Rutgers just had its worst game of the season, with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper struggling offensively in their second consecutive loss. Fans had high hopes with Dylan Harper back in the starting lineup, but his zero-point performance left many disappointed, and their record was 8-7 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten. And while the team’s struggles on the court were plenty to talk about, guess what also hit the headlines? Steve Pikiell’s fiery sideline explosion.

It was a rare sight for the usually composed Rutgers head coach. Many basketball coaches famously show fiery antics, pacing the sidelines and venting their frustrations at players and refs alike. But it’s not the same with Steve Pikiell. He’s the opposite. 

Win or lose, he’s typically calm, composed, and steady. But on Monday, the script flipped. Rutgers beat reporter for NJ Advance Media, Brian Fonseca tweeted, “Steve Pikiell is screaming at his players after nearly giving up an easy layup in transition. I’ve never seen him this animated on the sidelines. His frustration seems to be mounting.”

Why was he so mad? It all started with Wisconsin beating Rutgers to the rim a couple of times in the opening moments. Pikiell called a timeout, benched starters Manny Ogbole and Jamichael Davis, and let loose with a hand-waving, eyeball-bulging rant that didn’t let up even during the next timeout. 

Honestly, it was probably the angriest anyone had seen him in his nine years coaching the Scarlet Knights. After the layup blunder, the message got through to his players, but by then, the damage was done, and they’d already fallen into a double-digit (16) hole.

Dylan Harper’s return to the starting lineup should have been the spark Rutgers needed as he and #4 have been a fiery duo this season. Instead, it was clear he wasn’t himself after the illness that kept him out of last week’s loss to Indiana. Harper went scoreless in 15 minutes. To conserve energy, he even played off the ball offensively.

Even Ace Bailey couldn’t find his rhythm either. He finished with just nine points on 3-of-16 shooting, seven rebounds, and five fouls. His lone bright spot came early in the second half when he hit a three-pointer to make it a two-possession game. 

Although from the bench, Tyson Acuff stepped up with 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, it wasn’t enough. As a result, the team fell 75-63 to Wisconsin. And Bailey must be disheartened after this game, especially because this rough outing comes right after he earned his first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor.

Ace Bailey’s big moment

Just a few days ago, Ace Bailey was riding high, earning his first Big Ten Freshman of the Week Award. He became only the fifth Rutgers player to win this accolade, joining an elite group that includes Ron Harper Jr. and Corey Sanders. His performances leading up to the Wisconsin game were amazing. 

In the win over Columbia, he dropped 24 points and eight rebounds. But his defining moment came against Indiana, where Bailey put up a career-high 39 points. That tied the record for the most by a Rutgers freshman in a Big Ten game and was the second-most by any opponent in Assembly Hall history. 

He also set records for field goals made by a Rutgers freshman and tied the record for most field goals by a visiting player in Assembly Hall history. These performances established the freshman as one of the brightest young stars.

But now, as Scarlet Knight prepares for two must-win games against Purdue on Wednesday and UCLA on Saturday, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey need to bounce back. Because this is a rare Big Ten homestand (their first since 2017), they must make the most of it.