Ace Bailey vs Indiana 1/2/25
Without Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey took on more responsibility and caught fire for 39 points.
With no Dylan Harper, Ace took on the responsibility of being the primary source of offense for Rutgers and kept them mostly competitive despite stagnating a bit early in the 2nd half. Pouring in buckets from all over the floor and having one of the most ridiculous shotmaking nights I’ve seen from a freshman.
39 Points 8 Rebounds 0 Assists 1 Steal 4 Blocks 0 Turnovers 1 PF
(16/29 FG, 4/8 3FG, 3/8 FT) | 38 Minutes
FULL Standout possessions from Ace Bailey against Indiana. Offense, Defense, Passing etc. in chronological order.
Other Thoughts
Most Impressive: Drives
This was easily Bailey’s most impressive game as a driver. He put pressure on Indiana in a way that we haven’t fully seen this season. His quick twitch and long strides stood out and even though the handle is still a work in progress, this was Bailey’s best game as a driver. This has been an area he’s lacked significantly but certainly points to their being more upside.
Most Impressive: Shotmaking
Ace is starting to truly become one-of-a-kind as a shotmaker. Whether it’s contested or a conventionally “less than great” shot, it doesn’t seem to matter much for him. The conversation about how sustainable it is against like-sized wings and athletes at the next level is still valid, but if he continues producing like this he could be an outlier.
Least Impressive: First Half Off Ball Def. Awareness
Had some early lapses off the ball defensively that stuck out. Made up for it throughout the game with several big plays in help, including 4 blocks, but had a rough start. There wasn’t much else to gripe about especially given how much they needed him to take shots (you then live more with the crazier ones) and he was on fire.
Final thoughts
Putting up zero assists in another game, and this one as a primary, was not ideal but I didn’t mind Ace’s process in this game. He didn’t turn the ball over, he was aggressive and there weren’t a ton of opportunities for him to make plays for others that were realistic for his skillset. It still speaks to some of his shortcomings as a playmaker but this wasn’t a game it stood out in a negative way.
Overall, fantastic night from Ace. The shotmaking, the driving improvements, the help side flashes on defense. Terrific effort when his team needed all of it to stay competitive.
