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2024-25 Men's Basketball Roster

Ben Solomon
Cos Lymperopoulos
Cos Lymperopoulos

4 Ace Bailey

4 Ace Bailey

  • Position:
    Guard / Forward
  • Height:
    6-10
  • Weight:
    210
  • Class:
    Freshman
  • Hometown:
    Chattanooga, Tenn.
  • Highschool:
    McEachern High School

Summary

Biography

Airious "Ace" Bailey brings unmatched versatility and talent to the Scarlet Knights as the highest-ranked recruit in Rutgers basketball history. Recognized for his ability to play all five positions on the court, Bailey possesses elite offensive and defensive skills that have made him one of the most sought-after players in the country.

2024-25:

In-Season Accolades
  • Third Team All-Big Ten (Media)
  • Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches)
  • Big Ten All-Freshman Team
  • First Team All-District - NABC Mid-Atlantic Region
  • All-ECAC Second Team
  • Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week (Jan. 6) and Freshman of the Week (Jan. 20)
  • Met Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week (Jan. 7 and Jan. 21)
Season: 
  • Played and started in 30 games, averaging 17.6 points and team-best 7.2 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game
  • Led team with 38 blocks and had 38 assists and 30 steals
  • Scored 527 points, second most ever among Rutgers' true freshmen
  • Sixth among NCAA freshmen in scoring (17.6 points per game)
  • Had 25 games scoring in double-figues with 10 games of 20+ points
  • Posted 17 points and six rebounds in season debut versus Monmouth (Nov. 15)
  • Had first double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds against Merrimack (Nov. 20)
  • Scored 17 points at Kennesaw State (Nov. 24)
  • Had 22 points against No. 9 Alabama (Nov. 27)
  • Led team with 24 points and collected 10 rebounds against No. 20 Texas A&M (Nov. 30)
  • Had 15 points and 15 rebounds against Penn State (Dec. 10)
  • Posted 21 points against Seton Hall (Dec. 14)
  • Notched double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds against Princeton (Dec. 21)
  • Scored 24 points with eight rebounds against Columbia (Dec. 30)
  • Matched RU freshman scoring record (and had regulation freshman record) with 39 point outbust at Indiana (Jan. 2) along with 8 rebounds and 4 blocks
  • Was just second freshman since 2005 with 39+ points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks (Andrew Wiggins, 2014)
  • 16 field goals was most by a RU player in a Big Ten game and most ever by a RU freshman
  • Scored 17 points against Purdue (Jan. 9) 
  • Notched double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds) with three blocks in win over UCLA (Jan. 13)
  • Had double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds with four assists and three steals in win at Nebraska (Jan. 16)
  • Led team with 30 points at Penn State (Jan. 20)
  • Scored 37 points at Northwestern (Jan. 29)
  • Had double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds in win over No. 23 Illinois (Feb. 5)
  • Scored 18 points in win at Washington (Feb. 19)
  • Had 17 points and 7 rebounds against USC in Big Ten Tournament (March 12)

Watch Lists
  • Named to the Naismith National Player of the Year Top 50 Preseason Watch List.
  • Named to the National Association of Basketball Coach's National Player of the Year Top-20 Watch List
  • Named Julius Erving Award Watch List, given to the best small forward in the country.
  • Named to Lute Olson Award Watch List
  • Named to Top-25 for Wooden Award Watch List
High School:
  • A consensus five-star prospect ranked among the top 5 players nationally by multiple outlets, including Rivals, ESPN, and 24/7 Sports.
  • The highest-ranked player in Georgia and a standout small forward, Ace posted impressive stats during his senior year: 33.4 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks, leading McEachern High School to a 26-6 record and a Class A title.
Accolades:
  • Named Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year
  • First-team all-state by the GHSA Boys Basketball Committee
  • A McDonald's All-American for the 2024 class 
  • Participated in prestigious events such as Team USA U17, the Nike Hoop Summit, and the Jordan Brand Classic.
Personal:
  • Ace comes from a family with a rich basketball legacy; his mother, Ramika McGee, played at West Virginia.
  • His aunt, Venus, was a member of Team USA's 1996 Olympic team that won a gold medal and played in the WNBA.
  • His decision to join Rutgers came after considering a top-12 list that included powerhouse programs such as Tennessee, Kentucky, and Kansas.
  • Ace spends his free time talking on the phone with his friends and family from home and playing NCAA.
  • He and teammate Jamichael Davis have been close since childhood and have championship aspirations this season.
Coach Pikiell’s Remarks:
  • "Ace Bailey may be the most versatile wing player in the country. What he does is pass the ball. He's an elite 6-foot-10 passer, really sees the floor and can make plays. But he's an emergency defensive guy, and can really block shots from the weak side. He makes guys around him better, which I think the great ones do."
Player’s Remarks:
  • “We have great rim defenders, great cutters, great everything. We have an all-around team. And the thing about this team, we all know our roles. We all know our roles and we’re just going to keep getting better at it, which is going to get us better as a team because we connect as a unit.”
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Stat Snapshot (Season Avgs.)

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Stat Snapshot (Career Avgs.)

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Season Stats

Season:
2024-25
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Career Statistics

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