Rutgers came into this one looking to snap a two-game skid after losses to Michigan State and Penn State. But there was another problem with this one. One of their two freshman stars was out. Dylan Harper couldn’t hit the court due to an ankle injury, and that could’ve been a huge issue. But guess what? Ace Bailey made sure fans didn’t even miss him. The baller went absolutely off.
With Harper sidelined, Bailey took over, dropping a ridiculous 37 points on 13-of-20 shooting. And he wasn’t just putting up numbers—he was efficient, hitting a career-high five threes on eight attempts. And most of that damage came in the first half.
By halftime, he had already poured in 24 points, setting the tone for Rutgers’ much-needed 79-72 road win over Northwestern. The guard came just two points shy of breaking Rutgers’ freshman scoring record, but this was still a statement performance.
The freshman is now leading the team, averaging 19.8 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 46.9% from the field. And by the way, he now has two 35+ point games this season (this one and his 39-point explosion vs. Indiana).
Most 35-PT games by a freshman this season:
2 — Ace Bailey
2 — Dylan Harper
1 — Cooper Flagg https://t.co/O0ASjkBEOc
— Real Sports (@realapp_) January 30, 2025
That puts him right up there with Dylan Harper, while Cooper Flagg? He’s only got one. Hope performances like these keep coming up as Rutgers has a big couple of weeks ahead.
Time to stack up wins!
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