Billed as a homecoming for Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey and teammate Jamichael Davis, Sunday afternoon’s game between the Scarlet Knights and the Kennesaw State Owls morphed into a rude awakening for the entire Rutgers team.

Ace Bailey eased his 6-foot-10 frame into his chair on the dais for his first postgame interview session as a Rutgers basketball player. The Scarlet Knights had just held off pesky Merrimack 74-63 in a meat-grinder affair.