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USA Today
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
ESPN's 2025 Big Ten FPI rankings revealed: shocking picks and bold predictions
ESPN's 2025 Big Ten FPI rankings revealed: shocking picks and bold predictions Almost always controversial, ESPN has released its updated Football Power Index for the 2025 preseason. While it tends to get some of the top teams pretty close with its advanced analytics expectations, it usually has some pretty big misses year over year, as well. In fact, when Michigan football won the Big Ten in 2021, the players cited FPI giving the Wolverines a 1% chance to win the conference as motivation. Regardless, the update is out. With its release, we're looking specifically at all 18 Big Ten teams, where they rank against each other, and our thoughts on each as it pertains to their ranking. You can see how all 18 teams rank below. 18. Purdue Boilermakers FPI: -6.9 -6.9 Overall rank: 92 92 Projected W-L: 3.2-8.8 3.2-8.8 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.0 0.0 Make CFP: 0.0 Barry Odom has his work cut out for him but given what he did with UNLV, he should get there. However, this year probably isn't the year. 17. Northwestern Wildcats FPI: -3.6 -3.6 Overall rank: 74 74 Projected W-L: 4.1-7.9 4.1-7.9 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.0 0.0 Make CFP: 0.0 David Braun had a really good interim year, but this team is a mess offensively and shows little-to-no hope of improving on that front this year. 16. Maryland Terrapins FPI: 1.9 1.9 Overall rank: 61 61 Projected W-L: 5.9-6.1 5.9-6.1 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.2 0.2 Make CFP: 1.3 Maryland has some coaching consistency but just lost many of the players that helped it improve steadily over the years. This team is a big question mark and may keep sliding a little until the top recruits Mike Locksley is bringing in start to rise through the ranks. 15. Michigan State Spartans FPI: 2.3 2.3 Overall rank: 59 59 Projected W-L: 5.2-6.8 5.2-6.8 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.1 0.1 Make CFP: 1.0 Some think that MSU is underrated going into Jonathan Smith's second year at the helm, and with Aidan Chiles being more experienced, it's not a stretch to think that the Spartans can outperform expectations. However, the roster isn't terribly cohesive on paper, and recruiting has been a mess. So, basically, we'll believe it when we see it. Learn more about Michigan State at Spartans Wire! 14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights FPI: 3.5 3.5 Overall rank: 55 55 Projected W-L: 5.8-6.2 5.8-6.2 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.1 0.1 Make CFP: 1.7 Rutgers has been getting better and better, but the Scarlet Knights get no latitude schedule-wise with the perceived top three teams in the conference on the docket. Greg Schiano keeps guiding the team in the right direction but the wins and losses this year might not show it. Learn more about the Scarlet Knights at Rutgers Wire! 13. UCLA Bruins FPI: 4.6 4.6 Overall rank: 47 47 Projected W-L: 5.4-6.6 5.4-6.6 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.1 0.1 Make CFP: 1.9 DeShaun Foster got his team better by year's end last year, but it was still struggling. However, with Nico Iamaleava transferring in at quarterback, don't be surprised if this team makes a bit of a run. There are some tough matchups here -- Utah, Ohio State, Penn State, and USC -- but competent QB play can turn things around in a hurry. Learn more about the Bruins at UCLA Wire! FPI: 5.0 5.0 Overall rank: 44 44 Projected W-L: 6.8-5.2 6.8-5.2 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.6 0.6 Make CFP: 3.8 This ranking is laughable. Illinois returns the fifth-most production in all of college football, most importantly, quarterback Luke Altmyer. Bret Bielema got the Illini to 10 wins last year, and aside from Ohio State, Illinois doesn't have any other marquee teams on the schedule. An 11-win regular season is certainly on the table. This is proof that computers and algorithms are only dependent on whatever the input is. Given the schedule, we can't even find five losses, let alone three. 11. Minnesota Golden Gophers FPI: 5.2 5.2 Overall rank: 43 43 Projected W-L: 6.9-5.2 6.9-5.2 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.3 0.3 Make CFP: 4.3 Minnesota doesn't have the easiest schedule, but when does it ever? The Gophers had a decent year last year and P.J. Fleck seems like he's pushing all the right buttons in Minneapolis. We think they'll get over this win total. 