Jeremiah Williams Sparks New Life into Rutgers Basketball
photo by: Daniel Fritz | @rutgersmbb
In what appeared to be a lost season for the Rutgers Men’s Basketball team, there was little to no hope going forward about any potential postseason appearances this Spring. After a rock-bottom 15 point home loss to Penn State at the end of January, it seemed that fans were getting ready for 2025. This team had high expectations coming into the season and to fall short of
The team was 10-10 overall, and just 2-7 in Big Ten play when they woke up on February 1st. With the news of Junior Guard Jeremiah Williams becoming eligible after sitting out for the first 20 games of the season, there was at least a little of newfound hope, just maybe.
Williams’ had just been cleared to play after several months of going through legal issues from a gambling incident at Iowa State last year, and was on his way to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan for his first action in 709 days of waiting. A large portion of those 2 years was recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in October 2022, right before the upcoming season. After sitting out the entire season, he entered the portal again, and after briefly being committed to Illinois, he chose Rutgers to be his next destination. It was a match made in heaven, as Williams’ game matched exactly what Head Coach Steve Pikiell needs in a player. After being cleared to practice, he appeared to be one of the best players on the floor, but with the expectation of sitting out another season there were no fan expectations for Williams’ to contribute this season.
Jeremiah Williams did not only just return to the playing floor against the team that he grew up watching, but instantly entered the starting lineup and quickly became an contributor. He provided the spark that the Rutgers Basketball offense was looking for. In his first game back he scored 10 points against Michigan proving to be a productive piece that was very much needed. He went on to score 14 against Maryland, and 18 in his first game in Piscataway in an upset win over #11 Wisconsin. Not only has he been a reliable go-to scorer, but a great free throw shooter, a solid three point shooter, and a dime maker. Against Wisconsin, he collected 7 assists and 5 rebounds, including 6/6 from the free throw line to go along with the season-high 18 points. A complete game-changer. Not only does his numbers speak volumes, but he has been a vocal leader and brings a positive up-beat personality to the team.The run for the postseason has only begun now.