Rutgers basketball’s quest to continue its dominance of Indiana just got a lot harder.
The Scarlet Knights’ star point guard Dylan Harper is sidelined for tonight’s game at Indiana (8:30 p.m., Peacock) in Bloomington, NJ Advance Media first reported. No reason has been announced and Harper was not on the Big Ten’s official injury report that posted three hours prior to tip-off, but Gannett New Jersey learned he’s been under the weather.
The Don Bosco Prep graduate, who is averaging 22.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game and playing at an All-America level, on Monday recorded the program’s first triple-double since 1983 with 16 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds during a romp of Columbia.
Rutgers’ starting lineup for the game consisted of Jamichael Davis and Jeremiah Williams in the backcourt, Ace Bailey at wing, Zach Martini at power forward and Manny Ogbole at Center. Martini moved into the vacancy created by Harper although Davis and Williams will initiate offense out of the gate.
Indiana 7-footer Oumar Ballo (12.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg) is not listed on the report after sitting out Sunday’s win over Winthrop. Ballo’s absence was not explained by Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson, though it occurred after he was photographed at a local bar around midnight on the eve of the contest.
Rutgers has won nine of the past 11 meetings with Indiana, including a memorable 66-63 triumph in Bloomington at the end of the 2021-22 season thanks to a last-second 3-pointer by Ron Harper Jr., Dylan’s older brother.
“That shot was on my birthday – that was a pretty special moment,” Dylan said Monday. “He was like, that’s your birthday present.”
This is shaping up as a crucial contest for both programs. Indiana (10-3 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) has just one Quad 1 victory on its resume, while Rutgers (8-5, 1-1) has none.
“This is stuff you come here for,” Harper said Monday. “Rutgers is in a great spot, we have a great responsibility and a great opportunity.”
With Harper, who averages 34 minutes per game, unable to go, point-guard responsibilities will be shared in some fashion by senior Jeremiah Williams (2.2 apg), junior Jordan Derkack (2.7 apg) sophomore Jamichael Davis (1.8 apg). And it will fall to Rutgers’ fellow freshman phenom, 6-foot-10 wing Ace Bailey (18.2 ppg), to break down and attract Indiana’s defense so the Scarlet Knights’ shooters have some room to operate.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
