Rutgers will give fans an early look at its roster this fall, with an exhibition game against Villanova set for Sunday, October 11 at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
Tickets will be sold through the program’s website, and the matchup offers a chance to see the Scarlet Knights against a quality opponent before the season officially tips off about a month later. Because it is an exhibition, the result will not count in either team’s record.
There’s a familiar thread running through this one, too. Rutgers and Villanova shared Big East time in the past, and the Wildcats own a 10-4 edge in the series. The most recent meeting came in the 2012-2013 season, when Rutgers fell 71-63.
Villanova brings a solid résumé into the game. Last season, the Wildcats finished 24-9 overall and 15-5 in conference play, then dropped their Big East tournament opener to Georgetown before losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Utah State.
A big piece is back for Villanova in guard Tyler Perkins, its leading scorer from last season. Perkins averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field. The Wildcats also added two notable transfers through the portal in Devin Royal from Ohio State and Kwame Evans Jr. from Oregon, both rated as four-star transfer prospects by On3.
For Rutgers, the exhibition should be useful for more than just the scoreboard. It gives the staff a chance to see how the projected leaders have progressed over the offseason, while also likely opening the door for players lower on the depth chart to get some run as the team manages minutes for the regular season ahead.
It also serves as a first look at the new faces in scarlet after a roster that saw plenty of change this offseason. For me personally, I’ll have my eyes on how having a new center with the skills of Christian Gurdak (assuming he is the starter) changes the team offensively.
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