The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team represents Rutgers University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition and competes in the Big Ten Conference. Rutgers made the NCAA Final Four in 1976. Rutgers has appeared in the NCAA tournament eight times, most recently appearing in 2022. Rutgers has produced many NBA players, most notably Roy Hinson, John Battle, and James Bailey. In 2025, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey made history as the highest-selected Scarlet Knights in NBA Draft history, with the second and fifth picks, respectively.

History

The history of Rutgers men's basketball dates back to 1906 when they began their first season of play. Their first recorded game was a loss to New York University by a score of 38–16. The team was dissolved following the 1907-1908 season, only to be reformed in 1913 where they remained intact uninterrupted until the 1943 season.

The team played in the Final Four in the 1976 NCAA tournament and ended the 1976 season ranked fourth in the nation, after a 86–70 loss against the Michigan Wolverines in the semifinal round and a 106–92 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the tournament's third-place consolation game.1976 NCAA Division I basketball tournament at shrpsports.com, accessed 29 December 2006. This was the last men's Division I tournament to date to feature two unbeaten teams, as both Indiana, who won that year's title, and Rutgers entered the tournament unbeaten. Rutgers went 31–0 during the regular season.

The Scarlet Knights also played in the championship game of the 2004 NIT Final, losing to the Michigan Wolverines 62–55.

The Scarlet Knights had a prolonged down period through the following decade, cycling through a number of coaches and routinely finishing at the bottom of the Big East standings. This period included a scandal in 2013 with then head coach Mike Rice Jr. being shown on video verbally and physically abusing players.The Guardian, Rutgers' firing of coach Mike Rice exposes a toxic locker-room culture, 3 April 2013. The scandal resulted in the firing of Coach Rice as well as the resignation of then Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti.

Rutgers basketball played their first season in the Big Ten conference in 2014–2015. After the hiring of Head Coach Steve Pikiell in 2016, the program began to see renewed success. In the 2019–20 season, led by guards Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr., the Scarlet Knights reached the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2003-04 season, including an 18–1 home record and four wins against ranked opponents. That year, they ranked in the top 25 of the AP men's college basketball poll for the first time since 1979.ESPN, . Experts widely predicted Rutgers' inclusion in the 2020 NCAA tournament, but the event was cancelled before the field was announced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.NCCA.com, . The following season, the team would officially break its 30-year tournament drought when it earned a 10-seed in the 2021 NCAA tournament, where it would also achieve its first tournament win since 1983 in a first round win over Clemson.twitter.com, . The Scarlet Knights returned to the tournament again the next season, becoming the team with the lowest NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) ranking at 77th overall to receive an at-large bid since the NCAA has utilized the NET to inform tournament selection choices.

In 2024, the Scarlet Knights got two McDonald's All-American players: forward Airious "Ace" Bailey and guard Dylan Harper. Though they failed to reach the NCAA Tournament, this was seen as a success for Rutgers for getting two of the top three high school prospects.

Postseason

NCAA tournament results The Scarlet Knights have appeared in the NCAA tournament eight times. Their combined record is 6–9.

1975 First Round Louisville L 78–91 1976 First RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourNational 3rd Place Game PrincetonConnecticutVMIMichiganUCLA W 54–53W 93–79W 91–75L 70–86L 92–106 1979 #6 Second RoundSweet Sixteen #3 Georgetown#10 St. John's W 64–58L 65–67 1983 #9 First RoundSecond Round #8 Southwest Louisiana#1 St. John's W 60–53L 55–66 1989 #13 First Round #4 Iowa L 73–87 1991 #9 First Round #8 Arizona State L 76–79 2021 #10 First RoundSecond Round #7 Clemson#2 Houston W 60–56L 60–63 2022 #11 First Four #11 Notre Dame L 87–89 2OT

NIT results The Scarlet Knights have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 15 times. Their combined record is 16–15.

1967 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals3rd Place Game Utah StateNew MexicoSouthern IllinoisMarshall W 78–76W 65–60L 70–79W 93–76 1969 First Round Tennessee L 51–67 1973 First Round Minnesota L 59–68 1974 First Round Utah L 89–102 1977 First Round St. Bonaventure L 77–79 1978 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals3rd Place Game ArmyIndiana StateTexasGeorgetown W 72–70W 57–56L 76–96W 85–72 1982 First RoundSecond Round IonaPurdue W 55–51L 65–98 1990 First RoundSecond RoundQuarterfinals Holy CrossFordhamPenn State W 87–78W 81–74L 55–58 1992 First RoundSecond Round James MadisonManhattan W 73–69L 61–62 1999 First RoundSecond Round HofstraClemson W 58–45L 68–78 2000 First Round Kent State L 62–73 2002 First Round Yale L 65–67 2004 First RoundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal TempleWest VirginiaVillanovaIowa StateMichigan W 76–71W 67–64W 72–60W 84–81L 55–62 2006 Opening RoundFirst Round Penn StateSaint Joseph's W 76–71L 62–71 2023 First Round Hofstra L 86–88OT

CBC results The Scarlet Knights have appeared in one College Basketball Crown (CBC). Their record is 0–1.

2026 Quarterfinals Creighton L 69–82

Retired numbers Three Rutgers players have had their numbers retired:Rutgers Men’s Basketball Media Guide (PDF), 2020 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s Basketball Media Guide, Rutgers Sports Information Department, Pages 92–94. Phil Sellers 1972–1976 Bob Lloyd 1964–1967 James Bailey 1975–1979

Scarlet Knights in the NBA

23 Rutgers alumni have been selected in the NBA draft. Dylan Harper is the highest selected Scarlet Knight ever in the draft being selected as 2nd overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

19 Rutgers alumni have played at least one game in the NBA, including: Bob Lloyd, 1968–1969 Bob Greacen, 1970–1972 Phil Sellers, 1977 Eddie Jordan, 1978–1984 Hollis Copeland, 1980–1982 James Bailey, 1980–1988 Roy Hinson, 1984–1991 John Battle, 1986–1995 Charles Jones, 1999–2000 Dahntay Jones, 2004–2017 Luis Flores, 2005 Quincy Douby, 2007–2009 Hamady N'Diaye, 2011–2014 Eugene Omoruyi, 2022–2023 Ron Harper Jr., 2023-present Caleb McConnell, 2023 Cam Spencer, 2024-present Dylan Harper, 2025-present Ace Bailey, 2025-present

Players in international competition

Junior Etou (born 1994), Congolese basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Basketball Premier League Steve Kaplan, American-Israeli basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League

References

External links