Rutgers Basketball Lands UMass Transfer
Rutgers basketball has landed UMass transfer Noah Fernandes. This follows an official visit he had on campus last weekend. He is the first transfer to commit this offseason.
Last season he only played 11 games due to injury but still averaged 13.1 points per game. Fernandes is a 5-foot-11 guard with one year of eligibility left.
Rutgers would go on skids in the last part of the season where they had a hard time scoring. Part of that is the reason why they lost their last six of eight and miss the NCAA tournament. Fernandes will be expected to come in and help with the scoring load.
When Fernandes was healthy in the 2021-2022 season he played well. He averaged 14.9 points per game and 5.3 assists. Also during that year, he hit a game-winner over Rutgers.
In that season he shot well from downtown hitting 41%. Now he is going to be paired up with Cam Spencer who shot 43% from three-point range last season.
Last season Spencer was the only transfer for the Scarlet Knights but that paid off. He was tied for leading the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and hit big shots when the team needed it the most.
Rutgers lost three players to the transfer portal Oskar Palmquist, Jalen Miller and Dean Reiber will all move on from the team. Two more players could be leaving, Paul Mulcahy and Cliff Omoruyi declared for the 2023 NBA Draft but have not hired agents so they could come back.
There are three freshmen coming into the program that will replace the three empty spots. Fernandes will more than likely take the 13th scholarship that was used on Aiden Terry last season.
There could be more room on the roster if Omoruyi and Mulcahy leave. Rutgers finished 19-15 and played well in spurts but overall frustrating with the lack of offensive production.
UMass transfer Noah Fernandes announced he has committed to Rutgers and Steve Pikiell.
— 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) April 13, 2023
Fernandes was also hearing from schools like Butler, NC State, Texas A&M, Kansas State, Richmond, Boston College and many others.
Averaged 13.4PPG, 4.1APG and 2.5RPG last season. pic.twitter.com/T7r8LfCQJI
Rutgers Men's Basketball vs Northwestern 3.5.23
