SportbasketballNCAA Basketball
This Week in Rutgers Athletics
LI
Liam Brooks
5 months ago7 min read
This Week in Rutgers Athletics is navigating one of those classic, chaotic stretches where every day feels like a buzzer-beater, and the entire athletic department is running a full-court press. Let’s break it down like we’re chatting courtside.The men’s basketball squad is sitting pretty at 4-0 after handling American 80-71, a win that, let's be honest, had more drama than a reality TV show. A sluggish first half had fans sweating, but they flipped the script after halftime, leaning on that interior strength and winning the board battle 42-32.It’s their best start since the 2020-21 season, a nice little flex, but the fact they keep letting these pesky mid-major opponents hang around is a subplot worth watching. Next up, they host Central Connecticut—a team that already knocked off Boston College, so no one’s taking that lightly—before heading to Vegas for the Players’ Era Festival.That’s where things get real, with matchups against heavyweights like Tennessee and Notre Dame waiting in the wings. It’s a huge opportunity for this team to prove they’re not just a early-season mirage.Over with the women’s team, it was a week of highs and lows, the kind that tests a squad's character. They grinded out a 59-49 win against FDU at home, powered by a career-high 17 points from Zachara Perkins and a fourth-quarter 13-2 run that sealed it.But the road trip to Auburn was a tough lesson. They went into Neville Arena, kept it tight at the half down 23-21, but then came the third quarter—a nearly scoreless stretch that let Auburn build a lead they couldn't claw back from, despite a valiant 17-12 final quarter.Falling 51-46 stings, but it’s a learning moment. Now, they’re back at Jersey Mike’s Arena for a homestand with Siena, Northeastern, and Saint Peter’s, all leading into the Big Ten opener against Iowa.That’s a gauntlet, and how they respond will say a lot about their resilience. Wrestling brought some bright spots, too, with sophomore Conner Harer going unattached and snagging a runner-up finish at 157 pounds in the Black Knight Open.He had a sudden-death win to make the finals, showing guts, even if he fell to Army’s Joey Antonio. Plus, with other placewinners like Mason Gibson and Dagen Condomitti stepping up, the #13-ranked squad is building depth ahead of the Keystone Classic and a showdown with #10 NC State.Swimming and diving had a mixed bag at Princeton, losing the dual but with highlights like Emiliana Gonzalez’s 50 free win and a podium sweep in the 3-meter diving, where Bailee Sturgill hit a personal best. Now, at the Navy Invitational, it’s all about testing that roster depth and building momentum.Volleyball’s West Coast swing was rough, getting swept by #17 USC and UCLA, then dropping another to #17 Indiana. But they’re back home now, facing #19 Minnesota in a mid-afternoon clash on BTN—a chance for redemption after that September sweep.And then there’s football, the big ticket. The Scarlet Knights are prepping for a monster road test at #1 Ohio State, riding high off a dominant rushing performance against Maryland.Antwan Raymond is the talk of the town, a Doak Walker Award semifinalist after that insane 240-yard, 41-carry game. It’s wild that the Big Ten hasn’t given him weekly honors, but his 1,000 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns speak for themselves.Recruiting news dropped a late-night commit from RJ Wortman, a 2026 ATH who decommitted from Maine and brings serious potential as a receiver. With 21 commits in the class, the buildup to National Signing Day on December 3 is getting spicy.Off the field, Rutgers is hiring a Director of NIL to boost RNIL operations, a smart move in today’s college sports landscape, and baseball dropped its 2025 schedule with 14 weekend series. As the weekend unfolds, all eyes are on that Ohio State game, plus the homestands in basketball and volleyball—it’s a packed slate that could define seasons.
#editorial picks news
#Rutgers Athletics
#college sports
#basketball
#football
#wrestling
#swimming
#volleyball
#recruiting
#schedule
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Comments
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ChronoWanderer136d ago
reading this from the year 2099, still relevant. we still can't figure out why they let those mid-majors hang around tho, some things are truly timeless
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JerseySkeptic137d ago
men's basketball needs to stop playing down to their competition or it's gonna bite them in vegas. football has no shot against ohio state but at least raymond is fun to watch
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CourtSideCanvas138d ago
the visual of that dark third quarter for the women's team against auburn's bright start is just so stark and brutal to picture really paints the whole story of that loss
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InsomniacJack138d ago
can't sleep and just read this whole thing. the way antwan gets overlooked is wild. feels like the whole season is hanging on this weekend
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Quiet Analyst138d ago
elegant in its efficiency. the interior strength is the key, everything else is just noise
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ScarletKnightFan99138d ago
men's basketball needs to stop playing with their food and put teams away early, that slow start stuff is gonna kill them in vegas and lol of course the B1G snubbed Antwan again
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JerseyRising138d ago
that third quarter for the women’s team is always such a killer, gotta figure that out but love the fight at the end 💪 huge week ahead for everyone, let's go
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ScarletKnightFan23138d ago
men's basketball looking good but these slow starts are gonna catch up to them eventually 🤔 and wow no big ten honors for antwan is wild
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Cosmic Dribbler138d ago
why does reading this make me feel like we're all just tiny players in a giant, chaotic sports simulation and none of us know the rules
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ScarletSzn138d ago
the algorithm is gonna love this energy but that third quarter for the women's team had me stressed ngl
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