Rutgers Rolls Past Robert Morris, 85-42
Mar 22 | Women's Basketball
DES MOINES, Iowa - Junior Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied a season-best 22 points and added 11 rebounds to pace four players in double figures as second-seeded Rutgers erupted for an 85-42 win over No. 15-seed Robert Morris in first round action of the 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
Sophomore guard Epiphanny Prince (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had 21 points and classmate Brittany Ray (Bronx, N.Y.) added a season-best 14 points. Prince and Ray combined for a perfect 8-of-8 showing from three-point range with each registering four triples.
Sophomore center Rashidat Junaid (Chesilhurst, N.J.) collected 13 points and six rebounds in just 12 minutes of action. Senior guard Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.) notched 10 assists, a season-high. The 10 dimes are the most for the upperclassman since the 13 she tallied on March 21, 2006 in NCAA second round play versus TCU.
The Scarlet Knights (25-6) will play seventh-seeded Iowa State (21-12) in the second round Monday night at 9:30 p.m.. The Cyclones beat Georgia Tech, 58-55, in the first game of the day.
Rutgers' defense held RMU to a season-low 42 points, well off its season average of 74 points per game. In addition, the Scarlet Knights limited the Colonials to the fourth-lowest field goal percentage in NCAA history (20 percent). In last year's NCAA Championship, RU contained East Carolina - in the first round - to the second-lowest FG percentage all-time (16.4 percent).
Offensively, RU shot 54.8 percent from the field and out-scored RMU, 40-8 in the paint.
The Scarlet Knights ripped off a 15-2 run to start the game capped by a lay-up in the paint by Prince less than six minutes into the contest. The Colonials answered, hitting six of their next eight attempts and closing to 20-11 with 11:18 showing in the first.
On the Scarlet Knights' next possession, Prince calmly hit a triple from the far corner to initiate a 28-10 run, which included 12 straight. Ray had a trio of three's during the spurt as Rutgers held RMU scoreless over a five and a half minute span.
Rutgers led 48-21 at intermission, shooting 61.8 percent from the floor. Prince scored 15 and Vaughn had 10 points at the break.
RU continued its offensive proficiency and defensive pressure in the second stanza. After Robert Morris connected on the second of two three-pointers with 18:37 remaining, the Scarlet Knights clamped down to hold the Colonials without a field goal over the next eight minutes.
Leading wire-to-wire for the seventh time this season, Rutgers snapped RMU's 17-game win streak.
POSTGAME NOTES
With The Win'?
' Rutgers improves to 30-18 in the NCAA Tournament and 6-1 in its last seven tournament games.
' The Scarlet Knights move to 12-4 in first round games and a perfect 6-0 in opening round contests on a neutral floor.
Knights Notes'?
' RU's 85 points are the most on the season. The previous season-high came on Feb. 5 in a win over Connecticut, 73-71. The 85 points were the most scored since an 85 point scoring output against Cincinnati on February 3, 2007.
' The 43-point margin of victory was RU's largest of the season. The prior largest difference was a 36-point win against Temple on December 30 in Piscataway, N.J. The margin of victory is the most for Rutgers since it defeated East Carolina by 43 points in the first round of last season's NCAA Tournament on March 18, 2007 in East Lansing, Mich.
Essence Carson
' Played in her 130th career game as a Scarlet Knight, tying the all-time program record. She shares the mark with former greats Tammy Sutton-Brown and Linda Miles.
Matee Ajavon'?
' Recorded a season-high 10 assists; has led the team in assists 19 times this season.
'First time in double-digits assists since March 21, 2006 versus TCU (13).
Kia Vaughn'?
' Scored a season-high 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting.
' Led the team for the 21st time this season with 11 rebounds; has seven double-doubles on the year.
Epiphanny Prince'?
' Tied a career-high in three-point field goals made, going 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.
' Tallied 21 points, sixth 20-plus point effort of the season.
Had five steals, one off her career-best of six reached three times this season. Has had five or more steals in five games.
Brittany Ray'?
' Scored a season-high 14 points in 27 minutes of action (most minutes played since Jan. 5 versus St. John's).
' Hit a season-high four three's (4-of-4).
Rashidat Junaid'?
' Tallied 13 points in the victory, her fifth game in double figures this season. It was the first time in double digits since Pittsburgh on Feb. 2.
Dishing It Out'?
' The Scarlet Knights recorded a season-high 23 assists. RU's previous season-best was22 assists against South Florida on February 16. Rutgers assisted on six of its first eight made field goals.
RU Runs'?
' The Scarlet Knights had five runs of more than 7-0 or more. Rutgers started the game on a 7-0 run and used a 12-0 midway through to the first half to take a commanding 39-16 lead.
D-Fence'?
' Robert Morris came into the game averaging 74.0 points per game. RU held the Colonials to a season-low 42 points.
' The Colonials did not record their first field goal until the 14:08 mark in the first half. The 5:52 span was the longest RU has held an opponent without a field goal since Syracuse had a 7:48 second drought on March 1.
' Rutgers has held its opponents to under 59 points in 24 games this season and 61 or fewer in 28 contests.
Rutgers led wire-to-wire for the seventh time this season. The last time the squad led from the opening tip to the closing horn was on Feb. 23 at Providence, a span of four games.
First Half Scoring'?
' The Scarlet Knights shot a remarkable 61.8 percent from the field in the first half and tallied a season-best 48 first half points. The 48 points was one shy of RU's season-best in any half as the Scarlet Knights scored 49 in the second half against Connecticut on February 5.
Hot From Three'?
' Rutgers nailed nine three-point field goals, one of its season-best. The Scarlet Knights made 10 triples against Syracuse on March 1. Leading the way from beyond the arc for RU was the sophomore tandem of Prince and Ray, who each shot 4-of-4 from downtown.
Rutgers had four players (Kia Vaughn, Epiphanny Prince, Brittany Ray, Rashidat Junaid) register double figures. It was the first quartet of scoring for the Scarlet Knights since four reached double-digit status versus Providence on Feb. 23. That four included two above (Prince and Vaughn) in addition to seniors Matee Ajavon and Essence Carson.
