Jamichael Davis was asked if the upcoming Players Era Festival in Las Vegas is a chance for Rutgers basketball to erase Friday’s stunning 13-point home loss to Central Connecticut State.
He knew better.
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“You’re not erasing it,” the junior guard said. “One thing we can do is learn from it. We have to come to Vegas ready to play – coming out from the start with high energy and the right focus on personnel.”
Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey got the Scarlet Knights got a coveted multi-year spot in the showcase, which pays participating programs $1 million apiece. But those two are in the NBA now, and Rutgers faces a field that looks more like an NCAA Tournament bracket than a Feast Week event. The Scarlet Knights open against Tennessee Monday (1 p.m. Eastern, TNT) followed by Notre Dame Tuesday (1 p.m. Eastern, TNT), with the third matchup on Wednesday or Thursday to be determined.
Nov 5, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Dylan Grant (9) reacts after scoring a basket against the Rider Broncs during the second half at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
“We have to get off the mat,” coach Steve Pikiell said.
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One win probably would do it. Anything beyond an 0-3 showing would have to be considered progress, given the competition. Here is our ranking of the 18 teams:
1. Gonzaga (5-0): Has already cruised by Oklahoma, Creighton and Arizona State. Holding foes to 23 percent shooting from 3-point range.
2. Houston (5-0): The No. 1 defense in the sport is holding foes to 53 points per game and 35 percent shooting from the field.
3. Alabama (3-1): Dropped 103 points on St. John’s in a win at Madison Square Garden, beat Illinois, lost to top-ranked Purdue by seven.
4. St. John’s (3-1): Averaging 98.5 points and 20 assists per game led by standout bigs Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins.
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5. Iowa State (4-0): Spanked Mississippi State by 16 on a neutral court. Forcing a whopping 20.8 turnovers per game.
6. Tennessee (5-0): Untested so far, but holding opponents to 34 percent shooting while leading the nation in rebounding margin (an average of plus-19).
7. Michigan (4-0): Squeaked by Wake Forest and TCU. Led by Pennsauken’s Yaxel Lendeborg (15.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg).
8. Baylor (3-0): Beat Washington by nine at home. Shooting 51 percent from the field.
9. Auburn (4-1): Lost to Houston by one point, escaped Bethune Cookman in OT. Hudson Catholic grad Tahaad Pettiford averages 10.8 points, 3.4 assists.
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10. Creighton (3-1): Lost at Gonzaga by 27. Averaging 16 offensive rebounds per game but shooting an uncharacteristic 27 percent from deep.
11. Maryland (4-1): Lost to Georgetown by 10 at home, beat Marquette by seven on the road. Shooting 81 percent from the free-throw line.
12. Kansas (3-2): Lost to North Carolina and Duke by double digits. Much-hyped freshman forward Darryn Peterson is out (hamstring).
13. Oregon (4-0): Escaped Hawaii by one point at home, no notable wins yet. Senior center Nathan Bittle (18.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg) is a load.
14. Notre Dame (4-1): Fell at Ohio State by one. No notable wins. Shooting 40.5 percent from 3-point range.
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15. Syracuse (4-0): Survived shorthanded Monmouth by five in the Dome. Hasn’t played a high-major, but leads the nation in field-goal defense (.310).
16. San Diego State (2-1): Lost to Troy in double overtime. Picked to win the Mountain West Conference but hasn’t played anyone of note.
17. Rutgers (4-1): Ranked 264th in 3-point defense (.347) and 309th in 2-point shooting (.482) against the 363rd-toughest schedule so far.
18. UNLV (3-2): Picked to finish sixth in the Mountain West, Rebels have lost to Montana and Tennessee-Martin but upset Memphis.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Can Rutgers basketball get off the mat at Players Era Festival?
