Rutgers defeats New Haven 81-54 in season opener

Rutgers opened its 2026-27 season with an 81-54 victory over New Haven on Friday night. The win marked the first official victory for acting head coach Brandin Knight, who is leading the team while head coach Steve Pikiell undergoes cancer treatment.

Rasheed Jones and Tariq Francis each scored 14 points for the Scarlet Knights. Jones successfully made his first four three-point attempts, contributing to a team performance that saw Rutgers shoot 39 percent from distance. Other notable contributors included Jamichael Davis with 13 points and Christian Gurdak with 12 points.

New Haven, currently in its second season in Division I, was led by Teshaun Steele and Zoumana Traore, who each scored 15 points. The Chargers previously lost their season opener to Syracuse.