No. 6/7 Rutgers Rolls Past Bethune Cookman 73-48
Nov 29 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ -- The No. 6/7 Rutgers University women’s basketball team (3-0) opened up its home slate on Tuesday evening with a 73-48 victory against the Bethune-Cookman Lady Wildcats (1-1) at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Led by seniors Cappie Pondexter’s (Chicago, Ill) 16 points and Michelle Campbell’s (Princeton, NJ) 18 points, the Scarlet Knights extended their home winning streak to 17 games.
The Lady Wildcats and the Scarlet Knights traded baskets for much of the first half and the hot shooting of Bethune-Cookman’s Keturah Newkirk kept the game within reach. Newkirk scored 12 first-half-points, all from three-point range; however, Campbell’s 12 points and Pondexter’s 10 sent the Scarlet Knights into the locker room with a 35-26 lead.
Rutgers stormed out of the half, and after a jumper by Katie Clarke made it a 37-30 game at the 18:17 mark, the Scarlet Knights’ defense clamped down and their offense exploded. Rutgers went on 25-2 run, making the score 53-32 with 10:02 remaining.
During the run, the Scarlet Knights scored 13 points off of eight turnovers and expanded their lead to 21 points, enough to put the Lady Wildcats away for good. The Scarlet Knights were incredibly efficient shooting the basketball, finishing the game at 64.4 percent from the field and 43 percent from down town. However, the game was arguably won in the paint, where the Scarlet Knights outscored the Wildcats 38-4.
The Scarlet Knights will be back in action on Saturday, Dec. 3, when they travel to Iowa City, IA, to take part in the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge. RU will face San Jose State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and, depending on the outcome, it will either play in the consolation game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. or the championship game at 3:15 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.
POSTGAME NOTES
A First for Thrash
Freshman forward Sammeika Thrash scored her first intercollegiate points against Bethune-Cookman. Thrash scored her first points on a pair of free throws at 13:20 of the first half. She finished the contest with 7 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal.
An Impressive Run
After Lady Wildcat Katie Clarke hit a jumper at 18:17 of the second half to bring Bethune-Cookman within seven at 37-30, the Scarlet Knights went on a 25-2 run that ended with a Samantha Schlaegel jumpshot at 10:06 to make the score 53-32. The Scarlet Knights also scored 13 points off of eight turnovers during that run.
Streak Still Alive
With its win over Bethune-Cookman, the Rutgers women’s basketball team extended its home winning streak to 17 games. The Scarlet Knights have not lost a home game since Feb. 14, 2004, when they fell to Connecticut.
Stingy D
Against Bethune-Cookman, the Scarlet Knights were once again very tough on the defensive end. The Lady Wildcats were 16 of 42 from the field for just 38 percent, although they did shoot 8-of-20 from beyond the three-point arc for 40 percent. On the season, the Scarlet Knights are holding opposing teams to just 47.5 points per contest, 36.2 (53-147) percent shooting from the floor and 28 (15-52) percent from three-point range. Rutgers has also caused five shot-clock violations on the young season, another tribute to its tough defense.
Campbell’s Statement
Senior forward Michelle Campbell had her best performance of the season against Bethune-Cookman. Campbell scored 18 points (7-8), recorded three rebounds and two steals in the blowout victory.
Paint Job
The Scarlet Knights owned the inside against Bethune-Cookman. The team outscored the Lady Wildcats in the paint by a margin of 38-4. By taking so many high-percentage shots, Rutgers was able to control the tempo of the game on its way to shooting 64.4 percent for the game.
First Half/ Second Half
The Scarlet Knights allowed the Lady Wildcats to shoot 41.7 percent from the field in the first half, compared to just 33.3 percent in the second. Rutgers locked up on the defensive end, caused 26 turnovers and wound up with 12 steals on the night, led by sophomore guard Matee Ajavon, who finished with three thefts.
Official Basketball Box Score
Bethune-Cookman vs Rutgers
11/29/05 7:30 p.m. at Louis Brown Athletic Ctr; Piscataway, NJ
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VISITORS: Bethune-Cookman 1-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
20 CALCAGNO, Cassandra. f 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 18
12 BOYKIN, Sabrina..... g 0-0 0-0 3-5 1 1 2 4 3 1 5 0 0 33
21 CLARK, Katie........ g 5-14 0-3 2-2 0 2 2 3 12 4 3 0 0 39
30 HENRY, Cherica...... g 2-5 1-2 3-4 2 1 3 2 8 1 7 2 2 32
32 NEWKIRK, Keturah.... g 5-13 5-13 0-0 1 3 4 3 15 1 4 0 2 32
05 FOUNTAIN, Traci..... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6
15 McCRAY, Tristan..... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 8
23 MORTON, Kyla........ 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
24 SCHLAEGEL, Samantha. 3-5 2-2 0-0 0 2 2 1 8 0 2 0 1 10
55 SIMPSON, Danetta.... 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 3 3 1 2 1 0 0 2 22
TEAM................ 1 2 3 1
Totals.............. 16-42 8-20 8-11 5 14 19 18 48 9 26 2 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-24 41.7% 2nd Half: 6-18 33.3% Game: 38.1% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-13 38.5% 2nd Half: 3-7 42.9% Game: 40.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 1-2 50.0% 2nd Half: 7-9 77.8% Game: 72.7% 0,1
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HOME TEAM: Rutgers 3-0
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 7-8 0-0 4-6 1 2 3 2 18 1 3 0 2 22
42 THEODORIS, Mariota.. f 3-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 2 6 1 1 0 2 14
05 CARSON, Essence..... g 3-7 1-1 0-0 1 2 3 1 7 6 0 0 1 26
22 AJAVON, Matee....... g 2-4 1-3 1-2 2 2 4 1 6 4 5 0 3 20
25 PONDEXTER, Cappie... g 8-11 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 1 16 8 5 0 1 28
03 LOCKE, Courtney..... 1-3 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 7
12 ADAMS, Katie........ 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 19
15 VAUGHN, Kia......... 2-3 0-0 2-5 1 5 6 1 6 0 1 0 2 20
20 REED, Tudy.......... 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 2 0 2 0 0 15
21 ZURICH, Heather..... 1-3 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 3 1 2 0 0 12
40 THRASH, Sammeika.... 1-1 0-0 5-6 1 3 4 1 7 1 2 0 1 17
TEAM................ 1 1
Totals.............. 29-45 3-7 12-19 6 24 30 16 73 22 21 0 12 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 14-20 70.0% 2nd Half: 15-25 60.0% Game: 64.4% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 0-2 0.0% 2nd Half: 3-5 60.0% Game: 42.9% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 7-10 70.0% 2nd Half: 5-9 55.6% Game: 63.2% 2
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Officials: Kathy Lonergan, Bonita Spence, Beverly Roberts
Technical fouls: Bethune-Cookman-None. Rutgers-None.
Attendance: 2024
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Bethune-Cookman............... 26 22 - 48
Rutgers....................... 35 38 - 73
ID-399080
Points in the paint-BCC 4,RUTGERS 38. Points off turnovers-BCC 18,RUTGERS 27.
2nd chance points-BCC 7,RUTGERS 8. Fast break points-BCC 3,RUTGERS 8.
Bench points-BCC 10,RUTGERS 20. Score tied-2 times. Lead changed-2 times.
Last FG-BCC 2nd-00:09, RUTGERS 2nd-01:44.
Largest lead-BCC by 1 1st-13:42, RUTGERS by 33 2nd-02:21.
