Rutgers Men’s Basketball Begins Season with Bailey Sidelined
Rutgers men’s basketball makes its return tonight at Jersey Mike’s Arena, and what a night it should be.
Although fans will have to wait to see the debut of five-star freshman recruit Ace Bailey, who will miss tonight’s season opener against Wagner with an undisclosed injury he suffered in practice on Monday. He is listed as day-to-day, according to the Rutgers Athletic Department.
Tip-off of tonight’s season opener between Rutgers and Wagner is 6 p.m. from Jersey Mike’s Arena.
While that news might dampen the mood for the short term, the big picture is a lot brighter.
Bailey and fellow five-star recruit Dylan Harper combine to make Rutgers a formidable team in the Big Ten right out of the gate, and the expectations this year are sky-high.
Coach Steve Pikiell made it clear back on Media Day in September that the goal was to win this season.
“Our expectations have always been high since I took the job,” Pikiell said. “We play in a league that competes for NCAA bids and national championships, so we’re no different. I think we have the pieces with the veteran guys, and the good leadership to go with the energy and talent of the young freshmen, but our goals stay the same. We want to win every game at Jersey Mike’s Arena. That’s been our goal and we have a program that I think could do that.”
It will be fascinating to watch these two young men all season, and how Pikiell and his staff manage the two. Harper and Bailey are the highest-rated recruits in Rutgers history.
In addition to being the son of five-time NBA Champion Ron Harper Sr., and the younger brother to Ron Haper Jr. who starred for Pikiell just a couple of seasons ago, and was a key cog in the Scarlet Knights’s return to the NCAA tournament, Dylan has been writing his own story.
Dylan Harper already has accolades that include: McDonald’s All-American MVP, John Wall Holiday Invitational MVP, Jordan Brand Classic MVP, and New Jersey Gatorade High School Player of the Year.
He was also selected as one of 10 players to the Preseason All-Big Ten team, the only freshman, and named the No. 1 guard in the nation by college basketball analyst Andy Katz entering this season. Harper has been ranked as high as the No. 2 player in the 2024 recruiting class.
As for Bailey, he was a consensus top-three recruit, was named Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, and was named first-team all-state by the GHSA Boys Basketball Committee.
Bailey has also participated in such events as the Team USA U-17, the Nike Hoop Summit, and the Jordan Brand Classic. Andy Katz named Bailey the No. 3 wing in the nation. He is also featured as the top pick in many mocks for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Rounding out the Rutgers men’s basketball team’s incredible freshman class are Bryce Dortch, Dylan Grant, and Lathan Sommerville. All five freshmen combine to give Rutgers the third-best recruiting class in the nation!
While the attention will be on the freshman sensations, fans should not sleep on the likes of redshirt senior Jerimiah Williams and former Princeton center, grad student Zach Martini, both of whom will be team captains this year.
Rutgers has three returning players from last year’s squad, including Williams, guard Jamichael Davis, and center Emmanuel Ogbole. Expect big things from all three veteran players this year.
Buckle up folks, it should be an incredible season of Rutgers men’s hoops!