10. Iowa Hawkeyes FPI: 6.3 6.3 Overall rank: 39 39 Projected W-L: 6.2-5.8 6.2-5.8 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.6 0.6 Make CFP: 3.7 This feels too low. Iowa does face Penn State and Oregon, but the Hawkeyes are a somewhat dependable eight-to-nine-win team every year, if not higher than that. As usual, the defense should be very good, and the offense took a step in the right direction last year. Learn more about Iowa at Hawkeyes Wire! 9. Wisconsin Badgers FPI: 6.3 6.3 Overall rank: 38 38 Projected W-L: 5.6-6.5 5.6-6.5 Win out %: 0.0 0.0 Win conference %: 0.4 0.4 Make CFP: 2.6 On one hand, Wisconsin being ranked No. 38 overall at this juncture feels too low. Yet, this was a team that didn't make a bowl game last year, and it has perhaps the most brutal schedule in the conference. The Badgers play Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Iowa, Washington, and Indiana. Thus, the projected W-L feels pretty spot on, barring some big changes with Billy Edwards Jr. leading the charge at quarterback. Learn more about Wisconsin at Badgers Wire! 8. Indiana Hoosiers FPI: 8.3 8.3 Overall rank: 31 31 Projected W-L: 7.5-4.5 7.5-4.5 Win out %: 0.1 0.1 Win conference %: 0.9 0.9 Make CFP: 8.9 People might think Curt Cignetti was a one-year wonder, but as he said at Big Ten media days last year -- Google him, he wins wherever he goes. With Fernando Mendoza, the former Cal standout, coming to Bloomington as quarterback, it wouldn't be surprising to see IU stay relevant. This spot feels a bit like the Hoosiers are underrated. 7. Washington Huskies FPI: 8.8 8.8 Overall rank: 27 27 Projected W-L: 7.1-4.9 7.1-4.9 Win out %: 0.1 0.1 Win conference %: 0.8 0.8 Make CFP: 8.1 Jedd Fisch is a masterful coach, but this is a difficult schedule. With games against Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, and Oregon, and a new-look roster, it's hard to see this being the year for the Huskies. Learn more about Washington at UW Huskies Wire! 6. Nebraska Cornhuskers FPI: 9.3 9.3 Overall rank: 25 25 Projected W-L: 7.5-4.5 7.5-4.5 Win out %: 0.2 0.2 Win conference %: 1.5 1.5 Make CFP: 10.3 On one hand, we believe in the Nebraska resurgence. On the other, we have not actually seen Nebraska be relevant in over a decade. Dylan Raiola helming the offense in year two, with Dana Holgorsen calling plays, is tantalizing. The schedule is somewhat amenable, though the Huskers face Penn State, Michigan, USC, and Iowa. But they avoid Ohio State and Oregon, so that's a win. Learn more about Nebraska at Cornhuskers Wire! 5. USC Trojans FPI: 13.0 13.0 Overall rank: 19 19 Projected W-L: 8.3-3.9 8.3-3.9 Win out %: 0.3 0.3 Win conference %: 4.2 4.2 Make CFP: 21.0 The Lincoln Riley experiment at USC has been something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the Trojans made the Pac-12 Championship Game two years ago with Caleb Williams at the helm. However, they haven't really had any signature wins and it's not clear that with a new-look team that they'll be able to compete in the Big Ten. The schedule is brutal, with games against Illinois, Michigan, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Iowa, and Oregon. It's difficult to see USC get to the eight-win threshold expected here, but it is possible. Learn more about USC at Trojans Wire! 4. Michigan Wolverines FPI: 14.6 14.6 Overall rank: 17 17 Projected W-L: 8.4-3.7 8.4-3.7 Win out %: 0.6 0.6 Win conference %: 6.0 6.0 Make CFP: 25.3 In terms of overall rank, Michigan football is probably right where it should be. The projected wins-losses, however, would assume that the Wolverines would lose to every team with similar (but not even equal) talent. The schedule features only one team ahead of the maize and blue within the conference (Ohio State), and two overall (Oklahoma is ranked one spot ahead of Michigan). The Wolverines are one of the more experienced teams in college football, but until we see the offense do its job, the ranking is fair. 3. Oregon Ducks FPI: 20.5 20.5 Overall rank: 6 6 Projected W-L: 10.0-2.4 10.0-2.4 Win out %: 4.4 4.4 Win conference %: 19.1 19.1 Make CFP: 57.5 There probably should be questions about how the Ducks will fare with Dante Moore leading the charge, his first time starting since he was at UCLA. But Oregon has been mostly rolling since Dan Lanning took over. The Ducks feature some challenges on the schedule, from a nonconference game against Oklahoma State to a road trip at Penn State. But otherwise, they avoid Ohio State and Michigan, but does have a late-season contest against USC. Learn more about Oregon at Ducks Wire! 2. Penn State Nittany Lions FPI: 21.5 21.5 Overall rank: 5 5 Projected W-L: 10.2-2.2 10.2-2.2 Win out %: 7.0 7.0 Win conference %: 25.1 25.1 Make CFP: 63.8 Penn State is attempting