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2024-25 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Basketball Predictions and Odds to Win the National Championship

by Ryan Cobbett - 10/15/2024

Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball predictions Aundre Hyatt

Last season was not particularly kind to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, as they finished 15-17 overall and just 7-13 in Big Ten play. Rutgers conference record put them ahead of only Michigan in the Big Ten standings. They struggled offensively all season and were not competitive against ranked teams, as they went 1-4 with a -55-point differential. Rutgers was incredibly inconsistent in the last six weeks of the season, where they started February off right with a four-game winning streak before ending the season going 1-7 over their last eight games.

Rutgers finished last in the Big Ten in both PPG, as they averaged just 65.4 PPG, and FT%, shooting just 65.8% from the free-throw line. They were also the worst three-point shooting team, as they finished the year with a lowly 28.7% 3P%, which also ranked 352nd in the nation. Guard Jeremiah Williams led the team in scoring, as he averaged 12.2 PPG and was second on the team in assists per game, averaging 2.8 APG despite playing in just 12 games last year. Aundre Hyatt and Clifford Omoruyi joined Williams as the only other Scarlet Knights to record double-digit points, with Hyatt averaging 10.5 PPG and Omoruyi finishing with 10.4 PPG, while also leading the team with 8.3 RPG. Their defensive play was the highlight for Rutgers, as they ranked third in the conference, allowing just 66.5 PPG, while limiting their opponents to just a 40.8% FG%.

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Rutgers Scarlet Knights Key Additions/Losses

There is no bigger loss for these Rutgers Scarlet Knights than Clifford Omoruyi, as the 6-foot-11 center transferred to Alabama. Omoruyi was a menace in the post, leading his team in rebounds and blocks per game, while also finishing in the Top Three on the team in scoring. Guards Gavin Griffiths (17.8 MIN, 5.8 PPG) and Derek Simpson (26.1 MIN, 8.3 PPG) left for Nebraska and St. Johns. Mawot Mag (BYU) is another significant loss for the Scarlet Knights, as the forward averaged 9.1 PPG. Antonio Chol (Howard) is another player that transferred out.

As for the additions, Rutgers was absolutely one of the winners of the offseason. To combat the losses in the transfer portal, the coaching staff brought in guards Jordan Derkack (Merrimack, 17 PPG), Tyson Acuff (EMU, 21.7 PPG), and PJ Hayes (San Diego, 10.5 PPG) as well as center Zach Martini (Princeton, 8.4 PPG). If that wasn’t enough, they brought in the fourth best recruiting class in the nation. Rutgers went out and got the second and fourth best players in the 2024 recruiting class by signing five stars Ace Bailey (SF) and Dylan Harper (PG), who will be day one starters. They also brought in three-star, Top 200, forwards in Lathan Sommerville, Bryce Dortch, and Dylan Grant.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights X-Factors

Offensive Capabilities- All the newcomers should boost the offensive potential for Rutgers. After being one of the worst scoring teams in the nation, the Scarlet Knights seem to have a multitude of playmakers. Bailey and Harper will get their shot in the starting lineup and will join last year’s leading scorer in Jeremiah Williams. Derkack and Acuff showcased their scoring ability last season, with Acuff ranking seventh in the nation in scoring last season, while Derkack led Merrimack in both PPG and RPG. The beginning of the schedule is light for Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights should have six tune-up games before back-to-back games with Alabama and Houston.

The Pressure- Expectations are high for the Scarlet Knights heading into the new campaign. They won the offseason, but now have some lofty expectations set not only in the locker room but by the fanbase as well. The top half of the Big Ten is not as strong as it has been in recent years, even with the additions of the West Coast teams. The schedule is also not that difficult, as they have only two true road games against ranked opponents heading into the season. Rutgers should find themselves in the same conversation as Indiana and Purdue as the best team in the conference. Can the incoming freshman stars mesh with the impact transfers and elevate this Rutgers team into one of the best in the nation?

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Notable Games

Home - #14 Purdue, #22 UCLA, Illinois

Away/Neutral - #2 Alabama, #4 Houston, #17 Indiana, #14 Purdue

Key Odds/Rankings:

NCAA Champion: +5000

Conference Winner: +1400

AP Top 25- 25th

Andy Katz’s Power 37- 25th

KenPom- 63rd

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Basketball Predictions

We will get a good glimpse at what the ceiling of this team could be in their late November matchups against Alabama and Houston in the Players Era Festival – Impact Tournament. However, the floor has to be a top three or four team in the Big Ten and a dangerous opponent in March Madness. At +1400 to be the regular season Big Ten winner, there is a lot of good value for a squad that now has playmakers and depth. Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper could become one of the most talked about dynamic duos in the country, while Jeremiah Williams, Zach Martini, and Tyson Acuff compliment and anchor the freshmen. Rutgers is going to be a matchup nightmare in the spring, and I think, despite what early results could tell us, this Rutgers team is a legit contender to win the conference in both the regular season and the tournament.

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