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Rutgers basketball’s most anticipated season in decades will open without one of its star attractions.
Freshman wing Ace Bailey, a candidate to be the first overall selection in June’s NBA Draft, will miss tonight’s opener against Wagner due to an injury suffered in practice Monday, the program announced.
Bailey’s status is day-to-day and his injury, the nature of which is undisclosed, will continue to be evaluated. Rutgers’ next game is next Monday, Nov. 11 against Saint Peter’s.
The 6-foot-9 Georgia native dazzled in his collegiate debut, scoring 25 points in a 91-85 exhibition-game loss to St. John’s. His absence will mean at least 30 additional minutes for his teammates and should lead to bigger roles for Princeton transfer forward Zach Martini, Merrimack transfer wing Jordan Derkack and San Diego transfer wing P.J. Hayes, all of whom have impressed head coach Steve Pikiell during the preseason.
It may also create more reps for freshman center Lathan Sommerville as Pikiell juggles his rotation and player combinations. Look for Pikiell to experiment, possibly using two of Sommerville, Martini and starting center Emmanuel Ogbole on the floor at the same time. Bailey is projected to be the team’s top rebounder, and that’s an area of concern after St. John’s dominated the Scarlet Knights on the glass.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ace Bailey out for Rutgers basketball opener with injury
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/rutgers-basketballs-ace-bailey-sidelined-160231306.html
Author : App.com | Asbury Park Press
Publish date : 2024-11-06 16:02:00
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