Rutgers is the most confusing team in college basketball. The Scarlet Knights have, arguably, the best backcourt duo in the entire country but they are not projected to make the NCAA Tournament at just one win over .500.
They also continue to deal with repeated illness in the locker room, which leads us to a valiant performance from Jeremiah Williams on Wednesday night.
Rutgers defeated No. 23-ranked Illinois by nine points. Williams finished with 13 points in 25 minutes while playing on a mostly empty stomach because he was barely able to eat over the last 10 days!
The 6-foot-4, 202-pound guard started feeling sick on Jan. 28. He was able to fight through the illness to play 15 minutes against Northwestern on Jan. 29 but it was a struggle. Upon arrival to the gym, Williams had full-body chills and was sweating profusely. Vomiting ensued.
Three days later, the Scarlet Knights returned home to face the Wolverines. Williams told Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press that eating a proper meal was simply not an option. He could not eat apple sauce, let alone a protein, carbs or vegetables.
I kept throwing up in the locker room before the game. After I would throw up, I’d try to drink something or eat something so I could get some energy, but I couldn’t hold anything down […]
I had nothing in my stomach to get energy from, so I couldn’t gut it out.
— Jeremiah Williams, via the Asbury Park Press
Williams still played nine minutes in the three-point loss to Michigan but did not record any stats. His college basketball coach told him to take the rest of the night off to rest and sent him back to the locker room.
Sunday, Monday were not much better. Jermiah Williams was still very sick. He actually dropped 12 pounds from the lack of food as well as the constant vomiting and sweating.
On the bright side, I feel a little faster — a little younger.
— Jeremiah Williams, via the Asbury Park Press
The second-year transfer senior returned to practice on Tuesday even though he was not anywhere close to 100%. Rutgers played Illinois on Wednesday. While the rest of the team ate its standard pregame meal, Williams had only a bowl of fruit.
Just a few hours later, on 10 day of a battle with the flu, he scored the third-most points of any player on the team and even pulled down a rebound in a top-25 win. Jeremiah Williams is a warrior!