4d ago basketball Edit

Senior guard Tyson Acuff eager for final season with Rutgers Basketball

Craig Epstein • TheKnightReport

Staff Writer

Eastern Michigan transfer Tyson Acuff joined Rutgers with lofty goals and looking to add to a team with high expectations.

“I felt like it was a good group of guys coming in and I could be a part of a winning program,” Acuff said. “[Pikiell] made me feel like I would be a great asset to the team and my game was appreciated, so that was a big plus for me.”

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Acuff explained how veteran leadership will be key to getting the Scarlet Knights where they want to be.

“I think those two guys are amazingly talented, but that talent needs the hard work and leadership the veterans provide so we can be special,” he said regarding Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. “In this league, you're going to face adversity so having somebody around that can pick them up and tell them to keep going, it’s going to get better.”

Acuff will look to turn around an offense that struggled last season after leading the MAC with 21.7 points per game and ranked eighth in the nation.

“I can score the ball, but I know a lot of people on this team can too so if I need to take a cut and not score as much as I’m used to that's fine,” he said. “We have a lot of pieces that can facilitate and make shots, I just want to be a part of a winning program.”

He also discussed what he brings to the team from a leadership perspective.

“I think I'm a very vocal leader,” Acuff said. “So if I'm not making shots or handling the ball well, I think my voice will keep me on the court and prevent others from making the same mistake I made when I was.”

Acuff described his message to the other young players who embark on the college basketball journey for the first time.

“Adversity is going to come whether we’re winning or losing,” he said. “You might have a lot of turnovers or foul out of a game, but keep your head up, there’s going to be 30+ games and it’s not going to be like that every game.”

In addition, Acuff discussed the difference between Eastern Michigan to Rutgers.

“It's a big jump, a lot more conditioning, and then there’s the weight training,” he said. “But the guys are family here and we care about each other and lift each other up so the recovery is a lot easier.”

This did not mark Acuff’s first time in the transfer portal as he spent his first two seasons with Duquesne before transferring to the Eagles in 2022.

“It was different from my first time in the portal because I had management this time,” Acuff said. “I knew where I wanted to go and wanted to be in an area where I could win some games and think we can be successful here.”

Acuff is not the lone family member looking for a big season as his cousin, Darius Acuff Jr., enters his final year with IMG Academy as a five-star recruit with plenty of collegiate offers, including Rutgers.

“He’s his own person and it’s no rush,” Acuff said regarding his cousin’s decision. “The young guys bring the best out of him and make sure he’s not relaxing or getting content with the things he has right now and focusing on the main goal which is getting into the NBA.”