Rutgers Makes Fourth Consecutive Trip to Sweet Sixteen
Mar 27 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team, making its fourth straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen, faces No. 6 seed George Washington Sunday in the Greensboro Regional of the 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The game can be seen nationally on ESPN2 at 2:30 p.m.
Rutgers (26-6) advanced to the regional semifinals after topping Iowa State on Monday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Junior center Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) scored a season-high 23 points to lead four RU players in double figures. Vaughn averaged 22.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in the Scarlet Knights' two NCAA Tournament games.
George Washington (27-6) reached the round of 16 for the second consecutive season by upsetting No. 3 seed California, 55-53 on Sarah-Jo Lawrence's buzzer beater put-back. Lawrence scored four points in the last 12 seconds to secure the win. The Colonials have made three previous trips to the Sweet Sixteen with appearances in 1995, 1997, and 2007.
During the regular season, the Scarlet Knights defeated George Washington on Nov. 18 by a score of 67-42 in Washington, D.C. Senior Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.) led the way with a team-high 19 points and sophomore Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) recorded her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
RU holds the 26-8 advantage in the all-time series, including a 3-1 mark on neutral sites.
The Scarlet Knights are no stranger to the Greensboro Regional, appearing there in last season's Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, besting Arizona State and Duke en route to the team's second Final Four appearance in its history and an eventual run to the national title game. 
GAME NOTES
Quotes from Media Event Today:
C. Vivian StringerRutgers Head Coach
Presser/March 27, 2008
On playing George Washington again:
"It was such a long time ago (the first time the teams played on Nov. 18) and the danger is that we easily won that game and you really must be concerned about it. If something happens, I will really blame myself. I have a job to do. My job is the make sure we are on high alert. I know that sometimes it is typical for young people to not take it (a second game) as seriously but I like the way that E (Essence Carson) has attempted, as well as Mat (Matee Ajavon) to bring about the significance of the game. We know that is it difficult. Coaches every day lose games they shouldn't lose just because the kids can't help but see beyond that you played them before."
On having Connecticut as a possible opponent in the regional final:
"I am happy to see anyone that is a great competitor and Geno is a great competitor. Do I think it is a disservice to the league? What do you think? It's amazing. Of course, I do. It has nothing to do with Connecticut. It's that Rutgers is so powerful or anything like that. Teams that have demonstrated (we can win) and not only that we beat LSU, Maryland. Three of the top- the one seeds, we beat em'. And then they are going to send us to (face) No. 1. People in New Jersey should be outraged. I think they probably were. Only way I can defend myself and this team is for us to go out and play. I have to coach in a calm way and not be distracted. I am going to work on being calm. I am going to tell you the truth, I just want to be happy; be excited, well-rested. I want to see what I should do as a coach and figure out another way to get it done. I just need to be a happy camper, appreciate the kids because I do. They are different and unique, extremely bright. I don't need to coach and worry. We are trying to get something done. And other things, steal away from the joys. These kids need to be happy and proud that they have earned this. I will put on whatever face I need to. My job is to make sure they are healthy, they are playing and believe and are confident and that they are prepared. The rest of you guys can write about it. Let's see if we can't get out that we are not ready to leave yet, not ready to come home."
Being back in Greensboro:
Well, that was a pretty daunting task, wasn't it? I remember everyone looking at me, 'well, good luck.' (laughter). No one thought we were coming back, you guys didn't think we were coming back. Well, good luck and they looked like they felt sorry for us. Don't embarrass us too bad. Someone asked me if we were getting our sway back. I have known and noticed. I remember looking at our highlight tape and we were so excited when we beat Duke. You heard Coach (Jolette) Law and the coach's say, Rutgers has their sway back. And I was thinking, wow. When you remove yourself, you may only remember what happened at the end. There is footage of Coach Law dancing and the kids, saying Rutgers has its sway back. It would do well for us for us to have another great game under our belts before we really believe. I can tell you, we haven't really lost anything. Heather (Zurich) never lost her shot. She can hit anything. We need to relax. No one can be more critical on her than herself. And that's a heckfova thing. With Kia, she has been out in another world for a long time. But she will be ok. They have begun to find out who they are and what is purpose is now. To go back to North Carolina, hmmm '? I want some food, some real good food. Good food and beds that have down pillows (laughter)."
The slight by the NCAA, does that motivate this group:
I have never coached a group like this and I never will again. They are unique in and onto themselves. They truly are. Normally, that would work- that's not this group. I don't know what to tell you. I have coached many years. All of what they dealt with, this was the perfect group. Imus, perfect group; The Final Four and to come back to that; perfect group. A rallying point? You know they really put us the No. 8 team in the country. Now, anyone else would be 'I dare they do that, we want to show them. Well, that's something (this group would say). They want me to be calm all the time. When they turn the ball over and are acting crazy, I'm not going to be calm. They are a different group. They are very capable of being a Final Four team and a national championship team. Trust me when I tell you that. I think we will give a great effort."
On play of Kia Vaughn:
I don't think anyone could have stopped Kia Vaughn in the last few games. I can say, no time like the present. I heard the announcer on TV, Fran Fraschilla, say if you want to see excellent post work than there is none stronger or quicker than Kia Vaughn. She is so powerful and quick, her feet are good, her hands are soft. She has nice moves and people would be well-advised to study her in the post position. And I thought that is the absolute truth now. If you had seen her several games before you would have wondered if she could even catch a ball. Kia never lost it, it's in her head. That's the hardest thing because when you see someone with a broken arm or broken leg, you know they have a broken arm or leg but when their head is broken because they don't see themselves as doing something than that becomes the difficult part. I know sometimes I am frustrated with her so I might just go off. I have tried all kinds of different techniques but because she is such a sweetheart, she doesn't want to have strains like that. I am glad she has seemed more relaxed. She has bought into, it's now or never. And I think she has determined she is going to play and I think that Matee wants to give me some direction because we are not ready to give up our season, not ready to go home yet. When you have five people thinking like that, it makes a heck of a difference."
On the play of Rashidat Junaid:
"With regard to Rashidat, yes I have seen it (signs of improvement). Rah likes to play but I have never seen anything demonstrated in such extremes. By that I am saying, now that Rashidat knows that in order for her to play she must demonstrate better in practice. She does do a great job on the inside. In order for us to make it at the ultimate level, we must play both posts together. We've done it several times this year. Rah carried us a good portion of the year, honestly. If she were not functioning, we would not have had post presence in a number of games. It's been that serious."
Senior Essence Carson
Greensboro: "We have good memories there. We have to realize it's a new tournament and we have to put those memories behind us and start all over again. It goes back to leaving the past in the past. This week we are zero and zero. We are looking to go in there and get the first win versus George Washington."
"I think we match up very well with George Washington. They are very athletic and big inside, we are big inside. They have great guards, we have great guards. It should be a good game."
Junior Kia Vaughn
On dominating in the first two games and Coach Stringer on her this season:
That's the first two games, it's not going to get any easier. I believe that different game it will be different individuals. I don't take what Coach Stringer says, out of context. Overall she knows I am capable of doing anything I put my mind to and she can bring it out in me."
Playing George Washington again and peaking: "That was the regular season and this is a whole other season. Teams, individuals are coming at you in a different way. It's about business now. Normally, Coach Stringer says we peak a little earlier but I think we are experiencing now what needs to happen.
On George Washington: "I just have to go in the game and study. I know a lot of teams come after me. It's reads. More so, they (GW) has two big post players. I know Coach Stringer will do whatever she needs to do to get us to play. Defensively, I can't be out there by myself. I have my sidekick, Rashidat out there now with me."
