#digging this back out of drafts in honor of the preview

[deliriousblue]

campy romcom shakespeare adaptation about assassins involving heavy themes of coercion with homages to gay porn sprinkled in for flavor. very genuinely no one is doing it like jojo tichakorn

[caxycreations]

You can all have a little WIP, as a treat

Super happy, so I'm gonna give y'all a snippet of the newest draft of Tylvinian Tales: The Wolf's Den.

Enjoy!

Tylvinian Tales: The Wolf's Den

Chapter One, Paragraphs 1-3

The crowd before me cheered, bodies jumping, moving, writhing in time with the beat of the music pouring into the room. As the bass thumped, feet stomped, and the thrum of the dance floor could be felt all around. At the center of the crowd, with people on all sides of him, dancing with wild abandon and not a care in the world, there amid the excitement stood David Seltz. He was my best friend in the world, the man I’d grown up with and spent the better part of my life with so far. Entirely platonic, of course. We were friends, and even with our jokes and the games of chicken we would play, it never went further than that.

My name is Ryder Trayson, I’m a Grey Greatwolf. I live in Tylvin, the capitol city of Ferus, where I work as a freelance musician. I’m pretty tall, standing a little over seven feet. My fur is a greyish blue color, and my eyes are amber orange. Most of the time I work as a DJ for various clubs around the city, but tonight I was working for free. It was worth it, given I was playing for one man’s most important day of the year. It was the twenty-third day of Fina, year four thousand and nineteen. David’s twenty-first birthday. He had asked me to play for him tonight, even offering to pay me, but I couldn’t do that to him.

I was honored he wanted me to perform for his birthday and the idea of making him pay me for it left a bad feeling in my stomach. The music swelled, and the crowd lost themselves in its ebb and flow as the melody played. I had a buffet of stimulation before me. Sights, sounds, smells, textures. But my eyes kept drifting back to the hybrid dancing in the center of the crowd. David. He was a caxy, a hybrid between fox and cat species. He was half snow fox and half Maltese, a blend that worked well together if he and his sister’s physique and fur patterns were anything to go by. They were all monochrome shades. Greys, whites, blacks. The only splash of real color they had on them was their hair and their eyes.

End of Preview

Oh! And just so y'all can see the difference? I'll throw in Chapter 1, Paragraphs 1-3 below!

A Cat in the Wolf's Den

Chapter 1, Paragraphs 1-3

The bar was crowded tonight. I didn't usually do work for places like this, my music was more fitting for the clubs and dance halls around town. But tonight was a special circumstance. My best friend, David, was having his 21st birthday party here and had asked if i'd DJ for him, even paying off the bar owners to let me bring my own gear here. This place was special to him. It was where he found his first real love, before they had left him and moved off to god knows where. I couldn't really fault David for wanting his birthday party here, and who am I to turn down a request as simple as this for a friend?

My name's Ryder. Ryder Trayson. I'm 22 years old, and I've been a DJ ever since I was 14. I've known David since I was 3, and we've never been any less than best friends. There's not a lot to say about me. I like music, I work out now and then, not that I need to. Being a Great Grey Wolf has its perks, including a healthy dose of muscles that most would kill for. Of course, it also comes with a massive appetite. I can eat just about as much as the hungriest hog and still want more. But hey, you're not here to listen to me go on about myself forever. Let's get back to the story, yeah? One more thing about me is that I don't care much for talking about me.

The music blared throughout the building, and I could see some of the patrons getting irritated and complaining to workers. Probably regulars that weren't used to people having fun. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and, after setting up the next couple songs to play on their own, I checked it. David had texted me saying he wanted me to play Digging Alone, a pretty upbeat song that I had promised to play before the night was up. I cancelled the other two songs in the queue and, as the current song finished, I gave my best wolfish grin, turned off the music, and grabbed my mic. "Alright everyone, we got a request from the big man himself! So you can thank him for the next beat!" I let out a howl of excitement as I turned on the song, and heard a chorus of cheers from the crowd below as the music began.

End of Preview

My writing has changed so, so much, and I'm honestly so much happier with the new version. The old one is outdated and painful to read cause like, WOW there's so much stuff that's just a result of the inexperience.

