Rutgers basketball re-signs leading scorer for another season

Tariq Francis is running it back.

The star Rutgers guard, who led the Scarlet Knights in scoring during a breakout junior season in Piscataway, re-signed with the program for another year and will represent them during his final season of eligibility next winter.

Francis is the third Rutgers player to re-sign for the 2026-27 season, joining fellow senior guard Jamichael Davis and rising sophomore center Gevonte Ware.

He indicated this would be his decision following his team’s loss to UCLA in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament last month.

“The game just ended, but I’m committed to Rutgers,” Francis said then. “I love Rutgers. I love coach (Steve) Pikiell and the rest of the coaches. I love my teammates and they’ve been very good for me.”

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Francis averaged a team-high 17 points on 41.9% shooting (45.5% on twos, 35.1% on threes, 91.1% on free throws), 2.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds and a steal in 27.8 minutes per game. He featured in all 34 games, with his role bouncing between a starter (21 games) and coming off the bench (13 games).

Rutgers has eight scholarships allotted for the 2026-27 season, meaning there are six open slots remaining.

Here is Rutgers’ current projected roster makeup entering the 2026-27 season (labeled by years of eligibility remaining; signed players are bolded):

1 year - Tariq Francis (G), Jamichael Davis (G), Darren Buchanan (F).

2 years - N/A.

3 years - Lino Mark (G), Kaden Powers (G), Gevonte Ware (C).

4 years - Imahri Wooten (G).

Unknown - Lewis Duarte (G).

Guards (6): Tariq Francis, Jamichael Davis; Lino Mark, Kaden Powers; Imahri Wooten; Lewis Duarte.

Wings/Forwards (1): Darren Buchanan.

Centers (1): Gevonte Ware.

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