From the corner of the tiny Rutgers locker room at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the team’s two star freshmen were sitting practically shoulder to shoulder when they were asked each of them a natural question after the end of a disappointing season.

Rutgers basketball freshmen duo Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have no regrets about their time with the Scarlet Knights.

Dylan Harper sat down in the corner of Rutgers men’s basketball’s locker room at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a towel over his head. The five-star freshman guard likely just played his last game as a Scarlet Knight — and of his collegiate career — after his team lost 97-89 to USC in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.

When it comes to basketball — or even athletic greatness — there are no seals of approval that could possibly carry more weight with a player, with the exception of Michael Jordan.

Harper led Rutgers against USC with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a losing effort. He put the team on his back in both overtime periods with star teammate Ace Bailey fouling out at the end of regulation. The first-round defeat dropped the Scarlet Knights to 15-17 on the year, far outside of the 2025 March Madness pool.

Rutgers star freshman Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey likely played their last games at Jersey Mike's Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Despite being spearheaded by lottery-bound talents Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, the No. 11 Scarlet Knights fell to No. 14 USC, 97-89 in double overtime on Wednesday, in the first round of the Big 10 Conference championship tournament.