But

Yeah

Thank you all for reading this far, ha

@heavensfallenfaction @stesierra

Tagged folks I thought might be interested to read it

[slunatic]

I'm here with a sneak peek/early chapter of my next fanfic. The link above will take you to the early chapter on my Patreon. Consider becoming a patron for early chapters to my work (also some exclusive stuff). I'm dipping my toe into the Hamilton fandom. This story is the first part in a three part series. I hope you like it. The chapter will be posted on Ao3 and FFN on Tuesday.

Chapter 2: Dreamlike Candlelight. Angelica and Maria manage to fall into domestic bliss, but Angelica knows it’s just a fantasy. 

Chapter 3: Set That Aside. A letter arrives that pops the little domestic bubble around the ladies.

Chapter 4: By Your Side. Angelica confronts James Reynolds. She then takes Maria to see Alexander for legal help to get James Reynolds out of their lives. 

Chapter 5: Trusting (last chapter). Angelica and Maria attend a dinner party at the Hamilton house. Angelica comes out to Peggy and she meets Maria.

Preview of untitled sequel to Be Satisfied. This is just a rough draft chapter for the sequel, but feel free to check it out and leave me suggestions on what you would like to see in the sequel. Preview:

“May I help you?” Angelica asked in a very polite tone. It took all of her self-control to keep her face from betraying her. Her expression always telegraphed her thoughts. No reason to be upset. This could be perfectly innocent.

The young woman opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. Her brow wrinkled as her eyes fell to the floor, like she had to think of something. “I’m sorry to bother you. My name is Maria Reynolds. I was hoping to speak with Alexander Hamilton.”

“He’s not here right now,” Angelica replied. Maria twisted her fingers, like she was full of nervous energy. Angelica took a breath to keep from craning an eyebrow or giving an intense stare. “Do you need legal help?” There might be a very rational explanation for the young woman’s presence if she ever managed to get it out.

Maria glanced away, her face pinched. “I’m not sure. A friend recommended I come see Mister Hamilton.”

And there went her eyebrow. “Well, why did that friend say so?” This still seems pretty sketchy. What’s going on?

Maria took a breath. “After I mentioned my husband abandoned me.”

Possibly a divorce then. All right, Alexander, you’re safe for now. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you looking for separation advice?” Angelica had plenty of that, especially considering the last few months of her life.

The young woman’s face scrunched up and her eyes glistened. She would look cute if she was not so distressed. The red dress she had on was at odds with her behavior, though. It screamed seduction. Something did not add up here, which pulled Angelica in. Time to learn more.

“My name is Angelica Schuyler. Maybe I can help. I don’t practice divorce law.” Neither did Alexander, but that did not seem important right now. “But, maybe some advice. You can step inside if you want and tell me more of your predicament.” Now, there was an option to leave and save face or travel further down the rabbit hole.

Maria messed with her fingers a little more and braved a whole new world by stepping into the townhouse. Curiouser and curiouser. Maria looked around the foyer and beyond, awe written on her face as Angelica closed the door behind her.

“So, if this isn’t about a divorce, what is it about?” Angelica asked. It could not be about a divorce if Maria came in. Angelica let her know she did not practice divorce law and Alexander was not there.

Maria turned to Angelica and she could see the wheels spinning. Maybe she was making up a story or maybe she did not know where to begin. Angelica would listen to the story before she judged, but her instincts and warning bells were all going off.

“I’m sorry to bother you with this,” Maria said and Angelica half-expected her to run from the entry. Instead, she continued. “My friend said Alexander Hamilton was a man of honor and I didn’t mean to come to his home, but I didn’t know where else to go. I just didn’t know what else to do. I don’t have anything since my husband left. Not that he was a great guy in the first place. He’s always mistreated me. He’s even beaten me. He might be off with another woman and he took all of my money. I don’t have anything.”

Angelica could not see why this would bring her to Alexander’s door. She did not have to be top of her class to know this was a scheme. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you sure you don’t want a divorce?” That was honestly the only decent explanation for the visit and Maria refused to grasp at the lifeline Angelica kept throwing her. Looked like she would rather dig the hole.

Maria shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how I’m going to make rent without him. Or even how I’m going to eat in the next few days.”

Again, what does any of this have to do with being at Alexander’s house late at night? Angelica had to find out. “Well, I could give you some money.” That seemed to be the goal, but why did she pick Alexander for this? She claimed she did not know him, but was comfortable enough with possibly asking him for money? I might still have to curse him out, if not for having seductresses show up in the middle of the night than obviously for handing out money too freely where any person with working knowledge of his home could come and ask for some.

