Ace Bailey Stats Tonight: How did Rutgers star fare vs Columbia? (Dec 30) 

Ace Bailey stuffed the stat sheet as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights cruised past the Columbia Lions 91-64 on Monday night.

The standout guard delivered a game-high 24 points on an efficient 11-of-18 shooting performance, adding eight rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block.

Bailey set the tone early, scoring seven points during Rutgers' hot 7-of-10 shooting stretch, which built an 18-6 lead in the first 5:30. Despite a cold spell that saw the team miss 10 of its next 12 shots, Bailey's steady play — including 13 points in the first 12 minutes — helped Rutgers establish a 27-18 advantage.

By halftime, the Scarlet Knights led 44-35, fueled by Bailey’s 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting. In the second half, Rutgers tightened its defense and extended the lead, ultimately securing its biggest margin when freshman Peter Noble sank a deep 3-pointer in the closing seconds on his first attempt of the season.

Ace Bailey continued to pick apart Columbia’s zone defense with precision jumpers, cementing the Scarlet Knights’ dominant finish, outscoring the Lions 25-9 in the final 10 minutes.

In the first 11 games of the 2024-25 season, Bailey has showcased an outstanding rookie campaign, averaging 18.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals while playing 33.5 minutes per game.

Scarlet Knights back on track

After falling to Princeton on Dec. 21, Rutgers desperately needed a win, and they delivered a wire-to-wire victory. Starting strong, the Scarlet Knights kept Columbia at bay throughout the first half before pulling away in the second.

Facing a Columbia squad off to its best start in over 50 years at 11-1, Rutgers avoided a damaging Quad 3 loss and reignited its momentum for the season. The Scarlet Knights dished out a season-high 26 assists, surpassing the previous 21 set against Monmouth in November.

Rutgers (8-5) averaged 78.8 points, 36.3 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.6 blocks per game through its first 12 outings, shooting 46.2% from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc.

The Scarlet Knights travel to Bloomington next to face Indiana on Thursday, hoping to build on this much-needed win.