(BCSNN) — Rutgers opened the 2025–26 season with a dominant 81–53 win over Rider on Wednesday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena, using a balanced scoring effort and aggressive defense to pull away early.

Junior guard Tariq Francis led the Scarlet Knights (1–0) with 20 points in his Rutgers debut, including four three-pointers and a team-best plus-minus of +30. Sophomore forward Dylan Grant added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Jamichael Davis chipped in 15 points, four assists, and three steals. Darren Buchanan Jr. scored 11 off the bench.

Rutgers broke open a tight start with a 13–0 run midway through the first half and led 35–24 at halftime. The Scarlet Knights outscored Rider 46–29 after the break, building a lead that reached 32 points.

“I didn’t love how we played, but I like this team — they have a good vibe about them,” head coach Steve Pikiell said. “We got some jitters out and a lot of players played for the first time in front of our great fans. I look forward to being a really good rebounding team.”

Rutgers shot 39.1% from the field and 37% from three-point range, while scoring 29 fastbreak points and converting 17 Rider turnovers into steady offense. The Scarlet Knights grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and held a 47–46 edge on the glass.

Rider (0–2) struggled to find rhythm, shooting just 27.7% from the floor and 2-of-20 from three. Caleb Smith led the Broncs with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Zion Cruz added 11 points.

Rutgers also held advantages in bench scoring (24–17) and second-chance points (19–15).

Up next: Rutgers hosts Maine on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

This article originally appeared in its entirety as a feature on BCSNN.