home-court advantage. At Jersey Mike’s Arena, they are 9-1. With plenty on the line, Sunday should be full of fireworks regardless of the final score.

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Additionally, Purdue has struggled against Rutgers in recent years, losing five of the past seven meetings. They have also lost three straight games in Piscataway. Sunday’s matchup represents a perfect chance for Rutgers to continue their success and move up in the Big Ten standings.

Two of the five Big Ten players in the McDonald’s All-American Game are future Rutgers players

The Big Ten is expected to have five players in this April’s McDonald’s All-American Game, the most prestigious all-star game in high school basketball. Two of those five players are committed to Rutgers basketball. Over 700 high school players were …

The Big Ten is expected to have five players in this April’s McDonald’s All-American Game, the most prestigious all-star game in high school basketball. Two of those five players are committed to Rutgers basketball.

Over 700 high school players were nominated to the game, with Rutgers five-star recruits Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey being two of them. Even though Harper (East) and Bailey (West) will be on opposing teams, each player will represent the Scarlet Knights on a high level.

According to Big Ten Network Analyst Andy Katz, Harper and Bailey joining the Scarlet Knights next season gives Rutgers basketball the top-3 2024 recruiting class in the country. Bailey and Harper are ranked the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects in the country, respectively, according to 247Sports.

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Jersey Mike’s Arena will be the place to be in 2024 as the two top players help Rutgers basketball climb the ladder during the 2024-25 season. With the ability to recruit these five-star players, Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell has put Rutgers basketball on the map to contend for the Big Ten title and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

 

 

Ace Bailey reflects on why he choose Rutgers

Ace Bailey breaks down why he picked Rutgers basketball.

Each time Ace Bailey takes the court, anticipation builds for his collegiate debut with Rutgers, which is only months away. The Georgia standout is one of the top players in his class and will call Piscataway home.

Bailey os one of two five-star commits in the 2024 recruiting class, the other being don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) guard Dylan Harper.

Following the Hoophall Classic, he spoke with Rivals contributor Krysten Peek about his success. During the interview, Bailey explained why he chose Rutgers to play college basketball.

When asked what set Rutgers apart from other schools, Bailey was clear in what made the Scarlet Knights stand out.

“It felt like home. They showed me love since I committed. It’s just love and brotherhood,” Bailey told Rivals.

“They check on me and my mom and one thing I’m big on is family.”

 

Additionally, during the interview, Bailey was asked what he would bring to a Rutgers program that has recently landed some of the country’s top recruits. The star power forward did not hold back.

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” Championship, Big Ten, everything,” Bailey said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun on and off the court playing with Dylan.”

 

Rutgers basketball: Top prospect Trey McKenney to join the 2024 Junior National Team’s Minicamp

On January 12, top 2025 prospect Trey McKenney received an invitation to join USA Basketball’s 2024 Junior National Team’s Minicamp.

This week, top 2025 prospect Trey McKenney received an invitation to join USA Basketball’s 2024 Junior National Team’s Minicamp. A Rutgers basketball recruit, McKenney will participate in team activities on April 4 in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of the 2024 NCAA Final Four.

This invitation is a great opportunity for the young prospect to learn, compete, and work towards earning a roster spot on an upcoming Junior National Team.

The four-star recruit visited Rutgers basketball in October and has yet to decide where he wants to showcase his talent on the collegiate level. According to 247Sports, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound small forward is the No. 1 prospect in Michigan and is the No. 3 small forward in the nation within his 2025 recruiting class. Overall, he is the No. 18 recruit in the nation.

Since visiting the Scarlet Knights, McKenney has logged official visits with TCU on Nov. 11 and Georgetown on Dec. 2. The top small forward in the country has prompted 35 college offers.

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As a sophomore last season, he averaged 25.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, recording consecutive state playoff game performances of 26, 30, 28, 28, and 20 points, carrying the St. Mary’s Prep Eaglets to the semifinals. In his first season at St. Mary’s Prep, McKenney averaged 16.9 points and six rebounds as a freshman.

In 13 games this season, McKenney has guided the Eaglets to a 12-1 record and the No. 1 school ranking in Michigan.

 

Where did the ESPN mock NBA draft have Rutgers basketball’s Ace Bailey going?

Rutgers basketball commit Ace Bailey is a top-five NBA draft pick.

Rutgers basketball recruit Ace Bailey cracked the top five of the mock NBA draft that aired on Wednesday on ESPN.

A five-star forward from McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia), Bailey has certainly looked the part of being the nation’s No. 2 recruit. This week, 247Sports elevated Bailey one spot, putting him behind only Duke commit Cooper Flagg in the national rankings

Bailey has had a really strong final season of high school basketball. The 6-foot-9 forward has shown his ability to run his team’s offense but defensively he has been strong off the glass, contesting shots and his off-the-ball defense has been very solid.

But it has been his ability scoring, in particular his range, that has been impressive this season. Bailey’s ability to play above and around the rim is well-known, but he developed a consistent jump shot this summer.

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All of which led ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givnoy to place Bailey as his second pick in his most recent mock draft for 2025. The top five picks made the ESPN show ‘NBA Today’ this week:

 

Flagg was quickly elevated to the No. 1 recruit status following his re-classification into the 2024 class this past August.

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Bailey is one of two recruits ranked as a consensus five-star who is committed to Rutgers in this class, the other being Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) standout guard [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag].

Harper committed to Rutgers in December at an event in New York City at the Fanatics headquarters building.

Bailey and Harper were named to the McDonald’s All-American Game this week. Harper, ranked the No. 3 recruit nationally in the ESPN 100, did not make Givnoy’s top five in the mock draft.

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.