Sunday, February 16
Eugene, Ore.
7:00 PM
Rutgers University
at
Oregon
Photo by: Ben Solomon
Men’s Basketball Starts West Coast Trip at Oregon
Feb 14 | Men's Basketball
Sunday Night Game (7 pm, FS1)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's basketball is set to embark on the initial West Coast trip of the new-look Big Ten this weekend, with a two-game swing through Oregon and Washington. Up first is a Sunday night contest at Oregon (7 pm, FS1, with Guy Haberman and Casey Jacobsen on the call.
The Scarlet Knights enter the matchup at 12-13 overall and 5-9 in the Big Ten. RU dropped its last contest, falling 84-73 at home to Iowa. In that game, Rutgers had 19 assists, the most in a Big Ten game since 2023. The Scarlet Knights had five players score in double figures for the first time this season.
Rutgers is led offensively by Ace Bailey (19.1 ppg) and Dylan Harper (18.8 ppg). They are seeking to become only the second pair of freshmen teammates over the past 22 years to average 19+ points per game, seeking to join Duke's Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett.
Rutgers is one of just seven schools in the nation to have at least five freshmen currently averaging 7 minutes or more per game. Rutgers is the lone Big Ten team on the list and one of just two in the Power 6 conferences. Rutgers' five freshmen average 44.56 points per team game, only behind Duke nationally.
The Scarlet Knights' three leading scorers overall on the season are currently true freshmen – Bailey (19.1 ppg), Harper (18.8 ppg) and Lathan Sommerville (7.2) and Dylan Grant (6.8) makes for four of the top six. Additionally, true freshman Dylan Grant has become an integral part of the rotation in the past 11 games (since Wisconsin on January 6) after playing in just three of the first 14 games. In the past 10 games, Grant is averaging 7.5 points per game, which would be third on the team in that span and is doing so on 45.2% shooting from the field in that stretch.
RU, who has never averaged more than 69 points per game under head coach Steve Pikiell is averaging 76.3 points per game this season. Rutgers has averaged over 76.5 points per game just 14 times in the school's 111-year history (and not since 1992-92). The last time RU averaged over 70 points per game was 2013-14 (71.1 ppg). RU has averaged over 70 points per game for a full season just that one time since the start of the 2001-02 season.
Ace Bailey (439 points) is third all-time among all RU true freshmen scorers. Dylan Harper (413 points) stands just fifth and just 18 points away from moving into fourth.
Rutgers True Freshmen Season Scoring Leaders: Total Points
Under 16th-year head coach Dana Altman, Oregon enters the game at 17-8 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten. The Ducks won 12 of 13 games to start the year, and were 15-2 on Jan. 17, but since then, have lost six of their past eight.
Nate Bittle leads the conference with 47 blocks, leads the team at 6.9 rebounds per game, is second in points at 12.5. He is one of the 10 final candidates for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given to college basketball's best center.
Jackson Shelstad leads UO at 13.4 points per game. TJ Bamba, a transfer via Washington State and Villanova, is a fifth-year senior at 10.8 points per game. Bamba has 23 steals in his last eight games, with eight games this season of three or more steals. All of the five Oregon projected starters average between 9 and 14 points per game.
The two schools will meet for the third time all-time and the first time in 40 years. Rutgers defeated Oregon at home in 1982, 53-42, with Roy Hinson recording 10 blocks, tied for second most in school history. In 1985, Rutgers traveled to Oregon and fell, 78-59.
The road trip continues as the program will stay on the left coast until Wednesday. RU and Washington tip off on Wednesday night at 10:30 pm ET on BTN.
| About Rutgers |
The Scarlet Knights enter the matchup at 12-13 overall and 5-9 in the Big Ten. RU dropped its last contest, falling 84-73 at home to Iowa. In that game, Rutgers had 19 assists, the most in a Big Ten game since 2023. The Scarlet Knights had five players score in double figures for the first time this season.
Rutgers is led offensively by Ace Bailey (19.1 ppg) and Dylan Harper (18.8 ppg). They are seeking to become only the second pair of freshmen teammates over the past 22 years to average 19+ points per game, seeking to join Duke's Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett.
Rutgers is one of just seven schools in the nation to have at least five freshmen currently averaging 7 minutes or more per game. Rutgers is the lone Big Ten team on the list and one of just two in the Power 6 conferences. Rutgers' five freshmen average 44.56 points per team game, only behind Duke nationally.
The Scarlet Knights' three leading scorers overall on the season are currently true freshmen – Bailey (19.1 ppg), Harper (18.8 ppg) and Lathan Sommerville (7.2) and Dylan Grant (6.8) makes for four of the top six. Additionally, true freshman Dylan Grant has become an integral part of the rotation in the past 11 games (since Wisconsin on January 6) after playing in just three of the first 14 games. In the past 10 games, Grant is averaging 7.5 points per game, which would be third on the team in that span and is doing so on 45.2% shooting from the field in that stretch.
RU, who has never averaged more than 69 points per game under head coach Steve Pikiell is averaging 76.3 points per game this season. Rutgers has averaged over 76.5 points per game just 14 times in the school's 111-year history (and not since 1992-92). The last time RU averaged over 70 points per game was 2013-14 (71.1 ppg). RU has averaged over 70 points per game for a full season just that one time since the start of the 2001-02 season.
| Rutgers Freshman Scoring |
Ace Bailey (439 points) is third all-time among all RU true freshmen scorers. Dylan Harper (413 points) stands just fifth and just 18 points away from moving into fourth.
Rutgers True Freshmen Season Scoring Leaders: Total Points
- Mike Rosario (08-09): 517
- Phil Sellers (72-73): 506
- Ace Bailey (24-25): 439
- Corey Sanders (15-16): 430
- Dylan Harper (24-25): 413
| About Oregon |
Under 16th-year head coach Dana Altman, Oregon enters the game at 17-8 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten. The Ducks won 12 of 13 games to start the year, and were 15-2 on Jan. 17, but since then, have lost six of their past eight.
Nate Bittle leads the conference with 47 blocks, leads the team at 6.9 rebounds per game, is second in points at 12.5. He is one of the 10 final candidates for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given to college basketball's best center.
Jackson Shelstad leads UO at 13.4 points per game. TJ Bamba, a transfer via Washington State and Villanova, is a fifth-year senior at 10.8 points per game. Bamba has 23 steals in his last eight games, with eight games this season of three or more steals. All of the five Oregon projected starters average between 9 and 14 points per game.
| About the Series |
The two schools will meet for the third time all-time and the first time in 40 years. Rutgers defeated Oregon at home in 1982, 53-42, with Roy Hinson recording 10 blocks, tied for second most in school history. In 1985, Rutgers traveled to Oregon and fell, 78-59.
| Up Next |
The road trip continues as the program will stay on the left coast until Wednesday. RU and Washington tip off on Wednesday night at 10:30 pm ET on BTN.
Players Mentioned
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