By Danielle Daniels

GAME NOTES

https://scarletknights.com/documents/2024/12/5/2024_25_RutgersMBB_GameNotes_ohiostate.pdf

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Following a week off post the team’s return from Las Vegas and the Players Era Festival, the Scarlet Knights head on the road to start off Big Ten Conference play. The Scarlet Knights will play their fifth straight game away from home as they travel to Columbus, Ohio, facing Ohio State at noon on Saturday. The game will be televised by FS1, with Connor Onion and Stephen Bardo on the call.

Rutgers has opened with a 5-3 record through eight nonconference games following a 1-2 trip to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival. The Scarlet Knights had a trio of high-scoring affairs, averaging 86.67 points per game with an overtime win over Notre Dame, then close losses to No. 9 Alabama and No. 20 Texas A&M.

Dylan Harper earned his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week award Monday. On pace for best RU’s single-season scoring performance since Quincy Douby (25.4 ppg in 2005-06, which was 6^th in NCAA), Harper currently is fourth in the nation and leading the Big Ten at 23.8 points per game. Harper is also 16^th nationally in field goals (67) and 28^th in free throws (46). Harper has had at least 14 points in every game, at least 20 in six of the eight games, and averaged 30.3 points per game in the three-game tournament in Las Vegas.

Ace Bailey has been another potent threat for the Scarlet Knights offensively, averaging 18.8 points per game, sixth in the Big Ten and 52^nd nationally. He has posted three games this season of at least 22 points and also has RU’s two double-digit rebound games this season.

Jeremiah Williams emerged as a third scoring presence, averaging 13.3 points per game out at the MGM Grand Arena. Williams posted 20 points against the Aggies, the most points of his 19-game Scarlet Knight career and second most of his collegiate career.

As a team, Rutgers is averaging 81.4 points per game and shooting 45.8% from the field, a dramatic improvement from last season (65.4 ppg, 38.9%). Rutgers has never averaged more than 69 points per game or shot better than 45% during a season under head coach Steve Pikiell. The last time RU averaged over 70 points per game was 2013-14 (71.1 ppg). In fact, RU has averaged over 70 points per game for a full season just that one time since the start of the 2001-02 season.

Ohio State, receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Poll and 20^th by both the KenPom/NET ratings, enters the matchup at 5-3 after Wednesday night’s loss in the Big Ten opener against Maryland (83-59). Their nonconference slate was highlighted by a 8-72 win over then-No. 19 Texas in the opener and also features losses to mutual foe Texas A&M as well as ACC foe Pitt.

The Buckeyes are sixth in the nation from long range, shooting 42.4% from three-point distance, best among Big Ten teams. On the defensive end, OSU Is 14^th in three-point defense (26.3% and 19^th nationally in field-goal percentage defense (37.3%).

Junior point guard Bruce Thorton, who averaged 15.7 points and 4.8 assists last season, currently stands fourth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (5.33) and is 19^th in assists (6.0), while averaging 15.5 points this season. Freshman John Mobley Jr. shoots 55.8 from long range, fourth in the country, totaling 14.1 points per game, while sophomore Devin Royal is at 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Rutgers and Ohio State will match up for the 19^th time in history, with the past 18 of those coming since 2015, RU’s first year in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes lead the series 13-5. Rutgers is 2-3 in the last five meetings after going 2-10 in the first 12 meetings as Big Ten foes.

Last season, RU lost, 76-72, in a January trip to the Schottenstein Center, then fell 73-51 in the Buckeyes’ return trip to Piscataway. Only one member of this year’s roster saw playing time in the team’s last trip to Columbus, with Jamichael Davis playing 12 minutes in that January 2024 meeting. Rutgers’ last win over Ohio State came on January 15, 2023, a 68-64 overtime thriller. Following that victory, then-recruit Ace Bailey visited the team in the postgame locker room to inform them he was committing to RU.

RUTGERS VS. OHIO STATE (5-13) 

Date              W/L            Result
12/30/78 ……..W… 97-96(OT)N
2/8/15 …………. L ………..60-79 H
1/13/16……….. L ………..94-68 A
2/13/16……….. L ………..79-69 H
2/8/17 …………. L ………..70-64 A
3/8/17 ………….W………..66-57 N
1/14/18……….. L ………..46-68 H
2/20/18……….. L ………..52-79 A
1/9/19 ………….W………..64-61 H
2/1/19 …………. L ………..76-62 A
2/12/20……….. L ………..72-66 A
12/23/20 …….. L ………..80-68 A
1/9/21 …………. L ………..79-68 H
2/9/22 ………….W………..66-64 H
12/8/22…………L…………67-66 A
1/15/23………W…..68-64(OT) H
1/3/24 ………….L …………76-72 A
3/10/24………..L …………73-51 H

• 6^th win against Ohio State (would be 3-3 in last six meetings)
• Win the Big Ten opener for the second time in three seasons (win over No. 8/10 Indiana, December 3, 2022)

Rutgers will return home for the first time in 20 games with two contests next week. The Scarlet Knights host Penn State on Tuesday, December 10 for the first Big Ten home game of the season. That is followed by the Garden State Hardwood Classic against Seton Hall on Saturday, December 14.

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