KNIGHT NOTEBOOK: B1G Media Day
Oct 16 | Women's Basketball
Big Ten Women's Basketball Preseason Teams
Big Ten Media Day Photo Gallery
Probably the biggest question asked of Rutgers women's basketball at Big Ten Media day was "What does Rutgers bring to the Big Ten?".
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer along with senior Betnijah Laney and junior Kahleah Copper traveled to Chicago to meet with the media as the 2014-15 season draws closer to tip off. From BTN interviews, candid questions to appear on social media throughout the season, meeting the broadcasters calling this season's games, photo opportunities and coaches meetings, the "B1G" world is getting to know the Scarlet Knights.
In nearly every interview, all three Scarlet Knight attendees used identical words to describe what Rutgers will bring into its new conference - "determined", "hard-nosed" and "family " - and identified that the experience of the returning members and the team's chemistry is what will hopefully help the Scarlet Knights make an impression on their new conference.
"We haven't lost anything, so our chemistry is just getting that much stronger," Laney identified as a key to this year's success. "And our team chemistry is both on and off the court. We're really like sisters. It's a genuine feeling."
"I think with the newcomers, they bring something we didn't have," said Copper of the added dimension of junior college three-point threats Cynthia Hernandez and Natalie Parsons. "That will just make us even stronger."
The biggest challenge facing RU heading into the season Coach Stringer noted is that her program is learning about 13 new schools, while everyone else has to be brought up to speed on only two - newcomers Rutgers and Maryland.
"It's like we have another 18 nonconference games," she joked. "I think it'll be an adjustment on both sides. There are some things that we will have to adjust to in the Big Ten, but at the same time, the other schools are also going to have to adjust to some things about Rutgers."
The WNIT champions also acknowledged that this season, they don't want to be questioning what is going to happen on Selection Monday.
"Our goal is to make the NCAA Tournament," said Laney, without hesitation on this year's goal. "We want to control our own fate."
"We want to be in control and we know we hold the keys to our own destiny," added Copper.
After taking in all the day's activities, Copper also realized, "We play in less than a month now and the season feels much more real now."
The Scarlet Knights have told people what they are about and in 29 days, it will be time to show them on the court.
Follow Rutgers women's basketball on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersWBB), Twitter (www.twitter.com/RutgersWBB) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/RutgersWBB) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.
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