SPORTS

Rutgers gets a bonus game, and its coach gets a bonus payment. The Scarlet Knights officially accepted an invitation to play Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl on Sunday, which will usher in an incentive clause in coach Greg Schiano’s contract. With it, Schiano will earn a $100,000 bonus for the appearance, with the possibility of earning an additional $100,000 if the Scarlet Knights come out victorious, according to the eight-year deal Schiano signed upon his return in 2019.

Rutgers accepted an invitation to play Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl on Sunday, ending speculation — and plenty of nervous energy — about the team’s postseason fate. The wait dragged on more than four hours after the College Football Playoff committee announced its rankings and most teams learned where they were headed.

Today is the day Rutgers fans have been waiting to experience for a long time. The team’s bowl destination for the postseason will be revealed. Rutgers is 6-6 and earned bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2014 season. Rutgers played in the 2021 Taxslayer Gator Bowl but that was as a replacement team for Texas A&M because the Aggies were dealing with COVID issues.

After falling short in the tournament’s first 11 years, Jeff Scire captured his second Staten Island United States Bowling Congress Masters event in four years Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes. The 50-year-old, Woodrow resident beat Tom Wilkinson, 160-157, in the title game of the 15th annual event to...

Opening Day for the swimming season in on December 7. Just ahead of that day, take a look at some of the top swimmers in the state ready to get back in the water and compete. The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now!

How to watch Virginia Tech vs. Louisville basketball game

On Friday night, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights defeated Lafayette, 69-48. In the opening minutes of the game, the Scarlet Knights were out of rhythm and got off to a slow start. Nonetheless, sophomore guard Antonia Bates's intensity on defense never waivered and resulted in two early steals in the backcourt. Although both of these plays didn’t result in points, they helped pick up the morale and energy of the Scarlet Knights. Bates also played a pivotal factor in facilitating on the opposite end of the floor as she recorded 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

Scottie Scheffler, of the United States, poses with the winner's trophy after his victory in the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club in New Providence, Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

PISCATAWAY – Rutgers basketball faced its toughest test so far this season. The Scarlet Knights couldn’t shoot well enough or rebound well enough to pass. Rutgers couldn’t slow down No. 24 Illinois and couldn’t do enough on the offensive end in a 76-58 loss on Saturday at Jersey Mike’s Arena in the Scarlet Knight’s...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Next Level Flag Football League held superbowl games at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School in Annadale on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. The 6/7 Clemson Tigers came out on top over the Panthers with a final score of 8-6, while the girls 7/8 Gladiators defeated the Giants 20-6. The 4th grade Warriors defeated the Jets with a touchdown just before the clock ran out, with a final score of 14-12.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-2) go up against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-3) at Lawrence Joel Coliseum on December 6, 2023. Wake Forest won its most recent game versus Florida, 82-71, on Wednesday. Hunter Sallis led the way with 24 points, plus four rebounds and four assists. On Saturday, in its last game, Rutgers lost to Illinois 76-58. With nine points, Austin Williams was its leading scorer.

Illinois is a great basketball team, maybe they’re even at the top of the Big Ten. They feature a great defense, a high-powered offense, and are well-coached. Regardless, Rutgers should not have lost by 18. For the most part, the Scarlet Knights were uninspiring and, save for the final 10 minutes of the first half, didn’t challenge the Illini at all this evening. Six thoughts:

Fred Gruninger, who served as Rutgers University’s athletics director for 25 years before retiring in 1998, died Friday night, according to a Rutgers official. He was 92. Inducted into the Hall of Fame for both Rutgers Athletics and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, Gruninger served as an administrator and coach for 40 years, including his 25-year stint as Scarlet Knights AD from 1973-98.

NEW YORK — The New Jersey City University men's wrestling program competed at the New York University duals on Saturday, Dec. 2, taking part in three neutral matches on NYU's campus. The Gothic Knights took on Western New England University, Roger Williams University and Rhode Island College. NJCU (2-7)...

PISCATAWAY – Aundre Hyatt has been around long enough to know that the college basketball season is a winding road. Last December, Rutgers opened its Big Ten campaign by body-slamming Indiana and wound up exiting the NIT in the first round. The year before that, they opened league action with a 30-point loss at Illinois and eventually reached the NCAA Tournament. So Hyatt put Saturday’s 76-58 conference-opening manhandling by Illinois into the right perspective.   ...

CRANFORD, NJ - Here's your chance to catch up on this week's local news. CRANFORD  Track 5 Owner Celebrates 30 Years of Coffee in Cranford Saturdays with Bernie: Rabbi Paul Kerbel from Temple Beth El-Mekor Chayim  Cranford Recreation Department Launches Exciting STEM Programs in Partnership with Zaremba Data Analytics Cranford Connection: Stephen Robertazzi Cougar Spotlight: Cranford Baseball Alumni Banquet was a Homerun Welcome Gnome: Cranford's Green Thumb Garden Club’s Beloved Beings are Back! Cranford High School Performing Artist of the Week: Olivia Ludlam UNION COUNTY  2023 Deer Hunt Underway in Union County Parks, Green Spaces including Cranford's Nomahegan Urgent Search for Missing Teen: Arianah Kaitlyn Bazzano Dollar Tree Comes to Westfield, Taking Over Former Harmon Shop Westfield HPC Denies Application to Demolish Home Langston Hughes Lived in Saint Helen in Westfield to Host Pilgrimage with St. Jude Relic NEW JERSEY  Kean Introduces AI Bill in Response to Fake Nude Images of Westfield Students

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. —The Department of Youth and Community Development’s (DYCD) “Saturday Night Lights” program unveiled its new volleyball equipment Saturday evening at the Staten Island Broadway YMCA. The program, which showcases both basketball and volleyball, is run through the DYCD and hosted at the YMCA.

Attention all families! Get ready to dive into some fun at the FREE Family Swim at Goldfish Swim School Edison! This exciting event will take place on Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 from 1:00-3:00 pm at the new location on 1002 US-1, Edison, NJ 08817.

It’s been a Hall of Fame kind of year for Frank Cambria. The current Little League District 24 Administrator and longtime Great Kills Little League President was inducted into the Greater New York Sandlot Alliance Hall of Fame with 10 others in a gala ceremony at Russo’s on the Bay on Nov. 16.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten) carry a five-game winning streak into a home matchup versus the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten), who have won three straight. It begins at 4:00 PM ET (on Big Ten Network) on Saturday, December 2, 2023. Watch college...