The best-case scenario would be that the Rutgers basketball team’s stunning loss at Kennesaw State would serve as a wake-up call for a talented, youth-driven team.

Dylan Harper responded to the alarm Tuesday night with a loud voice.

The freshman guard from Don Bosco Prep racked up 36 points, six assists and six rebounds, with just one turnover, to lead the Scarlet Knights past Notre Dame 85-84 in overtime as the eight-team Players Era Festival in Las Vegas began.

Harper shot 12 of 22 from the field and did most of his damage at the rim, which is exactly what Rutgers needs from him and is very difficult for most defenses to stop. He scored the most points by a Scarlet Knight since Corey Sanders scored 39 against Illinois in 2016. And he also got his teammates involved in the decisive throws on the home stretch.

Notre Dame almost got it at the end of overtime thanks to former Princeton star Matt Allocco, who was brilliant with 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, including a contested 3-pointer with seven seconds left that forced overtime . When the overtime signal sounded, his long look went just wide from the start.