After missing the first two games, Ace Bailey finally made his collegiate debut for No. 24 Rutgers on Friday evening. And he did not disappoint.
Bailey, the No. 2 overall recruit according to 247Sports Composite rankings in the 2024 recruiting class behind Duke’s Cooper Flagg, missed the Scarlet Knight’s first two games against Wagner (Nov. 6) and Saint Peter’s (Monday). But his coach, Steve Pikiell, indicated he was close to a return to action.
The 6-foot-10, 200-pound small forward made his first career collegiate appearance on Friday in a 98-81 victory over Monmouth. Bailey is the highest-ranked prospect to ever sign with Rutgers, just ahead of teammate and No. 3 overall recruit Dylan Harper.
Here’s a look at Bailey’s stats in his debut for Rutgers basketball on Friday vs. Monmouth:
Ace Bailey stats vs Monmouth
Bailey did not take long to make his presence felt in his collegiate debut. On the opening possession, Bailey connected on a corner 3-pointer off an assist from Jordan Derkack. That set the tone for his evening.
In 30 minutes, Bailey finished with 17 points on 5 of 10 shooting and 6-for-8 from the free throw line. He also added six rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block, showing off why many regard him as a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Ace Bailey in his debut vs Monmouth:
– 17 PTS (5-10 FG, 1-3 3P)
– 6 REB
– 2 STL & 1 BLK
– 15 +/-
Ace was everywhere on the court in his season debut for Rutgers, showcasing the superstar level upside. High-level shotmaking & defensive showing from the projected top 5 pick today pic.twitter.com/mTm0ABW9J6
— mohamed (@mcfxz) November 16, 2024
The 3-pointer he made to open the evening was the only one he hit, but that did not stop him from racking up the stats in his collegiate debut. He also added a big dunk off an inbound pass late in the first half to show off his elite athleticism.
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ace-bailey-stats-did-rutgers-031008094.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-11-16 03:10:00
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