"This is why you can never take Rutgers seriously": College hoops fans react to Ace Bailey and Co. losing 83-82 vs. Princeton

Rutgers fans were left in shock and frustration following the Scarlet Knights' narrow 83-82 loss to the Princeton Tigers on Saturday. This defeat dropped Rutgers to 7-5 on the season after the Never Forget Tribute Classic.

With two projected NBA lottery picks, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, on the roster, the loss left fans disappointed, and social media was flooded with their discontent.

"And this is why you can never take Rutgers seriously." one fan commented.

"#1 pick my a*s 😭" another wrote.

"I hate being a Rutgers fan" another fan commented.

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"Rutgers really headed to nit with 2 top 5 picks" one fan wrote.

"Rutgers with 2 lottery picks losing to Princeton lmfaoo" another commented.

"Rutgers has 2 players that will likely be taken in the top 5 of the NBA draft and probably won’t even make the NIT. Forget the NCAA tournament. This season should have been a huge step forward for the program and it will probably end up being a huge step back." another fan wrote."

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Ace Bailey and Rutgers fall to Princeton

The Scarlet Knights suffered a heartbreaking 83-82 loss to Princeton at the Prudential Center on Saturday afternoon in their second in-state rivalry game in two weeks. Despite the result, five-star forward Ace Bailey once again proved why he’s a rising star, delivering an impressive double-double and leading the Scarlet Knights with his all-around play.

Bailey recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds, marking his fourth double-double of the season. His contributions were critical throughout the game, including a clutch three-pointer in the final 20 seconds that briefly gave Rutgers an 82-81 lead.

The game was a battle from start to finish, with 13 ties and 17 lead changes. Rutgers led 46-44 at halftime, thanks in part to a strong showing at the free-throw line, where they went 12-for-14 in the first half compared to Princeton’s 1-for-7.

Five-star standout Dylan Harper also delivered an incredible performance. He scored 17 points in the first half, shooting 70% from the field, and finished with 22 points. This marked his fourth consecutive game with over 20 points and the 10th time in 12 games this season. He also recorded a career-high three steals.

Princeton’s Xaivian Lee and Caden Pierce were instrumental in their victory, each scoring 21 points, with Pierce also grabbing 14 rebounds. Their efforts, combined with Princeton’s dominance on the offensive glass (19 offensive rebounds and 23 second-chance points), sealed the win.

Rutgers now has nine days to regroup before hosting Columbia on Dec. 30.