Rutgers Routs ECU in NCAA First Round, 77-34
Mar 19 | Women's Basketball
EAST LANSING , Mich. - Junior Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.) poured in a game-high 20 points to help fourth-seeded Rutgers roll to a 77-34 victory over East Carolina in first round action of the 2007 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
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Ajavon scored 20 points in the game, her second most in an NCAA Tournament game |
Rutgers (23-8) registered a season-high 18 steals, ten of those coming in the first half. It bettered the previous mark of 14 swiped versus Princeton on December 9. The 18 steals were the most by an RU team since Jan. 11, 2005 (18 vs. Pittsburgh).
The Scarlet Knights set or matched a number of NCAA Tournament records. RU held the Lady Pirates to just 10 total field goals, matching an NCAA low and limited ECU to the second-lowest field goal percentage all-time ( 16.4 percent).
Ajavon ripped off Rutgers' first seven points as an old-fashioned three-point play by the junior pushed RU to a 7-4 lead less than three minutes into the contest. The Lady Pirates answered, closing to 12-10 on a jumper by Cherie Mills.
Rutgers scored the next eight points capped by a pair from the free throw line by freshman Myia McCurdy (Cincinnati, Ohio) to build an 18-10 lead halfway through the first period. ECU cut the deficit to six (18-12) before Rutgers exploded offensively, running off a 13-0 spurt.
Ajavon commenced the run with a fast-break lay-up and another transition lay-up, this time by Prince, closed the rally pushing the Scarlet Knights to a 31-12 lead with 7:24 showing in the first.
Rutgers led 43-21 at intermission, shooting 44.8 percent from the field in the half while forcing 11 ECU miscues.
RU continued its offensive prowess and defensive pressure in the second half. The Scarlet Knights opened the second stanza with a 12-0 run over a 4:28 span and never looked back. Ajavon and Vaughn scored four each during the surge which saw RU build a 55-21 cushion.
The defense did the rest, forcing seven ECU turnovers in the first seven minutes of the second half. In addition, the Scarlet Knights held the Lady Pirates 'field-goal less' over the first eight and half minutes of the second as they continued to stretch their lead.
Leading wire-to-wire for the ninth time this season, Rutgers snapped ECU's 10-game win streak. The Scarlet Knights won for the fourth straight time and ninth time in the last 10 games.
Rutgers will face No. 5 seed and host Michigan State (No. 23/23) on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. The Scarlet Knights defeated the Spartans, 63-57 on Jan. 28.
POSTGAME NOTES
WITH THE WIN'?
Rutgers improved to 25-17 in the NCAA Tournament (11-4 in first round games, 5-0 in neutral site games). Including tonight's victory, the Scarlet Knights have won their last three opening round games, and eight of its last nine under the direction of head coach C. Vivian Stringer.
RECORD SETTING DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE
The 43-point victory for the Scarlet Knights tied the team's largest win-margin in an NCAA game. Rutgers defeated Arizona 90-47 in the second round of the 1999 NCAA Tournament.
East Carolina managed just 10 field goals for a shooting percentage of 16.4 % (10-of-61). The 10 field goals tied for the lowest mark in NCAA Tournament history as three other schools had previously been held to 10 shot attempts in a game. The 16.4 shooting from the floor was the second worst shooting performance in NCAA Tournament history. LIU shot 15.4 percent (10-of-65) from the field versus Connecticut in 2001.
The East Carolina Pirates went 0-of-8 from the three point line. There have been 72 other teams that have been held without a three point field goal in NCAA tourney play. The Scarlet Knights most recently limited Hartford to zero triples in its 62-37 first round win over Hartford in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
Rutgers allowed just 34 points by East Carolina in its first round win, which tied for the fifth-lowest point total by a team in NCAA Tournament history. The mark was also the fewest points allowed by the Scarlet Knights in a tournament game as RU previously held Saint Joseph's to 39 points in the second round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
D-FENSE, D-FENSE
In the 77-34 first-round victory against East Carolina, the Scarlet Knights set a season-high with 18 steals. RU's previous high of 14 came against Princeton on Dec. 9. The 18 steals were the most since Jan. 11, 2005 when Rutgers recorded 18 against Pittsburgh.
