Rutgers’s men’s basketball is off to its best start in the last four years, continuing a winning streak by defeating No. 20 Penn State at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway Tuesday evening.

The Scarlet Knights defeated the Nittany Lions with a score of 72-61.

Sophomore Ron Harper Jr. had 22 points with five rebounds. Rutgers took a lead at 34-33 on a second-chance basket by Myles Johnson with 17:53 to go. It was the Scarlet Knights first lead since 4-3, when Harper hit two foul shots from a flagrant foul on Penn State’s Jamari Wheeler. As Rutgers was trying to inbound, Wheeler elbowed Harper in the chin.

The teams would trade a few of leads before Rutgers took the lead for good on Montez Mathis' 3-pointer.

This was the second time Rutgers has defeated a ranked team this season.

“Wouldn't rather be anywhere else in the country. Rutgers is where I belong and Rutgers is where I'll stay,” says Harper. “I have a certain belief to my game, it comes from these people sitting at this table. Coach believes in me, Jacob does, Myles does and when your team believes in you that really ups your confidence.”

Rutgers will take on Illinois this Saturday at noon.