When Rutgers freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey arrived on campus as the two highest-ranked recruits in program history, there was immediate optimism that the Scarlet Knights could not only reach the NCAA Tournament for the third time this century.

Desmond Claude scored 28 points, including 10 in the overtime periods, and USC defeated Rutgers 97-89 in double overtime on Wednesday night to advance to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Rutgers loses to USC 97-89 in double overtime in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Their hopes of having a guaranteed postseason of some sort have been dashed as they had no answers for USC’s three point shooting in what could very well be Ace Bailey’s and Dylan Harper’s last game in a Scarlet Knight uniform.