Rutgers freshmen take charge as veterans solidify decisive opening act for Knights

Dylan Harper dazzled in his Rutgers debut, scoring 20 points as Scarlet Knights demolished Wagner in season opener. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The first curveball came Wednesday morning, when it was announced that freshman sensation Ace Bailey sustained an injury in practice Monday and would be held out of Rutgers’ season opener as a precautionary measure.

Head coach Steve Pikiell would not give any specifics or exact nature of the injury suffered by the likely NBA lottery pick, just that he was day-to-day. But at the end of the day, it proved to be a moot point.

Forced to utilize his depth to create a new-look lineup, Pikiell watched his Scarlet Knights take control early in the first half with a 20-0 run and a defensive stand that lasted nearly 30 minutes in real time as Rutgers raised the curtain on its most anticipated season on the banks with a 75-52 rout of reigning Northeast Conference champion Wagner inside Jersey Mike’s Arena.

“We wanted to be 1-0, and we are,” Pikiell proclaimed as Rutgers was led by 20 points from the yin to Bailey’s yang, Dylan Harper, as well as 11 points and eight rebounds from fellow freshman Lathan Sommerville, who received a larger opportunity with Bailey unavailable. “Our bench was outstanding. Lathan came in and gave us great minutes, PJ Hayes’ minutes, (Jamichael Davis) works. He had two blocks, five assists, zero turnovers, and he guarded (Wagner point guard Javier Ezquerra) and he changed the pace of the game. J-Mike’s done a really good job. It was great to have our veteran team out there.”

Harper, the second generation of his family to suit up for the State University of New Jersey after following in the footsteps of his brother, Ron Harper, Jr., made the most of his debut, posting the highest single-game point total by a Rutgers freshman in over three decades.

“It’s a dream come true, to be honest,” Dylan reflected. “Coming here when I was little, watching my brother play, all those guys play, and now just getting a chance to play in front of this crowd—the Riot Squad, everyone—it’s just crazy and honestly, a blessing.”

Harper will command a rightful share of the headlines and highlight reel, but the unsung hero of the evening turned out to be Sommerville, the 6-foot-10 center and third piece of Rutgers’ five-pronged freshman class. The big man drained a 3-pointer, spun his way inside for a layup, and even showcased his elite passing skills on a behind-the-back dish to Jordan Derkack in the second half on a move that may have surprised the fans, but was just another day at the office for his teammates.

“Y’all were probably surprised,” Harper gushed. “I wasn’t surprised at all. I’ve played against Lathan a thousand times. I know he’s got that in him. He came out here with his opportunity and he made the most of it. Y’all were all amazed, but that’s regular stuff on a regular basis for him.”

“I’ve come a long way, just knowing my role and knowing that I have to go out there and rebound,” Sommerville said, evaluating his progress to date. “I was already pretty confident knowing what I could do for this team to try to help the team. I know I can score, I know I can facilitate, but being able to play hard and rebound adds more to my game. I felt great. Like Dylan said, it’s a blessing to be able to play in this environment. I felt good out there, tried to bring as much energy as I could, and just play as hard as I can.”

The emphasis on rebounds and effective frontcourt play was just another feather in the cap for Sommerville, whose transformation from both a physical and skills perspective has his coach eager to see how the rest of his game continues to unfold.

“He’s an excellent passer, but what I was most excited about is that he went up and grabbed eight rebounds,” Pikiell said. “And he grabbed them in traffic, too. I like seeing those things, but it’s a big step. If he can rebound like that, he’s gonna be in a good place. I’m proud of him and how he attacked the rebounds today.”

“Lathan was rock solid from the beginning. He’s improving every day. College is not an easy adjustment, and he’s lost weight, he’s gotten in better shape, he’s learning he could do a lot of things. He stepped out, (hit a) three, he could pass, he could rebound. His best days are ahead of him, too.”

The Scarlet Knights’ fresh faces may have been the stars of the show Wednesday, but their veteran core was the biggest factor in the decisive victory. Tyson Acuff, Derkack, PJ Hayes, Zach Martini and Jeremiah Williams were integral parts in Rutgers forcing Wagner into misses on 17 straight shots after the Seahawks had made five of their first eight attempts. As the elder statesmen shut Wagner’s water off in a scoring drought that spanned nearly 11 minutes of game action, the balance of experience with youth was what satisfied Pikiell most, with Hayes’ efficiency—the fifth-year senior was a plus-22 on the night—checking in a close second.

“It’s really important,” Pikiell said of his veteran leadership. “Those guys have been around a little bit. Tyson Acuff’s been a good leader with that group, Jordan’s been around, Martini obviously has been around. So to have PJ in that role—and he played some awesome basketball last year at San Diego if you watch the films of him—he can do a lot of things, and he’s improving, too. He’s improving his defense, his rebounding, so I’m real pleased to have him. He gives us a real big-time weapon, and obviously, we need that.”

As Rutgers heads into its next test, a Monday night meeting with a gritty and tough Saint Peter’s team that won the MAAC tournament this past March, its versatility is as strong as its defense. But, as Martini astutely observed, the absolutes pale in comparison to the main objective, a winning record.

“We’re 1-0,” the Princeton transfer reiterated. “We’ve got a lot of weapons, a lot of lineups we can play around with, but more importantly, we held them to 52. We’re 1-0.”