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On the first day of May, Rutgers basketball fans clamoring for any news related to the program can thank James Kratch of NJ Advance Media. He is reporting that Rutgers will play “South Carolina at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on Saturday, Nov. 16 in a regular season game sponsored by the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.” Kratch obtained the scoop via an OPRA request of the contract and his full report can be read here, which includes specific contract details.
Scheduling scoop! #Rutgers men's hoops is going to the Great White North in November to play an SEC team. https://t.co/rbp4NPfKRK
— James Kratch (@JamesKratch) May 1, 2019
Kratch confirmed it’s a one day event and not a tournament format. This appears to be the same event that Jon Rothstein recently tweeted about and now we know the Big Ten Team is in fact Rutgers.
Source: The Hall-of-Fame will be holding a one-day preseason event in Toronto on November 16th at Scotiabank Center. Teams will be from the Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC, Ivy League, and MAC. Matchups are TBD.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 11, 2019
The game will be played nearby where Rutgers senior Eugene Omoruyi is from.
South Carolina went 16-16 last season with an 11-7 record in SEC regular season play. They finished with a KenPom ranking of 70th, which was eight spots ahead of Rutgers (14-17; 7-13). The Gamecocks lose two key players in seniors Chris Silva and Hassani Gravett. They do return a young nucleus led by rising sophomores AJ Lawson, who may enter the NBA Draft, and Keyshawn Bryant.
The two programs have never faced each other previously. This matchup is a great early season test for Rutgers.
In regard to next season’s non-conference schedule, Rutgers will host Seton Hall and UMASS, who was supposed to play at the RAC this past season before the Minutemen cancelled. The series between RU and UMASS has been confirmed for next season and the following one by Jon Rothstein, with Rutgers traveling to Amherst in 2020-2021.
The ACC/BigTen Challenge matchup has yet to be announced, as well as a potential game for Rutgers in the Gavitt Games that involves ten teams from both the Big East and Big Ten. More scheduling news to come as it breaks this offseason. To review the Big Ten matchups for Rutgers next season, click here.