Her eyes sparkled. “Are you sure? I’ll pay you back!”

“I’m sure you will.” She highly doubted it, but that would probably put an end to whatever this was. “Let me go get it.” There had to be some cash lying around. She would pay Alexander and Eliza back. “Don’t move.”

Maria held her hands up. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Angelica stepped away in search of cash. It took no time. Eliza hid money in the same spots all the time, even when she was younger. She returned to Maria exactly where she left her. Angelica handed her roughly seven hundred dollars.

“Should I call you a car?” Angelica asked. Again, whatever helped end all of this sooner. She had to assume with money in hand Maria was ready to get out here and she could give Alexander a call to ask him about whatever this was.

Maria shook her head as she clutched the bills tightly in her fist. “No, I just live a block away.”

“Really?” And there went Angelica’s eyebrow, arched all the way up. That could explain her turning up at Alexander’s door at such an odd hour. She might have been watching Alexander and knew he had money. It was still strange and could be a lie. Well, now I want to know more, damn it. “Then let me walk you home.”

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Optimus Prime vs. Gundam

Giant Robots. Y’know what?- I dig giant robots.

Anyone remember that?- god, it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen a good giant robot battle show.

The second time that either combatants’ franchises are entering the arena. With the last time a transformer being used was back when Starscream fought against Rainbow Dash, and the last time someone that piloted a Gundam was when Zechs Merquise fought Tommy Oliver, this is bound to be a fun matchup.

During the introduction, they mention that the Transformers were originally Japanese toys, meaning that this isn’t an East vs. West battle. It’s more like… East vs. Adopted East.

Optimus Prime′s Preview.

So, Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots.

I think most people who grew up in that time period knows who this guy is. 

(Yeesh, with experience like that, Amuro is going to need a crapton of firepower to get past that).

We get a history on the Autobot Decepticon War, and how the ‘Cons are basically a bunch of people who love military dictatorships. And how they gunned down a guy named Orion Pax. And as Boomstick said, Robot Gandalf rebuilt Orion into the much more iconic Optimus Prime.

And we get to see his Vehicle Mode get a card too! After all, Optimus is in fact a

Robot in disguise.

So that.

And a nice little notecard tells us what happens to the trailer when Optimus transforms.

(The question has finally been answered!)

And for those of you wondering what’s up with that Action Master and Powermaster stuff that’s under his Transformations tab, here’s what’s up (more or less):

(Man, this got really complicated).

Regardless, they go on to explain a lot of Optimus’ feats and stats. Like his arsenal of weapons…

Oh, and the Matrix is given it’s own explanation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get it’s own page, but what’s there to know?- It’s a piece of Robot God.

And it appears that Optimus has a sense of honor. Which could lead to a weakness, as he does not like sacrificing others.

(But desecrating their bodies?- That’s nothing).

Optimus’ feats gives him a massive edge too. Overall, it just feels like there’s a lot going for Robot Jesus.

And you know that scene in the original movie where Optimus is all “One shall stand. One shall fall.”?- That’s the end quote. And I gotta say:

That makes me want to DARE! Dare to believe we can survive! DARE! Dare to keep all my dreams alive!

………

Optimus is a badass, and that was another movie reference.

Amuro Ray′s Preview.

If they were trying to get people invested in the Gundam series, then I’d say that they did a pretty good job. After all, it’s a show that uses giant robots to fight Nazis. Who doesn’t like seeing Nazis getting their asses kicked?

But… If they were trying to simplify things, then they didn’t do that great of a job.

(This is an average of at least 4 models per medium).

But thankfully, they are only covering the OG Gundam, and any model that it could scale to.

(I think the size advantage is what prompts people to think that Gundam would win).

Regardless, Amuro Ray’s backstory is… actually quite intense. He’s a civilian who got drafted into a war?- That’s rough. Almost as rough as being a civilian who got gunned down and turned into a commander- Oh!- Another Optimus comparison.

Amuro gets his own page, and he has an… interesting set of codenames. Going over his own skills is also impressive too.

He gets a system that’s similar to the Epyon, only significantly less intense and PTSD-inducing.

The arsenal is also impressive. Especially the Beam Rifle. Like Boomstick said, it’s like a hundred tanks in the form of a single pistol. Unfortunately, like a pistol, the Beam Rifle has limited Ammo. So Amuro might want to be careful when using it.

(Here’s hoping that Amuro doesn’t have to use this feature).