In addition, Rutgers recorded 10 of its 18 steals in the first-half, tying the team's season high for swipes in the opening 20-minute period. The other occasion came in an 85-43 win over Cincinnati on Feb. 3.
Rutgers led by 45 points at the 2:48 mark of the second half, topping the previous largest lead of 43 in a game (Cincinnati on Feb. 3).
TOOK THE LEAD'? AND NEVER LOOKED BACK
In the 77-34 win over East Carolina, the Scarlet Knights took a 4-0 lead and continued to hold the scoring advantage for the entire game. It marked the ninth time this season that RU has led for an entire game.
THE LINE IS KIND
The 87.5 percent showing from the free throw line (21-for-24) is the best of the season for Rutgers. It tops the 85.7 percent reached in two contests (Providence and Syracuse).
AJAVON SETS THE PACE
Matee Ajavon's 13 first-half points are the most scored in the opening stanza this season for the junior guard. Entering the Scarlet Knights contest against East Carolina, Ajavon was averaging just 6.3 points per game in the first half.
Ajavon scored 20 points for the game, her second most in an NCAA Tournament game. Her career-high in tournament games is 24, which she record against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
McCURDY CONTINUES STREAK
Freshman forward Myia McCurdy extended her streak on consecutive games scored with five points against East Carolina. The current stretch is the second-longest (Epiphanny Prince, scored 30 straight games) of any other first-year player on the squad.
McCurdy recorded seven rebounds, topping her previous-best of six reached on two occasions.
JERNIGAN SCORES CAREER HIGH
Freshman guard Dee Dee Jernigan scored a career-high nine points in the first round victory over East Carolina. Her previous career-best was three which she posted on three separate occasions.
Jernigan also had six rebounds in 29 minutes of action, both career-highs.
Rutgers Post-Game Quotes
Rutgers University Head Coach C. Vivian Stringer
Opening Statement'?
"I thought we were playing great defense.I thought we anticipated well all night, particularly appreciated the approach to the game that our team took. We realized that East Carolina was capable of scoring, certainly in transition, but I thought that we did a great job of really stopping that and focusing on taking care of the ball, doing the things that we needed to do, so it's good to get that one over with and we look forward to the next 40 minutes."
On valuable minutes for the bench'?
"It's extremely important, and it was nice to be able to do that. I thought that was because the starters really established a rhythm, and I think we've grown to the point where whoever comes in off the bench knows that I don't expect to see any let down in our play or our intensity."
On players possible distractions with weather back home'?
"I didn't know what to think, we were all tired, we do know why, but you know our bodies were tired. We've worked so hard and we've fought through so much, that my kids said today was not the day we were going to let down."
Rutgers Junior Guard Matee Ajavon
On the offensive production'?
"We were just in the flow of the game and we were just fortunate enough to go on a 13-0 run. We were just playing in our system. We were trying to look for open shots, trying to look for the key and inside I guess we opened up the game."
On the upcoming game against Michigan State'?
"We do know about Michigan State, we played them during the regular season. Michigan State is a great team. They have shooters, they have inside players, and they get the job done. We look to get prepared for them tomorrow and we look to have a good game against them Tuesday night."
Rutgers Sophomore Center Kia Vaughn
On Rutgers winning for the ninth time in its last 10 games'?
"I think Rutgers is known for reaching their peak during tournament time...Day in and day out we work on the things we know we need to work on and as a whole we just stick together and fight."
On the preparation for the game against East Carolina'?
"Basically we went over East Carolina like any other competition. Everyone's great and everyone on their team can play basketball. You may not know too much about a certain team, but as long as you know the basics of basketball you'll be fine. You have to focus on communicating and working with the team. It's exciting."
