When the buzzer sounded, Dylan Harper stood motionless in the paint and gritted his teeth as he looked toward the Jersey Mike’s Arena rafters. His running mate, Ace Bailey, made a beeline to the handshake line as if he could make this night — and maybe his entire college experience — end a little faster.

The Scarlet Knights have two of the nation's top prospects in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, and they seemed destined to contend for the Big Ten. Well, things haven't really gone to plan for Rutgers so far this year as they came into Wednesday night's game against #23 Illinois at 11-11 overall and 4-7 in Big Ten play.