And Amuro’s psychic powers are given a rundown. and given that so far we’ve seen a radioactive spiderbite, a floating head in a tube granting teenagers their abilities, and special fruit giving people powers, I have to agree that the reasons behind why Newtypes have theirs is really really dumb. Couldn’t have been cosmic radiation, I guess.

But that last part is really really funny.

I want to know who was behind this, because I want to give them props.

Amuro’s Newtype powers would certainly close any speed gap, similar to Naruto’s sage powers or Kenshiro’s Toki.

And the feats are a sight to behold. Though, when comparing it to the stuff Optimus has blown up or survived… It’s not looking good for Amuro.

Especially since the suit has no real defenses against intense heat, outside of a one-time use shield.

I have no real way of judging the end line. It doesn’t feel as impressive as Optimus’.

The Battle Itself.

Since Torrian is moving over to RoosterTeeth to do Gen:Lock, this battle is primarily being animated by Kristina and several other animators. Optimus will be voiced by Richard Barcenas, while Gundam RX-78-2′s pilot Amuro Ray will be voiced by David Matranga. Sayla Mass will be voiced by Lindsay Jones (Watch your cheese puffs, Amuro). Audio led by Chris Kokkinos and Music by Therewolf, and is called Wings of Iron.

So, the battle starts with Amuro breaking into the Ark (because the Transformers series is known for their subtlety (Optimus constantly dying and coming back to life, and the ARK?- Seriously? How about they add some more bible references while they’re at it?)), and Optimus attacks Amuro.

And partway into the fight, we find out why Optimus attacked: He mistook Amuro for a Decepticon. Makes sense. Amuro mistook Optimus for an enemy robot suit. So there’s a good reason for each of them to be fighting each other- They mistook the opponent for an enemy.

The battle starts in space, where both of them are firing at each other, and using their melee weapons against the other. With Amuro using his totally-not-a-lightsaber beam sword against Optimus, and Prime using his energy axe right back.

Amuro is constantly using his Newtype powers to keep up with Optimus, as he does claim that Optimus holds the speed advantage.

And we get this beautiful clash between the two combatants. It gives me goosebumps.

It helps that the music, Wings of Iron, give the battle a very 80s vibe. It really helps the overall fight sequence and makes it feel like a clash between icons.

Plus, Prime constantly transforming throughout the battle just reeks of fanservice. But, in the good way. It’s not often that the Transformers use their vehicle modes when combating an opponent, and it’s just really nice to see it in action.

Optimus even cuts through Amuro’s shield in the battle, and renders Amuro defenseless.

And the battle finds its way to earth (because what battle in space doesn’t find its way to earth?), and the battle rages on.

And if you’re worried about Torrian’s absence will mean no flips, then don’t worry! They have flips.

(Ahh, flips. It doesn’t feel like a 3D DEATH BATTLE without ‘em).

And after a brutal clash (And a good ol’ Optimus one liner), we get to the final clash.

Finishing blow in

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Well, Amuro… Just tell Death that Optimus sent you. Those two are basically drinking buddies, so Death should have a a beer that he’d be willing to share with you.

Verdict + Explanation.

So, Optimus held the experience advantage, obviously. But, there were many other advantages. And Optimus’s stats are just…

GodDAMN! That is just… Absurd. And they go out of their way to disprove the Refinery feat being an outlier, by referencing the cartoon, and another bot of similar power.

And as for being able to fire into space from the ground…

There’s a notecard for that too. It looks like Optimus Just had the Touch! He had the power!

YEAH!

Overall impression.

For this being a few new animators first time being the primary animator on this project, I originally felt the need to go easy when it came to the animation. Turns out, I didn’t need to. The animation is really solid, and it feels like two robots battling it out instead of just two humans with CGI robots over their bodies.

The music is really awesome, and the explanations that they give for their math feel really solid. I was prepared for Optimus to lose, and to have to make a morbid joke about it, but it actually feels like there was some awesome math behind it all.

The rundowns are fun to watch and listen to, and as a person who can’t really hate Rodimus, I have to commemorate them for not making a cheap shot at the guy (I blame Hasbro for Optimus’ death, not Hot Rod).

Solid animation, plus awesome music, add in a fun rundown, and a pinch of awesome statistics, and you get a good rating of 9.2/10.

Next Time…

This battle is a long time coming. And with the new media surrounding the two, I’d say the way the battle’s going to be portrayed will be really great.

