Rutgers Men’s Basketball Opens 2026-27 Season Against Villanova at Jersey Mike’s Arena

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The curtain rises on the 2026-27 Rutgers men’s basketball season this weekend, as the Scarlet Knights take the floor for the first time ahead of the new campaign. Rutgers will host the Villanova Wildcats on Sunday in an exhibition game at Jersey Mike’s Arena, kicking off a schedule that features a blend of familiar rivalries and new challenges.

Tickets for the exhibition are available via ScarletKnights.com, while the contest will be streamed live on B1G+ with Dom Savino and Justin Walters on the call. For those listening on the radio, Rutgers students from WRSU will provide the broadcast commentary featuring Chase Jacoby and Will Carmenaty, available via ScarletKnights.com and the official Scarlet Knights app.

A Rivalry Renewed: Why the Villanova Matchup Carries Weight

The choice of opponent for Rutgers’ season opener is no coincidence. Villanova was picked third in the preseason BIG EAST poll, entering its first season under head coach Kevin Willard. Willard, who previously faced Rutgers during his tenure at Seton Hall and Maryland, led the Wildcats to 24 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth last season.

The history between these programs runs deep. Rutgers and Villanova were conference foes in the BIG EAST from 1977 to 2013, with Villanova holding a 29-9 advantage in the all-time series. There have been no regular-season meetings since 2013, making this weekend’s exhibition a rekindling of an old rivalry. Rutgers’ most recent wins in the series came in 2011 and 2008:

November 2011: Rutgers overcame a 13-point deficit in the final five minutes, capping the rally with an infamous four-point play by Jonathan Mitchell in the final seconds to push past a top-10 Villanova squad, 77-76.

January 2008: Mike Coburn and Anthony Farmer dropped 23 points apiece in an 80-68 victory over then-No. 18 Villanova.

Rutgers Returns Five Guards and Key Veterans

The Scarlet Knights’ roster has been set for the upcoming season, featuring seven returners, eight departures, and nine newcomers. Notably, Rutgers returns five of its top seven scorers from last season. The return group includes five guards: Jamichael Davis, Tariq Francis, Lino Mark, Kaden Powers, and Max Fradkin.

Francis led Rutgers last season averaging 17.0 points per game while shooting an impressive 91.1 percent from the free-throw line. His 578 total points were the most scored by a Scarlet Knight since Quincy Douby in 2005-06, and his scoring total ranks as the second most among Big Ten returning players.

Davis is RU’s most experienced returner, a four-year player and two-time team captain who boasts 98 career games played. Over his career, he has averaged 5.9 points while contributing 199 assists and 94 steals. Meanwhile, freshmen Lino Mark and Kaden Powers made immediate impacts last season. Mark emerged as a key contributor down the stretch, closing the year with eight double-figure scoring performances over his final 11 games. Powers earned 15 starts and posted five double-figure scoring games, highlighted by 18 points against UCLA.

Forward Darren Buchanan Jr. and center Gevonte Ware round out the returners. Buchanan Jr. is the second among returners with 8.1 points per game last season as a key two-way contributor.

Newcomers and New Talent Fill the Roster

Beyond the veterans, Rutgers has brought in a wave of new energy. The incoming class includes five transfers: Rasheed Jones (14.8 ppg at Coastal Carolina), Darin Smith Jr. (NEC Player of the Year at Central Connecticut State), Will Sydnor (13.9 ppg as a freshman at Manhattan), Christian Gurdak (5.6 points at Virginia Tech), and Dorin Buca (Kansas State).

Rounding out the nine newcomers are freshman Imahri Wooten and international players Diego Garavaglia (Italy), Martin Tonejc (Slovenia), and Mervedi Miteo (Congo). This influx aims to build on the foundation laid by the returning guards and give head coach Bill Brown immediate scoring depth heading into Big Ten play.

Villanova’s Newcomers to Watch: Evans Jr. and Royal

While Rutgers welcomes new talent, Villanova has also refreshed its roster under Willard. The Wildcats return Tyler Perkins, a third team All-BIG EAST honoree who led the team in scoring a season ago at 13.7 points per game.

Two other newcomers were named Preseason All-BIG EAST alongside Perkins, and both have recent history against Rutgers. Kwame Evans Jr. and Devin Royal both played in the Big Ten and against RU last season. Evans Jr. averaged 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds at Oregon, while Royal averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds at Ohio State.

Both visited Jersey Mike’s Arena in consecutive contests in the first week of January. Evans Jr. recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds across 41 minutes in an overtime win for Rutgers, while Royal scored 16 points with four assists for the Buckeyes. Expecting Villanova to bring that same competitive edge to the exhibition Sunday.

How to Watch, Tickets, and the Full Schedule

Rutgers has one more exhibition game ahead of the season, playing at Madison Square Garden next Sunday against St. John’s. That contest will also stream on B1G+. The regular season officially begins on November 6, hosting New Haven, starting the season with three straight home games as Rutgers then hosts NJIT on November 10 and Bryant on November 13.

With a roster that balances veteran leadership from Davis and Francis with fresh talent from transfers and the international crop, the 2026-27 campaign feels like a season of transition with immediate upside. As the team heads into its first action against a Villanova squad that knows it well, the fans in Piscataway have a lot to be excited about.

For the latest updates on tickets, stream links, and practice details, fans can follow the official Scarlet Knights channels and keep an eye on the team’s social media for continued coverage leading into the November 6 regular-season tipoff.

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