Tariq Francis scores 20 points in his Rutgers debut and the Scarlet Knights beat Rider 81-53
AP
Nov 05, 2025
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Tariq Francis scored 20 points in his Rutgers Scarlet Knights debut, Dylan Grant added 17 points and the Scarlet Knights used a big second half to beat Rider Broncs 81-53 on Wednesday night.
Jamichael Davis added 15 points and Darren Buchanan Jr., who redshirted his first season at Virginia Tech last year, scored 11 off the bench for Rutgers (1-0). Emmanuel Ogbole grabbed 10 rebounds. Francis, who averaged 17 points in 54 career games at NJIT, was 6 of 10 from the field with four of Rutgers' 10 3-pointers.
Davis, Ogbole, Grant and Bryce Dortch are the only returning scholarship players for Rutgers.
Caleb Smith had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead Rider (0-2), which dropped its opener Monday night at Virginia. Zion Cruz, the leading returning scorer for Rider at 10.1 points per game, added 11. Rider has just two of its top eight scorers from last season.
Cruz was the first player for Rider to reach double-figure scoring when he made a basket with 8:33 remaining in the second half. The Broncs missed their first 11 3-pointers of the second half.
Rutgers opens the season with five straight home games at Jersey Mike’s Arena, including a Monday contest against Maine. The Scarlet Knights will first hit the road around Thanksgiving to face No. 18 Tennessee and Notre Dame in Las Vegas.
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1st Half
RIDE
Broncs
24
RUTG
Scarlet Knights
35
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Broncs gains possession)
19:36
Flash Burton misses two point jump shot
19:34
Tariq Francis defensive rebound
19:22
Denis Badalau misses two point layup
19:20
Zion Cruz defensive rebound
19:07
Caleb Smith misses two point layup
19:05
Mohamad Diallo offensive rebound
18:42
Mohamad Diallo misses two point layup
18:40
Caleb Smith offensive rebound
18:29
Zion Cruz misses three point jump shot
18:27
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
18:08
Tariq Francis misses three point jump shot
18:06
Mohamad Diallo defensive rebound
18:01
+3
Cole McCabe makes three point jump shot (Caleb Smith assists)
3-0
18:01
+3
Denis Badalau makes three point jump shot (Tariq Francis assists)
3-3
18:01
Flash Burton misses two point jump shot
17:59
Dylan Grant defensive rebound
17:52
Mohamad Diallo personal foul
17:36
Jamichael Davis misses three point jump shot
17:34
Caleb Smith defensive rebound
17:34
Denis Badalau shooting foul (Caleb Smith draws the foul)
17:34
+1
Caleb Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2
4-3
17:34
+1
Caleb Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2
5-3
17:25
+3
Tariq Francis makes three point jump shot (Denis Badalau assists)
5-6
17:19
Caleb Smith turnover (out of bounds)
17:08
Dylan Grant misses two point layup
17:06
Mohamad Diallo defensive rebound
16:58
Flash Burton turnover (lost ball) (Jamichael Davis steals)
16:50
+2
Dylan Grant makes two point dunk (Jamichael Davis assists)
5-8
16:26
Zion Cruz misses two point jump shot
16:24
Caleb Smith offensive rebound
16:20
Cole McCabe turnover (traveling)
16:17
+3
Tariq Francis makes three point jump shot (Jamichael Davis assists)
5-11
15:46
Flash Burton misses three point jump shot
15:44
Denis Badalau defensive rebound
15:39
Denis Badalau misses two point layup
15:37
Jamichael Davis offensive rebound
15:31
+2
Jamichael Davis makes two point layup
5-13
15:19
Caleb Smith misses three point jump shot
15:17
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
15:04
Denis Badalau misses three point jump shot
15:02
Emmanuel Ogbole offensive rebound
15:02
Mohamad Diallo personal foul
15:02
TV timeout
14:51
Chris Nwuli misses two point jump shot
14:49
Zion Cruz defensive rebound
14:39
Cole McCabe misses two point layup
14:37
Emmanuel Ogbole defensive rebound
14:27
+3
Jamichael Davis makes three point jump shot (Chris Nwuli assists)
5-16
13:55
+2
Shemani Fuller makes two point layup (Flash Burton assists)
7-16
13:32
Darren Buchanan Jr. misses two point jump shot
13:30
Caleb Smith defensive rebound
13:13
Flash Burton misses two point layup
13:11
Chris Nwuli defensive rebound
13:01
Caleb Smith personal foul
13:01
Chris Nwuli offensive foul
13:01
Chris Nwuli turnover (offensive foul)
12:39
+2
Zion Cruz makes two point layup
9-16
12:24
Shemani Fuller shooting foul (Darren Buchanan Jr. draws the foul)
12:24
Darren Buchanan Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:24
Darren Buchanan Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:24
Zion Cruz defensive rebound
12:24
+2
Zion Cruz makes two point layup
11-16
12:08
Lino Mark misses three point jump shot
12:06
Harun Zrno offensive rebound
11:58
Darren Buchanan Jr. misses two point jump shot
11:56
Darren Buchanan Jr. offensive rebound
11:51
Cole McCabe shooting foul (Darren Buchanan Jr. draws the foul)
11:51
TV timeout
11:51
+1
Darren Buchanan Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
11-17
11:51
Darren Buchanan Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:51
Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
11:37
Harun Zrno misses two point layup
11:35
Scarlet Knights offensive rebound
11:23
+3
Harun Zrno makes three point jump shot (Tariq Francis assists)