(Ignore Optimus’ hand please).

Because it’s going to be live action!

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

Blüdhaven Bird vs. The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

[your-dietician]

Top 5 performances of the 2020-21 Rutgers men’s basketball season

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/ncaa-basketball/top-5-performances-of-the-2020-21-rutgers-mens-basketball-season/

Top 5 performances of the 2020-21 Rutgers men’s basketball season

In a season unlike any other, the Rutgers men’s basketball team achieved historic heights on its way to its first NCAA Tournament in 30 years. Along the way, fans were witnesses to incredible performances in some of the biggest games of the season. Here are the five best performances that we saw from the 2020-21 season:

Honorable Mention: Myles Johnson 10 points, 10 rebounds, 7 blocks vs. Indiana

Before I reveal my top five picks, I want to bring up an honorable mention that includes a player that will be sorely missed next year.

Myles Johnson put together several great performances last season that sometimes did not translate to box score numbers. However, on senior night vs. Indiana, Johnson put together a defensive masterpiece that led to a monster late-season win. He tallied a career-high seven blocks to go along with one of his eight double-doubles on the season. With all of the numbers, Johnson’s defensive presence in the middle did not waver in this game, a part of the game that does not show up in the stat-sheet, but a part of the game that was absolutely crucial for Rutgers’ overall success last season. Johnson was far and away one of the most consistent and reliable big man in the Big Ten last season, and in a conference filled with impactful big men that included names like Luka Garza, Hunter Dickinson and Kofi Cockburn, Johnson was the big man that walked away with Big Ten all-defensive team honors.

Johnson recently graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a field that he has decided to pursue at UCLA’s distinguished Samueli School of Engineering next year.

5. Caleb McConnell 13 points, 10 rebounds in NCAA Tournament 1st round vs. Clemson

Throughout the season, Caleb McConnell often made incredible impact on games while not necessarily jumping off the stat-sheet. A good example for McConnell’s unsung impact came in the 76-72 win vs. Minnesota on Feb. 4, where McConnell hit a crucial three-pointer and played tough defense down the stretch on Marcus Carr to help seal a pivotal win.

Keeping up with this theme, McConnell shined his brightest on college basketball’s biggest stage. Finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds, McConnell’s toughness was absolutely crucial to Rutgers securing its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1983. All night, McConnell was active on the defensive end, diving on the floor for 50/50 balls that come to matter so much in single-elimination tournaments like March Madness. Additionally, nine of McConnell’s 13 points came in the second half, including a layup with 4:30 left which kept the Scarlet Knights ahead by four points.

McConnell’s performance was exactly what Rutgers needed to beat Clemson. The game lived up to its billing of a hard-nosed defensive battle between two determined teams, and without McConnell’s hustle plays and clutch baskets down the stretch, it is very possible that the game could have ended up in a Clemson win.

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

4. Montez Mathis 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 three-pointers in shorthanded win vs. Purdue

Looking back on the Scarlet Knights’ NCAA Tournament résumé, there were two games that stood out to me as wins that pushed us over the edge into the tournament. One of them was the early-season victory vs. Illinois and the other was the shorthanded victory over Purdue, a victory that could be thanked in large part to Montez Mathis.

It is fair to say that Mathis dealt with shooting struggles for a large part of the season, but with Ron Harper Jr. and Cliff Omoruyi sidelined with injuries, Mathis turned in his best outing of the season as he nailed five three-pointers and turned in 25 points on top of his always reliable defense en-route to a 81-76 win against the eventual No. 4 seed in the South region.

This win served as a testament to what last year’s team was about and the type of program Steve Pikiell has built in Piscataway. A myriad of injuries plagued the team at this time and forced them to dig deep if they wanted the win. While Harper Jr. and Omoruyi were officially sidelined, Geo Baker and Jacob Young also were playing through their own injuries at the time. For Baker, he was working his way back from his own ankle injury that he suffered on opening night and Young’s status was up-in-the-air due to a nasty spill that most of us remember against Ohio State.

Nevertheless, with the help of a stellar performance from Mathis, Rutgers was able to gut out the program’s second-most impressive win of the regular season. As for Mathis, he recently transferred to St. John’s University to continue his college career, but he did finish his career with the Scarlet Knights on a high note with 10 points against Houston in the Round of 32.

3. Geo Baker 20 points, 10 assists and career-high six threes on senior night vs. Indiana

Geo Baker, big shot maker.

