Deadspin | Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper lead No. 25 Rutgers into clash vs. Wagner

Rutgers’ expectations for this season have been building to a fever pitch ever since two five-star high school recruits committed to the program.

They’re not just any two five-stars, either, but potential future NBA players who were often ranked second and third in the Class of 2024: Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

Rutgers believes it has constructed a formidable team around Bailey and Harper for 2024-25. The Scarlet Knights are ranked No. 25 in the AP preseason poll and will open a unique season Wednesday against Wagner in Piscataway, N.J.

Bailey is a 6-foot-10 Atlanta-area native who will be used all around the court, but primarily at forward and wing. Harper is a lead guard whose brother Ron Harper Jr. was one of the best players in recent Rutgers history. Bailey actually committed before Dylan Harper, and their long-distance friendship and occasional opportunities to play with one another during the summer helped form early chemistry.

They combined for 45 points, six made 3-pointers and nine rebounds in a 91-85 exhibition loss to St. John’s in October.

“Those two kids are talented. They’re great kids and they’re really good passers,” coach Steve Pikiell said. “They definitely have to learn some things. College defense is something they’re going to continue to get better at.”

The Scarlet Knights’ three returning players are guard Jeremiah Williams, a captain; guard Jamichael Davis, a high school teammate of Bailey; and Emmanuel Ogbole, who could be the team’s starting center after missing most of last year recovering from a knee injury.

Rutgers is usually known for its defense and had one of the worst offenses in power-conference basketball a season ago (65.4 ppg). In addition to Bailey’s and Harper’s contributions, the Scarlet Knights will lean on transfers like Tyson Acuff, Zach Martini and PJ Hayes.

Acuff (Eastern Michigan) ranked seventh in the country at 21.7 points per game last season but will start the season off the bench in a limited role. Martini (Princeton) shot 38.5 percent from 3-point land as a junior and was named co-captain with Williams. And Hayes (San Diego) shot nearly 40 percent from the arc as a freshman and didn’t miss a shot in the exhibition against St. John’s (4-for-4, including two 3-pointers).

Wagner was tied for first with Central Connecticut State atop the Northeast Conference preseason coaches’ poll. The Seahawks finished sixth last season but then ran the table in the conference tournament and defeated Howard in the NCAA Tournament First Four.

The Staten Island school rewarded coach Donald Copeland with a new five-year contract.

After injuries limited his roster to seven healthy scholarship players at tournament time, Copeland is glad to have back players like Javier Ezquerra (7.0 points, 4.4 assists per game last season), Keyontae Lewis (6.9 points, 5.4 rebounds) and Zaire Williams (9.3 ppg in nine games before a season-ending injury).

“It’s going well. We’re working hard,” Copeland told PIX 11 in the summer. “The players are jelling together, which I think is always good at this time of year … We’re able to put in some things that I think will help us come fall.”

–Field Level Media