Amanda Knapp
Rutgers University's basketball team, the Scarlet Knights, competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The team has a rich history in college basketball, dating back to its first season in 1906. The Scarlet Knights have appeared in the NCAA tournament eight times, most recently in 2022, and have produced several NBA players, including Roy Hinson, John Battle, and James Bailey. The team experienced a period of decline in the early 2010s but saw renewed success after the hiring of Head Coach Steve Pikiell in 2016. In recent years, the Scarlet Knights have achieved notable wins and rankings, solidifying their place as a competitive force in NCAA Division I basketball.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the team | Rutgers Scarlet Knights |
| University | Rutgers University |
| Division | Division I |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Number of appearances in the NCAA tournament | 8 |
| Record in the NCAA tournament | 6–9 |
| Number of appearances in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) | 15 |
| Record in the NIT | 16–15 |
| Number of Rutgers players drafted in the NBA | 23 |
| Highest-drafted player | Dylan Harper (2nd overall in 2025) |
| Number of Rutgers alumni who have played in the NBA | 15 |
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What You'll Learn
Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team represents Rutgers University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. They compete in the Big Ten Conference and have appeared in the NCAA tournament eight times, most recently in 2022. The team has a rich history, dating back to their first season of play in 1906. However, they dissolved after the 1907-1908 season and reformed in 1913, remaining uninterrupted until the 1943 season.
The Scarlet Knights have experienced both highs and lows over the years. They made the NCAA Final Four in 1976 and reached the championship game of the 2004 NIT Final, losing to the Michigan Wolverines. The team then went through a prolonged down period, cycling through multiple coaches and finishing at the bottom of the Big East standings. This period included a scandal in 2013 involving the then head coach, who was fired for verbally and physically abusing players.
However, the program began to see renewed success after the hiring of Head Coach Steve Pikiell in 2016. 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. They also ranked in the top 25 of the AP men's college basketball poll for the first time since 1979. The team broke its 30-year tournament drought when it earned a spot in the 2021 NCAA tournament, achieving its first tournament win since 1983.
The Scarlet Knights have produced several notable NBA players, including Roy Hinson, John Battle, and James Bailey. In the 2025 NBA Draft, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey made history as the highest-selected Scarlet Knights, being drafted second and fifth overall, respectively. The team's 2024 recruiting class is highly anticipated, with two McDonald's All-American players expected to join the program.
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History of success
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. 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, and remained uninterrupted until the 1943 season.
Rutgers made the NCAA Final Four in 1976 and ended the 1976 season ranked fourth in the nation, after an 86–70 loss against the Michigan Wolverines. Rutgers has appeared in the NCAA tournament eight times, most recently in 2022. The Scarlet Knights also played in the 2004 NIT Final, where they were defeated by the Michigan Wolverines. In 2005–2006 Quincy Douby set a Rutgers Basketball single-season record by scoring 839 points.
Rutgers joined the Big East Conference in 1991, and all sports programs subsequently became affiliated with the Big East in 1995. On July 1, 2014, Rutgers became a member of the Big Ten athletic conference. While in the Big East, the Scarlet Knights won four conference tournament titles: men's soccer (1997), baseball (2000, 2007), and women's basketball (2007). The Rutgers women's basketball team has also earned accolades, including the 2007 Irv Grossman Award of Merit and the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award.
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. The team broke its 30-year tournament drought when it earned a spot in the 2021 NCAA tournament, where it achieved its first tournament win since 1983 with a first-round victory over Clemson.
Rutgers has produced many NBA players, most notably Roy Hinson, John Battle, and James Bailey. In the 2025 NBA Draft, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey made history as the highest-selected Scarlet Knights in the NBA Draft, being chosen as the second and fifth picks, respectively.
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Notable players
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team represents Rutgers University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The team has produced several notable players over the years, including those who have gone on to play in the NBA.
Some of the most notable Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball players include Roy Hinson, John Battle, and James Bailey. In the 2025 NBA Draft, Dylan Harper and Airious "Ace" Bailey made history by being selected as the highest Scarlet Knights ever drafted in the NBA, being picked second and fifth overall, respectively.
The Scarlet Knights women's basketball team has also achieved notable success, earning the Irv Grossman Award of Merit in 2007 for elevating the status of women's collegiate sports. A standout season for the women's team was 2005-2006, when they were ranked 4th in the nation and reached the Elite Eight, led by the scoring prowess of Cappie Pondexter.
Other notable players from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team include Junior Etou, a Congolese player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, and Antwone Woolfolk, who transferred to Miami (OH) and has been a starter for the RedHawks, averaging 8.1 points and six rebounds per game. The team has also seen players enter the transfer portal in recent years, including Jalen Miller, who now plays for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.
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Coaching controversies
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team represents Rutgers University in the NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The team competes in the Big Ten Conference.
The Rutgers basketball coaching staff has been involved in several controversies over the years, with the most notable incident involving former head coach Mike Rice Jr. in 2013. Rice gained national attention after ESPN aired videos from Rutgers practices, showing him verbally and physically abusing players. The footage included Rice berating players, pushing them, kicking them, using homophobic slurs, and throwing basketballs at them heads. The video sparked outrage across the nation, with many calling for Rice's removal. As a result, Rice was initially suspended for three games without pay and fined $50,000. However, when ESPN aired additional footage in April 2013, Rutgers fired Rice, and the scandal led to the resignation of the Rutgers athletic director, Tim Pernetti.
In the aftermath of the scandal, there was intense scrutiny on how universities handle the immense pressures and financial stakes of college sports. Additionally, the incident brought to light the importance of addressing bullying, homophobic behaviour, and teen suicide, with sensitivity.
Following Rice's dismissal, Steve Pikiell was hired as the new head coach in 2016, and the program began to experience renewed success. The Scarlet Knights reached the 20-win mark in the 2019-20 season and ranked in the top 25 of the AP men's college basketball poll for the first time since 1979.
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Rivalries
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team represents Rutgers University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition.
The team has a long-standing rivalry with Princeton, dating back to the first college football game in history in 1869, and even to events prior, as the two colleges also played baseball and rowed crew against each other. The rivalry continued in other sports, primarily men's basketball, until 1980 when the football series ended. The rivalry was renewed in 2023, when the two teams played each other in a game promoted as the "Jersey Jam". As of the 2016-17 season, Princeton is Rutgers' most-played out-of-conference opponent.
Another one of Rutgers' rivals is Indiana. Both teams entered the 1976 tournament unbeaten, with Rutgers going 31-0 during the regular season.
In recent years, Rutgers has also played against the Michigan Wolverines, losing to them 62-55 in the championship game of the 2004 NIT Final.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Rutgers University's basketball team, the Scarlet Knights, competes in NCAA Division I.
Rutgers basketball is in Division I of the NCAA.
Rutgers basketball plays in the Big Ten Conference.
Rutgers has appeared in the NCAA tournament eight times, most recently in 2022.