to do the same thing that Michigan football and Ohio State did the previous two years by having the marquee players return for one final run. The schedule is somewhat brutal (outside of the easy nonconference) with games against Oregon, at Iowa, at Ohio State, Indiana, and Nebraska. Though the Hawkeyes aren't considered one of the top teams, PSU has had a mixed record, especially while playing at Kinnick. Learn more about Penn State at Nittany Lions Wire! 1. Ohio State Buckeyes FPI: 23.8 23.8 Overall rank: 4 4 Projected W-L: 10.4-2.2 10.4-2.2 Win out %: 8.6 8.6 Win conference %: 40.3 40.3 Make CFP: 70.6 Ohio State is ranked No. 1 and is highly ranked across most preseason ratings. But there are a lot of questions that simply aren't being asked. Talent in Columbus isn't a problem, but this will be one of the most inexperienced teams in college football, with a new starting quarterback, two new coordinators, new running backs, and an almost entirely new defense, personnel-wise. Learn more about Ohio State at Buckeyes Wire! Overrated: Ohio State, USC, Wisconsin Underrated: Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Dylan Lawrence, North Andover baseball plant the seed with a statement win in Division 1
'The 20-seed honestly might've helped us a little bit,' Lawrence said. 'Give us that little edge, prove people wrong. That was a statement game — we're here to make a run.' The Scarlet Knights (17-6) will face No. 4 King Philip (18-4) Wednesday afternoon in the second round. Advertisement Lawrence, bound for Bentley in the fall, struck out 10, walked two, and though he ran into some trouble with the bases-loaded in the seventh, he got two quick outs to secure the shutout. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'There's no way he'd ever let me take him out,' North Andover coach Todd Dulin said. 'He's been nasty for us since about halfway through last year. His spin rates, from what I hear from the spin rate machines, are off the charts.' The Scarlet Knights jumped on the Lancers (14-7) early – back-to-back singles from Zach Faro (3 hits, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Jake Jackson (3 hits, 3 runs), set the plate for Lawrence to smack a double that one-hopped the right field wall. But the second inning featured a much more impressive rally. After two quick outs, nine-hitter Ben Iglesias knocked a single that started a rally of five straight two-out hits, with Lawrence providing the final one with his second double. An error and a balk followed to allow the Scarlet Knights to plate five. Advertisement After losing to the Lancers twice in the regular season, that gave the experienced Scarlet Knights' dugout plenty of confidence to see it out. 'Ben got that two-out single, that just gives us energy and kept the momentum in our dugout,' Lawrence said. 'That would've been a 1-2-3 inning for them, we could've given it to them. But we stayed down with our foot on the pedal and just kept going.' Division 1 State BC High 9, Waltham 3 — Jack Darcy belted a two-run homer in the third inning, staking the 15th-seeded Eagles (12-9) to a 5-2 lead en route to the first-round win No. 18 Waltham (14-7). Wyatt Miller and Tommy O'Donnell each recorded RBI singles and a run apiece, and Darcy manufactured an RBI triple in the bottom of the sixth. Braintree 4, Springfield Central 3 — Connor Grieve blasted a one-out, walk-off run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth, scoring Owen Donnelly, to lift the No. 8 Wamps (13-8) to the first round win over No. 25 Springfield Central (14-7). Sophomore Luke Joyce tossed all eight innings with six strikeouts and cracked a two-run homer in the fourth. Chelmsford 1, Shrewsbury 0 — Matt Stuart pitched seven scoreless innings on 69 pitches and Ryan Hart scored the winner on a wild pitch in the seventh to lift the No. 14 Lions (15-8) past the No. 19 Colonials (15-6) in the first round. Advertisement Natick 4, Pope Francis 0 — Thurston Kiefer tossed a three-hit shutout and Jack Weierman tallied three hits for the No. 17 Redhawks (13-8) as they took down the No. 16 Cardinals (15-6) in the first round. St. John's (Shrewsbury) 2, Lincoln-Sudbury 1 — Brayden Mercier, who tossed the first six innings, striking out 12, scored on a wild pitch in the dirt in the bottom of the eighth innings to spur the second-seeded Pioneers (16-5) to the first-round win over No. 31 L-S (14-10). Mercier allowed three hits and one earned run. Weston 3, Tantasqua 2 — Aidan Murphy fired eight two-hit innings, fanning eight, and scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth to lift the No. 8 Wildcats (16-5) past the No. 25 Warriors (14-8) in the first-round