Just one day after announcing he would be entering the transfer portal, former Colorado football center Hank Zilinskas signed with Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday.
In two seasons with the Buffs, Zilinskas appeared in 20 games, starting 11 of them. The Englewood, Colorado native and Cherry Creek High School graduate had an up-and-down tenure in Boulder, but the sophomore began this past season as the Buffs’ starting center.
Ultimately, walk-on freshman Cash Cleveland unseated Zilinskas from his starting role late in the regular season. With Cleveland emerging as the future of the center position for the Buffaloes, it was no surprise to see Zilinskas head elsewhere with two years of eligibility remaining.
Zilinskas will join his brother, fellow center Gus Zilinskas, at Rutgers. Gus has started in 28 games over four seasons with the Scarlet Knights and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page onFacebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
The Ohio State Buckeyes took down the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at home on Saturday, winning 80-66 to claim their first Big Ten victory of the season.
The Buckeyes came up well short against the Maryland Terrapins Wednesday in their first conference battle of the season, failing on the road, 83-59. OSU will brace for a home match with No. 2 Auburn next Saturday, an ESPN2 featured game.
That said, how did the Buckeyes manage to take down the Scarlet Knights? Well, they got back to efficient offense, shooting 55.2% from the field despite connecting on just six of 18 three-point attempts.
Ohio State was led by Devin Royal and Bruce Thornton, both of which dropped 22 points and shot over 55% from the field.
It also was able to limit free throw attempts for its opponent as Rutgers got to the line just 12 times. On top of that, Ohio State won the turnover battle, forcing 14 turnovers and committing just 11.
Here are some highlights from the Ohio State victory.
After starting the season with a victory over then-No. 19 Texas and winning five of their first six, the Buckeyes have struggled, going just 1-2 in their last three.
Hopefully this win gets them in the right mentality to welcome a top-three program this coming weekend.
Ohio State looks to end a two game losing streak #GoBucks
The Ohio State men’s basketball team will look to regroup after getting embarrassed on the road in Maryland. The Buckeyes came out cold and the Terps couldn’t miss as OSU found themselves down 50-17 at halftime.
Now Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes return home to face a young but talented Rutgers team. The Scarlet Knights come to Columbus carrying a 5-3 record and are led by freshman phenom, Dylan Harper, who is averaging a whopping 23.8 points per game along with nearly five assists per game. Harper was the No. 1 rated combo guard and the No. 3 rated player overall in the 2024 recruiting class.
Can Ohio State rebound after dropping two games in a row? The Buckeyes will need to play much better than what they showed the past two games if they hope to end the skid.
Here’s how to catch all the action for the noon tip on Saturday.
Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Basic info
When: Saturday, December 7, at Noon ET
Where: Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)
How to watch/stream/listen:
Broadcast: FS1
Radio: IMG Radio Network (flagship station WBNS 97.1 The Fan)
Radio announcers:
Paul Keels (play-by-play)
Ron Stokes (analysis)
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.
Despite Cooper Flagg’s strong start to the season, an ESPN draft analyst thinks another freshman is challenging his status atop the class.
Entering the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season, it felt like Duke freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] had a runaway head start as the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. However, despite a pair of 20-point performances against top-25 opponents, Flagg might have a challenger for the throne.
ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony praised Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper on Tuesday, saying the first-year Scarlet Knight has put together a compelling case in his own right.
“Dylan Harper has been the best freshman in college basketball one month into the season,” Givony wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Making a strong case to challenge Cooper Flagg as a No. 1 pick candidate.”
Harper has played eight games with Rutgers so far this season, and he’s scored at least 20 points in six of those contests. He put together his two best performances last week, hanging 36 on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before scoring 37 against the Alabama Crimson Tide on back-to-back days. He’s averaging 23.8 points per game, second only to Villanova’s Eric Dixon among power conference teams, and 4.6 assists while making 51.1% of his attempts.
Harper’s teammate Ace Bailey stole more of the headlines during the recruiting cycle, but Harper ended up as the No. 3 overall player in the Class of 2024 rankings from 247Sports.
Alabama would continue their success from the night prior as well, going on to defeat the Scarlet Knights by a final score of 95-90 in a game that was close for a majority.
Here are some instant reactions to Alabama’s 95-90 victory over the Scarlet Knights:
Alabama struggles at free throw line
Despite the win, this was not a strong showing Wednesday night from the Crimson Tide at the free throw line. In all, Alabama struggled by making only 25-of-36 attempts, which translates to a combined 69.4%.
