Rutgers men’s basketball will get a midseason boost on Saturday with the return of Jeremiah Williams. The Iowa State transfer is eligible to play after sitting out 20 games for violating the NCAA’s gambling policy. His return comes four games early, as his suspension was supposed to last until February 18.
In his college career, Williams has toured the country. He played two years for Temple, averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. After his run with the Owls, Williams transferred to Iowa State for the 2022-2023 season. However, he never played for the Cyclones after damaging an Achilles tendon during a workout in October 2022.
According to Jerry Carino in his breaking story on Williams’ return:
The U.S. District Court of New Jersey on Friday granted an injunction to the 6-foot-5 combo guard so he can suit up at Michigan Saturday; the NCAA’s suspension was supposed to last four more games, which would have allowed Williams to begin playing Feb. 18 at Minnesota.
Jeremiah Williams officially joins The Knighthood on the court tomorrow. 🛡️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/lsjQ9BeW5a
— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) February 3, 2024
After months of anticipation, Rutgers backcourt should improve with Williams back in the mix. He is a good ball-handler and a solid rebounder. He still has two years of eligibility remaining.
[lawrence-related id=34908,34902]
While Williams should get playing time right away, it will be interesting to see how he is worked into the rotation. Head coach Steve Pikielll has relied on his young guards, such as Derek Simpson, Jamichael Davis and Gavin Griffiths this season.
Although Rutgers’ matchup with Michigan will mark his first game action, this will not be Williams’s first time playing with his teammates. He has been practicing with the team since July.
Click here to read Carino’s full story on Williams getting an injunction so he could play for Rutgers.