victory. Winchester 6, Taunton 4 — First baseman Brett Daniels had a terrific day at the plate, recording three hits, including a triple, in four at-bats with two RBIs and two runs scored, propelling the No. 32 Red & Black (14-8) over top-seeded Taunton (16-7) in the first round. Xaverian 4, Catholic Memorial 3 — Paul McCarthy surrendered just one earned run over six innings and Brady Hargraves and Jake Lonardo each tallied two hits for the No. 5 Hawks (16-5) in the first-round win over the No. 28 Knights (9-12) Division 2 State Melrose 3, Milton 1 — In 6 ⅓ innings, junior righthander Brian Capodilupo struck out five and only allowed a run, two walks and four hits for the No. 22 Red Raiders (13-8) in the first-round victory against No. 11 Milton (10-11). Michael Thomas and Brendan Doyle each had two hits. Advertisement North Attleborough 7, Masconomet 3 — Nick Torres drove in a pair and Dillon Waterhouse tossed 3 ⅓ scoreless innings of relief for the No. 3 Red Rocketeers (14-7) in the first round win over the No. 35 Chieftains (10-10). Plymouth North 11, Bay Path 3 — Junior Danny Kenney fanned seven over 6 ⅔ innings, and was 2 for 3 with two RBIs, for the No. 1 Eagles (17-4) in their first-round victory over No. 32 Bay Path (17-5). Will Novak (4 for 5, RBI) and Conor McLeish (3 for 4, 3 RBIs) were impact bats. Reading 6, West Springfield 2 — Ethan LeBovidge earned the win with 3 ⅔ shutout innings of relief and Isaac Robinson went 3 for 3 to lead the No. 2 Rockets (18-3) past the No. 31 Terriers (12-10) in the first-round victory. Walpole 5, Minnechaug 1 — Senior Andrew Burke fired a two-hitter, striking out nine to pitch the No. 4 Timberwolves (11-9) past No. 29 Minnechaug (13-9). Quinn MacNeil tallied two hits in three at-bats and scored a run to lead the offense. Westwood 4, Plymouth South 2 — Junior righthander Luke Chandler tossed a complete game while surrendering just two earned runs to guide the No. 9 Wolverines (15-6) to the first-round win over No. 24 Plymouth South (10-11). Division 3 State Arlington Catholic 7, Medway 2 — Senior Matthew Toland (2 hits) homered, walked twice, and knocked in three runs for the No. 11 Cougars (13-6) in the first-round win over No. 22 Medway (12-9). Dighton-Rehoboth 8, Latin Academy 1 — Lucas LeTourneau tallied three hits and two RBIs, Cole Viveiros added three hits and Jordan Castro produced two hits and two RBIs as the No. 15 Falcons (15-6) advanced to the second round over No. 18 Latin Academy (17-7). Ben Miller hurled a complete-game two-hitter with five strikeouts. Advertisement Falmouth 2, Fairhaven 1 — Junior Josh Matta allowed no earned runs in seven innings, striking out seven with two walks, and Max Inman walked it off with an RBI single in the eighth to carry the No. 14 Clippers (13-6) to the first-round triumph against No. 19 Fairhaven (12-8) Hanover 10, Holliston 1 — Cole Hendrickson fired a complete game for the No. 12 Hawks (13-6), registering seven strikeouts and allowing one earned run on five hits in the first-round win against No. 21 Holliston (14-9). Sam Light laced four hits in four at-bats with three RBIs and three runs. Norwell 4, Oakmont 2 — Sophomore Cameron Hohmann fanned seven in 5 1/3 innings, surrendering three hits and one earned run, and senior Patrick Higgins went 2 for 3 with a double, a run and tossed the final 1 ⅔ innings to earn the save for the No. 2 Clippers (17-4) in their first-round defeat of No. 34 Oakmont (13-7), the two-time defending state champion. Shawsheen 5, Newburyport 1 — Starter Will Trach scattered five hits with seven strikeouts to steer the No. 4 Rams (21-0) to the first-round win over No. 36 Newburyport (14-8). Ryan Jamieson (2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI), Will Holloway (2 hits, 2 RBI, 1 run) and Robbie Welch (2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI) led the offense. Division 4 State Hamilton-Wenham 3, Blue Hills 0 — Senior Cormac Heney spun a gem, fanning 13 batters for the No. 3 Generals (18-3) in their shutout of No. 30 Blue Hills (11-8) in the first round. Advertisement Salem 11, Manchester Essex 1 — Jordan O'Malley surrendered one run in five innings and Jack Tsoutsouras drove in a pair for the No. 13 Witches (10-11) to topple the No. 20 Hornets (9-11). Correspondent Graham Dietz contributed . Mike Puzzanghera can be reached at
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Collin Murray-Boyles & Ace Bailey Could Be In For A Draft Fight