The face of Pikiell’s Rutgers rebuild put up yet another memorable performance in a pivotal late season matchup vs. Indiana. Shortly after Baker accepted his senior night awards and recognition, he went to work torching the Indiana defense, scoring 20 points, dishing out 10 assists and drilling a career-high six three pointers in a game that the Scarlet Knights desperately needed to stay afloat in the late-season race to the NCAA Tournament.

For Baker, this game served as a microcosm for his entire career at Rutgers. Throughout his four seasons, Baker, time and time again, has stepped up to the plate in the most crucial of moments; think the Big Ten Tournament his freshman year, his clutch shot vs. Ohio State in his sophomore year and his game-winning shot vs. Nebraska in his junior year, to name a few moments. My personal favorite Geo Baker moment came in the 2019-2020 regular season finale at Purdue with a trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. In that game, Baker hit clutch shot after clutch shot in front of a raucous Mackey Arena to secure the Scarlet Knights’ place in the not-to-be 2020 NCAA Tournament. It was one of the greatest clutch performance I have ever seen.

Baker declared for the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility and has until July 7 to decide if he will utilize his extra year of eligibility to return to Piscataway.

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jacob Young 23 points, 7 assists and dominant overtime period to clinch the NCAA Tournament @ Minnesota

During this past season, I covered the men’s team for the Daily Targum, and in nearly all of my game previews and recaps that I wrote, Jacob Young was worthy of recognition for his play. He, in my opinion, was the team’s most consistent player all season.

For all of his great moments from this season, Young’s finest hour came in the biggest of spots: at Minnesota in yet another regular season finale where an NCAA Tournament berth was on the line. Entering the game, the Scarlet Knights were staring at the very real possibility of falling down to the NCAA Tournament bubble after a humiliating loss to Nebraska. However, Young would refuse to let Rutgers go down on that Saturday afternoon. He finished with his second 20 point performance of the season and a masterful overtime period where he scored or assisted on 10 of the Scarlet Knights’ 14 points.

Young also made quite possibly the biggest play of the entire season in the final moments of regulation. Off of a Geo Baker turnover with 20 seconds to go, Minnesota guard Marcus Carr was running wide open, ahead of any Rutgers player on the fast break getting ready to jam in a go-ahead dunk that would’ve capped off an improbable Minnesota comeback in the final minutes. Instead, Young momentarily turned into an NFL cornerback as he jumped in front of Eric Curry’s pass to blow up the potential fastbreak opportunity and give Rutgers a chance to seal the game in overtime. I have attached the clip of Young’s steal below, the clip starts at the 18:45 mark.

Young was the first player to announce his departure from the program after the season, and after originally entering into the 2021 NBA Draft, Young decided to transfer to the University of Oregon for a sixth season of college basketball.

Ron Harper Jr. 28 points, 9 rebounds, 5 three-pointers vs. Illinois

It’s hard to understate the rhythm Ron Harper Jr. was in to start the season.

In the midst of a string of stellar performances to start the year, Harper Jr. turned in his best performance of the season and, in my opinion, the best performance by a Scarlet Knight this season. The outing came in an early-season top-25 matchup vs. No. 13 Illinois, a high-profile billing against a future No. 1 seed where Rutgers had everything to gain in terms of confidence and respect amongst the nation. In 35 minutes, Harper Jr. scored 28 points, grabbed nine rebounds and cashed in five three-pointers for a third consecutive game to guide Rutgers to a thrilling 91-88 victory over Illinois. The victory proved to be Rutgers’ signature win of the season and the crown jewel of the Scarlet Knights’ NCAA Tournament résumé when it came time to draw up NCAA Tournament brackets. Without Harper Jr.’s stellar performance, this signature win would have been possible.

Further, this game put the college basketball world on notice to two things. First, with a top-25 win, fans across the country began to recognize that Rutgers was a legit program that could make serious noise in the NCAA Tournament. Second, with the win and Harper Jr.’s performance, Harper Jr. was catapulted into All-American and Wooden Award talks, as he was following up on several impressive performances already to start the season. Harper Jr. made it as far as Late Season Top 20 Watch List for the Wooden Award, and he ended up finishing third team all-conference at the end of the season.

Harper Jr. has followed the same route as Geo Baker in declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility and has until July 7 to make a decision. Both he and Baker did not receive invitations to participate in the G League or NBA combine events.

Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports

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