Alabama struggles with turnovers
Alabama also struggled mightily Wednesday night when it came to committing turnovers. The Crimson Tide had a total of 20, which Rutgers turned into 23 points.
Mark Sears scores 20+ points again
Despite playing part of the second half with four fouls, guard Mark Sears was once again a big reason as to why Alabama won Wednesday, scoring 20+ points for the second consecutive game. Sears finished with a team-high 24 points, as well as five assists.
Two Alabama players flirt with double-doubles
A pair of Alabama players flirted with a double-double against Rutgers, one of which was forward Mouhamed Dioubate, who finished with 10 points and eight rebounds after posting a double-double Tuesday against Houston. Grant Nelson also flirted with a double-double, posting 17 points and nine rebounds.
Alabama Crimson Tide now 6-1 overall, advances to championship game
After their victory over the Scarlet Knights on Wednesday night, Alabama is now 6-1 overall for the 2024-25 season. The Crimson Tide’s next game will come Saturday against the Oregon Ducks on Saturday night in the Players Era Festival championship game.
Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper may not go as the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he has the most potential of any player on offense.
Harper is currently playing in the Players Era Festival tournament in Las Vegas. During a win against Notre Dame on November 26, he scored 36 points. That was the most by any freshman so far this season and it was a breakout performance for the future pro.
Long considered the top lead guard in this draft class, Harper was named Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. He was honored as the MVP of the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.
The son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., the 6-foot-6 freshman is playing very well during his first collegiate campaign.
Harper has struggled to finish in transition but has played with excellent efficiency in a set offense. He looks difficult to stop in pick and roll and isolation and can create his own shot with ease, including this vicious dunk that got his father hyped:
He is averaging 4.2 unassisted field goals per game at the rim, per CBB Analytics. Most impressive: No player in Division I men’s college basketball is recording more unassisted field goals made (6.2) per game.
Next up is Kam Jones, a senior from Marquette projected as a potential first-rounder in our latest NBA mock draft, at 5.5 unassisted field goals per game.
The freshman is unafraid to finish at the rim, which is encouraging from a young guard, and it is working. He is shooting an unprecedented 37-of-47 (78.7 percent) near the rim, and while that is hardly sustainable, it is also a huge part of what makes him so appealing.
He is also doing a fantastic job drawing contact at the basket, via CBB Analytics, drawing 2.7 shooting fouls (the most among freshmen) and converting 0.7 and-one attempts per game. Harper attempted 14 free throws versus Notre Dame, which is excellent.
Harper has displayed fantastic court vision and ball control and he has also maintained a very high assist percentage and a low turnover ratio, which are both encouraging traits as a floor general.
Overall, per Bart Torvik, his points over replacement per game is among the highest on record from a freshman in a high-major conference since 2008.
Even if Duke prospect Cooper Flagg hears his name called first in this class, defense is his primary trait that excites evaluators. But for Harper, any NBA team that is looking to improve their offense will rush to the podium if he is available when they are on the clock.
Rutgers is led by two of the nation’s top freshmen.
After beginning play at the Players Era Festival out in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday night against the Houston Cougars, the caliber of opponent does not get much easier Wednesday for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
As to why, that is because the Crimson Tide are set to face a talented team in the Rutgers Scarlet Knights that are led by two of the nation’s top freshmen. The Scarlet Knights are also one of the top teams in the Big Ten this season, and could certainly provide some challenges for Alabama in this game.
So, ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup in Las Vegas, here is everything you need about the 2024-25 Rutgers Scarlet Knights:
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Team Overview
Team Name: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Conference: Big Ten
Arena: Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway, New Jersey
Record: 4-1 overall
Ranking: Unranked in AP Poll, Unranked in Coaches Poll
As mentioned previously, Rutgers is a Big Ten program that sits at 4-1 on the season. Rutgers also previously fell out of the AP Poll in the latest update, and are coming off their first loss of the 2024-25 season, a 79-77 road defeat at Kennesaw State.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Steve Pikiell
Associate Head Coach: Brandin Knight
Assistant Coach: T.J. Thompson
Assistant Coach: Marlon Williamson
Assistant Coach: Jay Young
Assistant Coach: Steve Hayn
The Scarlet Knights are led by head coach Steve Pickiell, who is currently in his ninth season at Rutgers. Pickiell has also led Rutgers to two NCAA Tournament appearances over that span, last coming in 2021-22.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2024-25 Stats
PPG: 79.8 (No. 128 in NCAA)
PPG Allowed: 68 (No. 123 in NCAA)
FG%: 47.4
3P%: 35.6
FT%: 71.8
RPG: 37.4
APG: 16.4
SPG: 8
BPG: 4.2
Rutgers is currently averaging 79.8 PPG so far this season, while also allowing 68 PPG to opponents. The Scarlet Knight’s highest stat ranking on a national level is also their team free throws made per game, which sits No. 53 nationally at 17.8.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Names to Know
Dylan Harper, Guard – Freshman
Ace Bailey, Guard/Forward – Freshman
Lathan Sommerville, Center – Freshman
Zach Martini, Forward/Center – Graduate Student
PJ Hayes IV, Guard/Forward – Fifth-Year Senior
As mentioned at the start, Rutgers is led by two of the nation’s top freshmen in the duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, both of which were considered top five overall prospects in the 2024 recruiting class. The duo is averaging 19 PPG and five RPG each so far this season.
USC walloped Rutgers in the Big Ten’s version of the late, late, late show
The idea was sound. It seemed perfect when the World Series turned out to be New York Yankees-Los Angeles Dodgers.
FOX Sports was going to use the baseball game as its lead into the Rutgers-USC Big Ten contest at the LA Coliseum.
Baseball didn’t cooperate when the World Series went extra innings. So, the college football game started on FS1.
If you didn’t stay up late in the Eastern or Central time zones, here is what you need to know. The Trojans clobbered the Scarlet Knights, 42-20. The game didn’t have the drama of the Dodgers’ win over the Yankees on Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in the 10th inning.
Rutgers started the season 4-0 and is now 4-4, which is the same record USC sports.
Miller Moss threw for 308 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Woody Marks rushed for 94 yards and three scores for the Trojans.
The LA Coliseum attracted a tiny crowd for Rutgers-USC
Warnings were issued in Los Angeles on Friday about a traffic nightmare. One that was going to be far greater than usual.
There was a World Series game at Dodger Stadium, a high school football classic at SoFi Stadium, a Laker game at Crypto.com Arena, and numerous concerts.
Oh, and there was that storied Big Ten matchup between Rutgers and USC at the LA Coliseum. Kickoff was set for 8 p.m.
Apparently people interested in the Scarlet Knights and Trojans decided to heed advice and watch the game from home. You could have had your choice of seats.
There is nooooooobody here but in fairness I’ve been told there are other sporting events in the city tonight pic.twitter.com/zzDigpGDUh
Could we get an Oregon vs. Indiana Big Ten championship game? Updated Big Ten football standings after Week 8.
While Penn State was off this past week, the Nittany Lions remained one of three undefeated teams in Big Ten play this fall. But Penn State is now, technically, looking up in the updated Big Ten conference standings following the results of Week 8. Indiana and Oregon remained undefeated this season and improved to 4-0 in Big Ten play with blowout wins this weekend. Penn State will not face either team in the regular season, so watching what they do is critical if Penn State can continue to take care of its own schedule the rest of the way. Penn State is gearing up for a challenging three-game stretch beginning with this week’s road trip to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is seemingly surging at a good time too with another dominant performance on the scoreboard against its opponent. Wisconsin has outscored its last three opponents by a combined score of 117-16 (Rutgers, Northwestern, and Purdue). Of course, the Badgers will also be facing their biggest challenge since playing Alabama and USC in back-to-back weeks in September.
Here is a look at the updated Big Ten football standings at the conclusion of Week 8.
B1G W
B1G L
W
L
Indiana
4
0
7
0
Oregon
4
0
7
0
Penn State
3
0
6
0
Illinois
3
1
6
1
Wisconsin
3
1
5
2
Ohio State
2
1
5
1
Iowa
2
2
4
3
Washington
2
2
4
3
Michigan
2
2
4
3
Michigan State
2
2
4
3
Nebraska
2
2
5
2
Minnesota
2
2
4
3
Northwestern
1
3
3
4
Maryland
1
3
4
3
Rutgers
1
3
4
3
USC
1
4
3
4
UCLA
1
4
2
5
Purdue
0
4
1
6
Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, and Illinois are all officially bowl-eligible. No team in the Big Ten is ineligible for postseason play, but Purdue is now sitting on six losses this season, putting them on the brink of being the first Big Ten to be ruled ineligible for a bowl game this season.
