Dylan Harper stats today - How did Rutgers freshman fare in his debut? (Nov 6)
Dylan Harper made his much-awaited college basketball debut for 25th-ranked Rutgers in a 75-52 win over visiting Wagner on Wednesday night.
The five-star combo guard started for Steve Pikiell and played without fellow highly rated small forward Ace Bailey, who didn't suit up due to an undisclosed injury suffered during practice.
Harper benefitted from Bailey's absence, scoring the first five points for the Scarlet Knights on a 3-pointer and a layup.
Harper concentrated on defense and helped Rutgers pull away. His efforts paid off when he stole the ball and ran away for a layup, giving Rutgers a 25-10 lead.
The son of former NBA player Ron Harper seemed unstoppable off the break, making another layup off a steal to hand the Scarlet Knights a 34-17 edge with 1:01 remaining.
By halftime, Harper led Rutgers with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, three rebounds and two steals.
The combo guard continued his scoring binge in the second half, making eight points, highlighted by a dunk in the first nine minutes to give Rutgers a 52-30 edge with 11:28 left. Harper also showed his passing ability, dishing out three assists to PJ Hayes, Zach Martini and Tyson Acuff.
He capped off his impressive debut with a jumper that gave Rutgers a 72-46 lead with 1:46 remaining.
Dylan Harper finished with 20 points, on 9-of-14 shooting, including 1 of 4 from 3-point range; three rebounds; three assists; and three steals.
The freshman needs to improve on his free-throw accuracy, making 1 of 6 attempts from the foul line.
Below are Dylan Harper's stats from the game.
Scarlet Knights vs. Seahawks recap: Dylan Harper leads Ace Bailey-less Rutgers; 3 players score in double digits
Dylan Harper made sure Ace Bailey enjoyed his rest from the sidelines, leading Rutgers to a comfortable win over Wagner. Harper made his presence felt early, scoring 10 points in the first half to give the Scarlet Knights a 36-19 edge.
The No. 3-ranked freshman prospect continued his impressive night, making another 10 points and dishing out three assists to open teammates, proving he can be a playmaker when needed.
Three of his teammates also scored in double digits to ensure the victory. PJ Hayes IV finished with 12 points, while Lathan Sommerville and Jeremiah Williams contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Sommerville, who came off the bench, led the team in rebounds with eight defensive boards as Steve Pikiell took the victory despite losing the rebounding battle 42-39.
Rutgers shot 50.9%, making 28 of 55 attempts, including 7 of 23 from 3-point range. Its free-throw percentage was much to be desired at 57.1%, but it had more assists (17-11), steals (7-2) and blocks (4-2) to dominate the game.
Wagner was limited to 34.9% shooting and could only convert 27.3% of its free throws.
Up next for the Scarlet Knights is Saint Peter's on Monday at 7 p.m. ET at Jersey Mike's Arena.