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.

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.

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.

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

Rutgers basketball’s loss in the Big Ten conference tournament signaled the end for Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. The two star freshmen were the talk of college basketball. While the two are projected to forego an additional year and enter the NBA Draft,