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 29: Ace Bailey #4 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights dunks the ball against ... More the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on January 29, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by) In the NBA draft, you'll always find teams with varying approaches to what type of player they're actively looking for. Some teams might lean a bit on positional need (although virtually no one opts for that if the talent discrepancy is vast), others will prioritize "NBA readiness" (i.e. age), and some will look at physical tools more than they focus on floor game, and vice versa. Given vast possibilities of how teams may rate a player, it should come as no surprise if teams differ greatly on Ace Bailey and Collin Murray-Boyles. Broadly speaking, Bailey out of Rutgers projects as an offensive-minded forward, with significant scoring upside, despite measuring out worse than expected at the combine. He averaged 17.6 points per game for the season, and was trusted to playing over 33 minutes per game, all while carrying a significant scoring responsibility. Bailey's inside/outside offensive touch, as well as his age (he won't turn 19 until August 13th), are certainly attractive factors. Who wouldn't want to pick a player who could become a type of version of Carmelo Anthony one day? Of course, he might also not turn into the next Carmelo. There's a world where Bailey becomes a backup wing scorer, who grabs the occasional rebound, and does little else. With Murray-Boyles, there's never the fear that he won't offer a team multiple elements. Let's get to the drawbacks first. Murray-Boyles is already 20, so he's more than a year older than Bailey, which does suggest there's less squeeze in the bottle of potential. He's also not much of a long-range shooter (26.5% on limited volume), and his offensive game flat-out doesn't come as easy to him as it does to Bailey. And... that's kind of it. In every other facet of the game, Murray-Boyles projects as superior - and far superior in quite a few categories. Defensively, he's a game-changer and a Day 1 NBA defender. His physical playing style also allows him to bully people to the rim, and forcing himself to the line, which has proven to be a solid counter for when the jumper isn't sticking. His playmaking is also far ahead of where Bailey's is, with the same being true of his overall touch inside the arc, particularly near the rim. Murray-Boyles' 16.8 points in 30.6 minutes compares well the raw scoring line of Bailey, but that should be taken with a grain of salt, given how easily Bailey can get to his shot, whereas Murray-Boyles has to work far more to get off quality looks. Every team considering Bailey over Murray-Boyles does so with the idea of Bailey exploding into one of the best offensive forwards in the NBA. Because he'd almost have to be to justify picking him over a player with so many more avenues to succeed. Will general managers have the guts to swing big for Bailey, or the safety net of Murray-Boyles prove more attractive? We'll learn a lot more in the weeks to come. Unless noted otherwise, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Boston Globe
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
North Andover boys and girls race to repeat titles at MSTCA Division 2 relays
A crucial 7 points from North Andover's 'B' team were the difference Friday night at Bridgewater-Raynham, as the Scarlet Knights (84 points) outlasted Peabody (78) and Chelmsford (67) North Andover's Chris Ferris supplied points in the shuttle hurdles and a win in the pole vault for the victorious Scarlet Knights. Ken McGagh for the Boston Globe 'This is our favorite meet of the year,' North Andover boys' coach Steve Nugent said. 'This is one we can take as many guys as we want to. It's something that we circle on the calendar first. It's something that's really important to our team culture.' Advertisement 'We have faith in the boys and all the work we put in,' said North Andover senior Brendan Dee. 'We really weren't sure what was going on with the score, but it was a lot of camaraderie. This was a really great coming-together moment for our team. I think we all rallied around each other,' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Related : Dee — along with Trevor Hunter, Aidan McGarry, and Josh Quijada — helped North Andover to a first-place finish in the 4x200-meter relay (1:29.75). The Scarlet Knights added third-place finishes in the 4x100 (43.60) and 4x1600 (18:42.55) relays, and pole vaulter Chris Ferris placed atop the field. 'Everyone is working hard at practice every single day,' said NA senior Ethan Jacques. 