Complete Breakdown Of Rutgers 2025-2026 Men’s Basketball Season

After two straight 15-17 campaigns capped by last year's disappointment, Rutgers men's basketball is all set to enter the 2025-26 slate. With Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey now in the NBA, head coach Steve Pikiell has welcomed the new lineup with open arms. Ten newcomers join four returnees as the Scarlet Knights return to court.

Starting Slate

The season starts on November 6, 2025, with five straight home games against mid-to-low majors: Rider (Nov. 6), Maine (Nov. 11), Lehigh (Nov. 15), American (Nov. 19), and Central Connecticut State (Nov. 22). The expectations are high for these games as experts believe, Scarlets should come out of it unscathed with a 5-0.

The real challenge begins in Las Vegas at the Players Era Tournament. Rutgers faces No. 18 Tennessee (Nov. 24) and Notre Dame (Nov. 25). Back home, No. 1 Purdue visits on December 3. Then it's No. 7 Michigan on the road (Dec. 7) and the Garden State Hardwood Classic at Seton Hall (Dec. 14). There’s some notable hype with this rivalry match against Seton Hall.

The first half of the slate closes with two more matches, against Pennsylvania (Dec. 21) and Delaware State (Dec. 30), both at home. Both of these matches should be won by the Knights.

Here's the full 2025-26 Rutgers Basketball schedule with the latest tip-off times and TV designations.

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Big Ten Slate

Conference play opens with home games against Ohio State (Jan. 3) and Oregon (Jan. 6), both of these teams beat Rutgers last year. A road trip to No. 17 Illinois (Jan. 9) follows before Northwestern visits (Jan. 12).

January's Midwest swing: No. 24 Wisconsin (Jan. 18), Iowa (Jan. 21), Indiana (Jan. 24), and No. 22 Michigan State (Jan. 28). West Coast travel wraps the month with matchups against USC (Feb. 1) and No. 12 UCLA (Feb. 4).

February offers some breathing room for the Knights after a rough schedule. Only one ranked opponent, No. 22 Michigan State (Mar. 6), appears in the final stretch. Five of the last eight games come against 2024-25 Big Ten bottom rank holders: Nebraska (Feb. 7, home), Maryland (Feb. 15 home, Mar. 1 away), Penn State (Feb. 19 away, Mar. 8 home), Minnesota (Feb. 21 away), and Washington (Feb. 25 home).

All 18 Big Ten teams qualify for the conference tournament—a format tweak that guarantees Rutgers a postseason game.

Full 2025-26 Schedule

Thu, Nov 6 – vs Rider
Tue, Nov 11 – vs Maine
Sat, Nov 15 – vs Lehigh
Wed, Nov 19 – vs American University
Sat, Nov 22 – vs Central Connecticut
Mon, Nov 24 – vs No. 18 Tennessee * (Players Era Tournament, Las Vegas)
Tue, Nov 25 – vs Notre Dame * (Players Era Tournament, Las Vegas)
Wed, Dec 3 – vs No. 1 Purdue
Sun, Dec 7 – @ No. 7 Michigan
Sun, Dec 14 – @ Seton Hall
Sun, Dec 21 – vs Pennsylvania
Tue, Dec 30 – vs Delaware State
Fri, Jan 3 – vs Ohio State
Mon, Jan 6 – vs Oregon
Thu, Jan 9 – @ No. 17 Illinois
Sun, Jan 12 – vs Northwestern
Sat, Jan 18 – @ No. 24 Wisconsin
Tue, Jan 21 – @ Iowa
Fri, Jan 24 – vs Indiana
Tue, Jan 28 – vs No. 22 Michigan State
Sat, Feb 1 – @ USC
Tue, Feb 4 – @ No. 12 UCLA
Fri, Feb 7 – vs Nebraska
Sat, Feb 15 – vs Maryland
Wed, Feb 19 – @ Penn State
Fri, Feb 21 – @ Minnesota
Tue, Feb 25 – vs Washington
Sat, Mar 1 – @ Maryland
Thu, Mar 6 – @ No. 22 Michigan State
Sat, Mar 8 – vs Penn State

While the schedule is not absolutely brutal for the Knights, there are some matchups that can prove quite challenging and ruin Rutgers’s season plans if the team doesn’t take them seriously.

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