Dylan Harper stepped to the free-throw line last weekend and the Maryland crowd showed no mercy, serenading the Rutgers star with an “overrated!” chant.
It’s been that kind of season for the Scarlet Knights. At this point, it’s hard to describe them as overrated because they aren’t receiving a single vote in the AP Top 25. And yet, there are plenty of reminders of unfulfilled potential.
This was supposed to be a breakthrough season for Rutgers after the Scarlet Knights landed two of the top freshmen in the country in Harper and Ace Bailey. Those two have mostly produced as advertised. Each is averaging 19 points per game, and some mock drafts have them both going in the top three this year behind Duke’s Cooper Flagg. Yet the Scarlet Knights are just 12-12 and probably will need to win the Big Ten Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Last week, they scored a big victory over then-No. 23 Illinois, but they weren’t able to build on that when they faced another ranked team at Maryland. Bailey was limited against the Terrapins because he was sick.
“It’s just been that kind of year. You can’t plan these things,” coach Steve Pikiell said. “You just play with the guys you got.”