'We're competing, getting better. That really showed today. Everybody came today and performed their best – even if they were on the 'B' team. We know everyone has a chance to score, and we believe in them.' Advertisement North Andover's Aidan McGarry clears a hurdle in the 110 shuttle relay. Ken McGagh for the Boston Globe For the North Andover girls — 'This was a nice one,' said NA girls' coach Rick DelleChiaie. 'In a meet like this, you're looking at all the events total, and one place makes all the difference in the world. Our 'B' team in the hurdles … there's the difference right there. The girls did a great, great job. What a meet.' North Andover's Juliana Yankowsky clear the high jump during the MSTCA Division 2 relays. Ken McGagh for the Boston Globe Luna Prochazkova, Hannah Shea, Julia Kroon, and Nicole Kroon came together to win the 4x1600 relay (22:30.19), with teammates Sophia Bowman, Mia Kmiec, Whitney Smith, and Eleanor Gosselin finishing atop the field in the 4x100 shuttle hurdles (1:06.87). 'As a senior, I only have three races left. So, I've been really focusing on my gratefulness for this sport and my team,' said Shea. 'I'm really just trusting my other three members in the relays. I'm having so much fun. I think that's really helped us win, and that's awesome.' Added teammate Laura Packard: 'We win as a team, we lose as a team. And tonight, we won as a team.' Peabody's Jayden Lopez comes in for a landing in the long jump. Ken McGagh for the Boston Globe
Hamilton Spectator
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Bailey and Harper look toward an NBA future, but face questions about what went wrong at Rutgers
CHICAGO (AP) — Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have some explaining to do. Though the dynamic duo from Rutgers could be the next two players selected assuming the lottery-winning Dallas Mavericks grab Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, their lone college season didn't go the way they envisioned. Despite having two of the top prospects, the Scarlet Knights missed the NCAA Tournament. As Bailey and Harper prepare to take their games to the next level, two big questions hanging over them are: What happened? And why? 'We went through a lot of ups and downs, I feel like,' Harper, the son of former NBA star Ron Harper and the brother of former Scarlet Knight Ron Harper Jr., said at the NBA Draft Combine on Wednesday. 'But ultimately, it was just like life ain't gonna be perfect, but every day, you've got to go out there and do your job. Obviously, we didn't have the Cinderella story that everyone thought we were gonna have, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I would do it all over again.' Rutgers came into last season with its sights set high after coach Steve Pikiell transformed a roster that produced a losing record. Bailey and Harper highlighted the greatest recruiting class in the program's history. But instead of a Cinderella story, a nightmare unfolded. The Scarlet Knights went 15-17 for the second straight season. They finished 11th in the Big Ten at 8-12 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. Again, that's despite having two players who could be drafted in the top five. Bailey said it's come up 'a couple times' in his meetings with teams. 'It's life. Life happens,' Bailey said. 'We didn't expect that. We wanted to go farther, but I guess life wanted us (to go) the other way. That happens for a reason.' He said experiencing a season like that could help him adjust to the NBA. 'Adversity, it's gonna happen,' Bailey said. 'You can't think about that game. You lost, you've got to go to the next game because it's 82 games in a season. It's way more than it was in college, so you're not gonna have much time to sit back and be like 'I lost.' You got to move on, keep playing.' Bailey and Harper can sell teams on their physical skills and ability to make shots. The 6-foot-10 Bailey can make shots from all over whether they're open or contested, though he has some raw edges as a creator and defender. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. The 6-6 Harper has the play-making instincts, not to mention the NBA pedigree. His dad was a high-scoring guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers before becoming a five-time champion as a role player with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4 assists for Rutgers. The trip to Chicago — where Ron Harper remains a popular figure — for the Combine was his first since All-Star weekend in 2020. He said his parents recommended he try Harold's Chicken, a local chain, while he's in town. But he's more focused on getting a taste of the NBA. Harper could wind up teaming with Victor Wembanyama if San Antonio drafts him at No. 2. 'It'd be great to play with them,' Harper said. 'Victor's just a freak of nature. Everything he does is crazy.' ___ AP NBA:
