Scarlet Knights Grab 62-48 Triumph at Temple
Jan 25 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA Pa. - Rutgers overcame a slow start to roar to a 62-48 victory over Temple in women's college basketball action on Wednesday evening at the Liacouras Center.
The Scarlet Knights (11-6) had four players reach the double-digit plateau for the sixth time this season. Freshman Epiphanny Prince finished with a game-high 20 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the floor. The Brooklyn, N.Y. product tallied five assists and six rebounds.
Sophomore forward Heather Zurich (Monvale, N.J.) hit for a career-best 12 points and five assists. Sophomore center Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) and junior forward Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) collected 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Trailing by two early in the second half, Prince scored two consecutive baskets which included a beautiful up and under driving lay-up to give RU a 34-32 edge. Temple tied the contest at 34-34, the seventh tie of the game, on its next possession with a jumper by Fatima Maddox with 13:45 to play.
The Owls would get no closer as Rutgers compiled a 17-2 run over a 7:03 span to push ahead by 13 points and never look back. Five players scored during the run with Zurich contributing four points and two assists. Prince deposited the ball to Zurich who dropped a 12-footer to cap the spurt and give RU a 51-38 lead.
Rutgers, who led by as many as 16 points in the second half, shot 60.9 percent in the decisive period. The loss ended Temple's 11-game win streak.
A baseline three-pointer from Prince pushed Rutgers ahead, 12-9 with 13:30 showing in the first half. Still holding a three-point lead (14-11), Temple forward Kamesha Hariston scored three straight buckets to switch the pendulum and give the home team a 17-14 lead.
Rutgers bounced back to tied the contest at 19-19 on the first career three-pointer by Vaughn with 6:41 remaining in the half. Hairston would take Temple on her back, again reeling off three consecutive field goals to build a six-point cushion (25-19). The Scarlet Knights missed seven straight shots before Carson drilled a shot from the perimeter and Zurich knocked down a triple to pull within a point, 25-24 at intermission.
Rutgers wraps up its non-conference slate on Sunday, January 28 entertaining Michigan State at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. The nationally televised contest on ESPN2 is scheduled for a 5:02 p.m. tip. Fans are encouraged to 'Think Pink' for the contest, wearing the color in support of cancer awareness.
Fans are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and paper goods for Elijah's Promise Soup Kitchen, located in New Brunswick.
