Rutgers Falls to Pepperdine in OT, 75-73
Nov 18 | Women's Basketball
MALIBU, Calif. -Junior Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) registered a career-high 18 points but it was not enough as Rutgers (No. 14 AP/No. 12 ESPN/USA Today) was stunned by host Pepperdine, 75-73 in overtime on Saturday evening at Firestone Fieldhouse. The Scarlet Knights drop their second straight to open the season, the first 0-2 start since the 1996-97 campaign.
Carson connected on a 3-pointer at the end of overtime for the apparent victory but the basket was waved off because of a traveling call. In addition to points, the junior paced the Scarlet Knights in rebounds (8) and assists (6).
Freshman Epiphanny Prince (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had 15 and classmate Brittany Ray (Bronx, N.Y.) added 14 points for the Scarlet Knights (0-2). Sophomore center Kia Vaughn registered 12 of her 14 points over a six-minute span which stretched from the end of regulation to the middle of overtime.
Rutgers took a 31-28 lead at the half and stretched the advantage to eight points less than two and half minutes into the second stanza. A jumper from Brittany Ray (Bronx, N.Y.) at the 17:41 mark pushed RU ahead, 36-28. The Waves chipped away at the lead, scoring 17 of the next 24 points as a layup from Teiosa George - two of her game-high 21 points - pulled Pepperdine ahead, 45-43 with 10:36 left.
From that point and until the end of regulation, it was a race to the finish as the teams traded baskets. Vaughn's layup pulled Rutgers within two (61-59) with 1:56 on the clock. A press forced a timeout and a subsequent turnover on the Waves inbound and Vaughn converted a field goal to tie the contest at 61-61 with 41.6 seconds remaining. After a missed field goal by the Waves, Vaughn logged her eighth straight point to push RU ahead, 63-32 with 37.2 seconds left.
The Waves would not go away as a drive from Daphanie Kennedy would tie the contest for the eleventh time at 63-63 with 22.7 seconds on the clock. Carson's jumper as time expired was off and the game moved to overtime, the first extra stanza for the Scarlet Knights since Jan. 2005.
Rutgers committed three turnovers in the final five minutes as the Waves countered moving ahead by six (73-67) with just over minute to play. Prince converted a pair of free throws and a layup in a 22-secon span to give RU a chance with 18 seconds remaining. Pepperdine guard Nakeya Isabel converted the first of two from the charity stripe to push the home team back to a two-point advantage with 10 seconds on the clock. Carson grabbed the rebound on the miss and dribbled upcourt to the right side as the miscue prior to the made field goal assured the Waves their first win over a ranked opponent.
The Scarlet Knights face Florida at 5:00 p.m. PST on Saturday, November 18 in the consolation game of the Timeout for HIV/AIDS Tournament.
GAME NOTES:
The game was the 27th overtime contest in program history. The Scarlet Knights fall to 16-11 in overtime games.
The contest was the first overtime game for the Scarlet Knights since Jan. 5, 2005. They defeated LSU at the RAC, 51-49. It was the first road overtime contest since
In a contest which featured 11 ties in 40 minutes, seven would occur in the final 10 minutes of the second stanza.
Kia Vaughn scored 12 of her 14 points from the 2:40 mark of the second half until the 2:39 mark of the overtime period.
