Jett, Locke Help Stringer Earn 700th Career Victory
Dec 08 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Thanks to a game-high 17 points from junior guard Nikki Jett (Columbia, SC), the 700 victory club of college basketball coaches can officially make room for Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer. Stringer, the only coach to take three different teams to the Final Four, earned the historic milestone in a 68-46 victory over Princeton on Wednesday evening at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.
Stringer, who is in her 10th season in Piscataway and 33rd overall as a head coach, becomes the 21st Division I member of the exclusive club and the ninth active head coach. She is fourth all time on the women's wins list, just nine victories shy of overtaking former LSU head coach Sue Gunter. Stringer is now 700-240 (.745) in her career.
No. 20/24 Rutgers (5-1) charged out of the gates, scoring the game's first 18 points and held Princeton without a field goal for the first 6:53 of regulation. Jett scored 12 of her 17 points in the first half and connected on two of three three-point attempts. Junior guard Courtney Locke (San Marcos, TX) made her first start of the season and tied a career high with 15 points on five-of-eight (.625) shooting.
The Scarlet Knights led 33-20 at halftime and never looked back. A 15-9 run to start the second half made the score 48-29 with 15:03 to play in the second half, and the Scarlet Knights led by as many as 27 points (63-36) in the final five minutes.
The Rutgers attack featured balanced scoring, as eight of the 10 players who saw action scored a point. While Locke and Jett combined for 32 points, senior guard Chelsea Newton (Monroe, LA) added nine points and five rebounds. Essence Carson (Paterson, NJ), who made her first career start, had six points and seven rebounds. Rebecca Richman (Brooklyn, NY) added six points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Rutgers defense held Princeton to just 35.3 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers, including three shot clock violations. Katy O'Brien led the Tigers with 15 points and five rebounds.
Tonight's game will be shown of a tape-delayed basis on Patriot Media, which serves approximately 80,000 households in 31 New Jersey communities. The tape-delayed dates are Saturday, Dec. 11 (9:00 p.m.), Sunday, Dec. 12 (2:00 p.m.), Monday, Dec. 14 (9:30 p.m.) and Wednesday, Dec. 16 (9:30 p.m.).
The Scarlet Knights return to action on Monday, Dec. 13, when they travel to Philadelphia, PA, to face Temple at 4:00 p.m.
POSTGAME NOTES
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer became just the 21st coach in the history of Division I college basketball (men's or women's) to earn 700th career victories. She is one of just nine active head coaches to achieve the milestone and the fourth women's coach.
All-Time Victory Leaders (women's)
Name Seasons Record
Pat Summitt, Tennessee 30 856-169
Jody Conradt, Texas 35 851-271
Sue Gunter, LSU (retired) 34 708-308
C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers 32 700-240
All-Time Victory Leaders (active head coaches, men's/women's)
Name Seasons Record
Pat Summitt, Tennessee 30 856-169
Jody Conradt, Texas 35 851-271
Bob Knight, Texas A&M 38 837-323
Lou Henson, New Mexico St. 40 778-404
Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma St. 34 761-292
Lute Olsen, Arizona 31 715-251
John Chaney, Temple 32 710-286
Mike Kryzyzewski, Duke 29 700-240
C. Vivian Stringer, Rutgers 32 700-240
CARSON, LOCKE MAKE FIRST STARTS
Featuring a four-guard line-up, Rutgers inserted freshmen Essence Carson and junior Courtney Locke into the starting lineup for the first time this season. Carson responded with six points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes of action, while Locke tied a career high with 15 points in 34 minutes. It was RU's third different starting lineup in six games.
DE-FENSE
Over the first 6:55 of regulation, the Scarlet Knights held Princeton scoreless, allowing RU to jump out a quick 18-0 lead. During the span, Rutgers held the Tigers to 0-of-7 shooting, forced two turnovers and outrebounded Princeton 9-2.
Over its first six games of the season, Rutgers is holding its opponents to just 53.3 points per game, a .353 field goal percentage and is forcing 19.9 turnovers per game.
GETTING OFFENSIVE
For as well as Rutgers has played defensively, the Scarlet Knights have also been a force on the offensive end its five victories. RU's smallest margin of victory thus far has been 15 points (75-60 vs. Kentucky) and Rutgers is winning by an average of 19.9 points per game.
AGAINST THE IVY LEAGUE
With tonight's win, Rutgers moves to 17-1 all time against Ivy League teams, including a 9-1 mark against the Tigers.
Official Basketball Box Score
Princeton vs Rutgers
12/08/04 7:30 p.m. at Louis Brown Athl. Center; Piscataway, NJ
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VISITORS: Princeton 2-4
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
20 COWHER, Meagan...... f 5-11 0-2 2-2 2 2 4 2 12 2 5 0 1 40
30 NESTOR, Lauren...... f 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6
32 BROWN, Rebecca...... c 2-5 0-2 1-2 0 2 2 1 5 4 0 1 1 10
03 SLEMP, Shelly....... g 0-3 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 29
22 O'BRIEN, Katy....... g 5-8 5-8 0-0 0 4 4 1 15 1 5 0 1 37
05 ROMEISER, Lillie.... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
10 LYNCH, Kristin...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
11 UMEDA, Elyse........ 4-8 2-5 0-0 0 2 2 2 10 2 1 0 4 34
13 PRICHARD, Ali....... 0-0 0-0 2-3 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 3
21 SMITH, Ali.......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 8
34 ROGERS, Ariel....... 1-1 0-0 0-1 0 3 3 5 2 3 2 1 2 30
TEAM................ 5 5 2
Totals.............. 17-37 7-19 5-8 2 20 22 12 46 13 21 2 9 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 6-17 35.3% 2nd Half: 11-20 55.0% Game: 45.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-10 30.0% 2nd Half: 4-9 44.4% Game: 36.8% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 5-7 71.4% 2nd Half: 0-1 0.0% Game: 62.5% 2
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HOME TEAM: Rutgers 5-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
34 CAMPBELL, Michelle.. f 2-6 0-0 2-2 2 0 2 2 6 2 1 0 1 31
03 LOCKE, Courtney..... g 5-8 5-8 0-0 0 3 3 0 15 6 1 0 1 34
05 CARSON, Essence..... g 2-5 0-0 2-2 4 3 7 2 6 1 1 1 2 35
13 JETT, Nikki......... g 7-15 3-5 0-0 0 1 1 0 17 4 2 0 1 40
32 NEWTON, Chelsea..... g 4-8 0-0 1-2 1 4 5 1 9 3 0 0 1 38
12 ADAMS, Katie........ 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
20 REED, Tudy.......... 3-5 0-0 0-0 2 0 2 2 6 0 1 0 0 6
22 AJAVON, Matee....... 0-4 0-1 1-2 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 2 8
52 CAHOE, Aquisha...... 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 5
55 RICHMAN, Rebecca.... 3-6 0-0 0-2 2 5 7 1 6 0 2 0 1 3
TEAM................ 3 1 4
Totals.............. 27-58 8-14 6-10 15 19 34 9 68 17 12 1 10 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 14-31 45.2% 2nd Half: 13-27 48.1% Game: 46.6% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-9 55.6% 2nd Half: 3-5 60.0% Game: 57.1% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 6-10 60.0% Game: 60.0% 0
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Officials: Tom Danagher, Denise Brooks-Clauser, Rachelle Jones
Technical fouls: Princeton-None. Rutgers-None.
Attendance: 1852
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Princeton..................... 20 26 - 46
Rutgers....................... 33 35 - 68
ID-275293
