PISCATAWAY, N.J. \u2013 Rutgers men’s basketball takes the floor for the first time ahead of the 2026-27 season this weekend. The Scarlet Knights will host the Villanova Wildcats on Sunday in an exhibition game at Jersey Mike’s Arena.<\/p>\n
Tickets are available via ScarletKnights.com. There will be a live stream of the contest available on B1G+ with Dom Savino and Justin Walters calling the action. There will also be radio broadcasts from Rutgers and WRSU Student Radio.
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\nRutgers roster has been set for the upcoming season with seven returners, eight departures and nine newcomers. The Scarlet Knights return five of their top seven scorers from last season.<\/p>\n
Rutgers brings back five guards from last season’s roster, Jamichael Davis<\/a>, Tariq Francis<\/a>, Lino Mark<\/a>, Kaden Powers<\/a> and Max Fradkin<\/a>. Francis led RU last season at 17.0 points per game and shot 91.1 percent from the free throw line. His 578 total points on the year with the most scored by a Scarlet Knight since 2005-06 (Quincy Douby). Francis’s 578 points last season are the second most among Big Ten returning players.<\/p>\n Davis is RU’s most experienced returner, set to be a four-year player and two-time team captain. He boasts 98 career games played, averaging 5.9 points in his career with 199 assists and 94 steals.<\/p>\n Lino Mark<\/a> and Kaden Powers<\/a> stood out for RU as freshmen last season. Mark emerged as a key contributor down the stretch, closing the year with eight double-figure scoring performances over the final 11 games. Powers flashed his potential, earning 15 starts and posting five double-figure scoring games, highlighted by 18 points against UCLA.<\/p>\n Rutgers also returns forward Darren Buchanan Jr.<\/a> and center Gevonte Ware<\/a>. Buchanan Jr. is second among returners with 8.1 points per game last season as a key two-way contributor.<\/p>\n Rutgers brings in transfers Rasheed Jones (14.8 ppg at Coastal Carolina), Darin Smith Jr.<\/a> (NEC Player of the Year at Central Connecticut State), Will Sydnor<\/a> (13.9 ppg as a freshman at Manhattan), Christian Gurdak<\/a> (5.6 points at Virginia Tech) and Dorin Buca<\/a> (Kansas State). Rutgers will welcome freshman Imahri Wooten<\/a> and international players Diego Garavaglia<\/a> (Italy), Martin Tonejc<\/a> (Slovenia) and Mervedi Miteo<\/a> (Congo). \nVillanova was picked third in the preseason BIG EAST poll. In the first season under head coach Kevin Willard, who previously faced RU during his time at the helm of Seton Hall and Maryland, the Wildcats earned 24 wins and went to the NCAA Tournament. The team returns Tyler Perkins, who was a third team All-BIG EAST honoree after leading the Wildcats in scoring a season ago at 13.7 points per game.<\/p>\n Newcomers Kwame Evans Jr. and Devin Royal were also named Preseason All-BIG EAST alongside Perkins. Both played in the Big Ten and against RU last season. Evans Jr averaged 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds at Oregon last season, while Royal averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds at Ohio State. Both visited Jersey Mike’s Arena in consecutive contests in the first week of January, as Evans had 14 points and 13 rebounds across 41 minutes played in an overtime win for RU, while Royal scored 16 points with four assists for the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n Rutgers and Villanova were both previously conference foes in the BIG EAST Conference, playing annually from 1977 to 2013. Villanova holds a 29-9 advantage in the all-time series, with no regular season meetings since 2013. Rutgers’ most recent wins in the series came in 2011 and 2008. RU’s last win over Villanova came on an infamous four-point play in the final seconds from Jonathan Mitchell, pushing RU to a 77-76 victory over a top-10 Villanova squad. The Scarlet Knights overcame a 13-point deficit in the last five minutes to send the students rushing to the court to celebrate the victory. In 2008, Rutgers earned another ranked win over then-No. 18 Villanova, with 23 points apiece from Mike Coburn and Anthony Farmer in an 80-68. \nRutgers has one more exhibition game ahead of the season. The Scarlet Knights will play at Madison Square Garden next Sunday, taking on St. John’s in a second exhibition game. That contest will also stream on B1G+. Rutgers begins the regular season on November 6, hosting New Haven, starting the season with three straight home games as RU then hosts NJIT on November 10 and Bryant on November 13.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Dominate the Day \ud83d\udcaa
\u2014 Rutgers Men’s Basketball \ud83c\udfc0 (@RutgersMBB) October 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The work continues.
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\nHear from Brandin Knight<\/a> on set at @B1GMBBall Media Day \ud83d\udd3d
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\n#TheKnighthood \ud83d\udee1\ufe0f\u2694\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/QvuUIjQvjl<\/p>\n
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\nJMike and Riq on set \ud83d\udcfa
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\n#TheKnighthood \ud83d\udee1\ufe0f\u2694\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/zwkw6OkM32<\/p>\n