B1G Season Opener at Indiana
Dec 26 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2014
TIP OFF
• Indiana enters the game ranked second in the league and ninth nationally in field goal percentage (.485), while RU leads the B1G and is ninth nationally in field goal defense (.329).
ABOUT INDIANA
Four Hoosiers are averaging double figures led by Tyra Buss at 14.4 points per game. Larryn Brooks is adding in 13.5 points per game, while Amanda Cahill is posting 11.9 points per contest along with a team-leading 9.5 rebounds per game. Rounding out the double-figure scorers is Jenn Anderson at 10.5 points per outing.
Teri Moren is at the helm of the Hoosier program and is in her first season after spending four seasons as the head coach at Indiana State.
Rutgers' last triple double was by Khadijah Rushdan in 2011 with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Pittsburgh.
Teammate Rachel Hollivay nearly captured a triple-double last season at Howard ending the 68-38 victory last Nov. 22 with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks.
Davis became the third Scarlet Knight this season to perform a double-double joining Betnijah Laney and Briyona Canty.
BETTING DOUBLE
The Clayton, Delaware native captured 15 double-doubles last season, the most double figure scoring and rebounding games since Kia Vaughn, currently with the WNBA's Washington Mystics, had 12 double-doubles during the 2006-07 season.
She was two rebounds shy of tying the Rutgers women's basketball single game record. Sandy Tupurins grabbed 26 rebounds against William Paterson on Mar. 1, 1977.
Her 24 rebounds also placed her name among the top 15 all-time at RU in rebounding.
Laney's 24 boards against the Tar Heels is also among the best rebounding performances from around the country this season.
DOWNTOWN
NO MESSY ESSY
Davis has not committed more than two turnovers in a game thus far.
Canty captured her second career double-double with 12 points and a new career-high 10 assists in the win over Northeastern on Nov. 18. It was the second straight game the redshirt junior guard had reset her career mark in assists. She performed her first double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in RU's WNIT semifinal win at USF.
In the season opener against St. Joseph's Canty tied her career-high in points (16) and also added a then career-high eight assists. The redshirt junior guard also captured 16 points in the Scarlet Knights' American Athletic Conference semifinal appearance against eventual national champion, UConn.
Canty set a new career-high in steals with six at Wagner on Nov. 25. She surpassed her previous-high of four last recorded at Bowling Green in the WNIT on March 31, 2014.
Hollivay ended last year with 127 rejections and is third (men or women) in blocks in a single season. Only Hamady Ndiaye (2009-10) and Roy Hinson (1982-83) on the men's side have blocked more shots in a single season, swatting away 145 and 144, respectively.
LIVING IN THE PAINT
PAINT POINTS
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.
| Game Twelve: #17/18 Rutgers at Indiana | |
| Date | Sunday, December 28, 2014 |
| Time | 2 p.m. ET |
| Location | Bloomington, Ind. | Assembly Hall |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| Video | BTN Plus |
| Radio | Rutgers Student Radio - WRSU (88.7 FM) Gabe Sustick and Danny Friedman |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Indiana |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Indiana |
| Social Media | @RutgersWBB  | Facebook/RutgersWBB  |
TIP OFF
• The 2014 WNIT Champions begin the Big Ten portion of its schedule at Indiana. The Scarlet Knights closed out nonconference play at 9-2 overall, with both losses coming at the hands of Top 25 squads.
• RU is coming off a 66-58 victory at Iona that closed out nonconference competition. Three Scarlet Knights finished in double figures led by Kahleah Copper with 19 points and Syessence Davis nearly capturing a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Tyler Scaife also contributed 11 points in the victory.
• Senior Betnijah Laney, who is among the nation's leaders in double-doubles and ranks fourth nationally at 12.8 rebounds per game, suffered a sprained thumb against Tennessee on Dec. 14. She sat out the Iona contest.
• Rutgers is in the midst of a three-game road swing. RU is currently 5-0 on the road.
• Indiana enters the game ranked second in the league and ninth nationally in field goal percentage (.485), while RU leads the B1G and is ninth nationally in field goal defense (.329).
ABOUT INDIANA
Like the Scarlet Knights, Indiana opens the Big Ten season on Sunday. The Hooisers are 10-1 overall, having won five straight. Their lone set back was a 65-61 overtime loss to Indiana State on Nov. 30.
Four Hoosiers are averaging double figures led by Tyra Buss at 14.4 points per game. Larryn Brooks is adding in 13.5 points per game, while Amanda Cahill is posting 11.9 points per contest along with a team-leading 9.5 rebounds per game. Rounding out the double-figure scorers is Jenn Anderson at 10.5 points per outing.
Indiana currently leads the Big Ten and ranked nationally in the top 10 in five categories including assist/turnover ratio (1.37), assists per game (18.6), scoring margin (+28.4), scoring offense (84.6) and three-point field defense (.228).
Teri Moren is at the helm of the Hoosier program and is in her first season after spending four seasons as the head coach at Indiana State.
HOLIDAY ROAD
Rutgers hits the road for the second of a three-game road trip to open Big Ten play at Indiana. The Scarlet Knights are currently 5-0 away from the friendly confines of the RAC.
WELCOME BACK TO THE B1G TIME
While Sunday will be Rutgers' first Big Ten contest, head coach C. Vivian Stringer is no stranger to the league. Stringer was at the helm of the Iowa Hawkeye program from 1983-95 and holds the second-most Big Ten victories in conference history, having won 169 games while at Iowa. Penn State's Rene Portland holds the record with 176 wins from 1980-2007.
ALMOST A TRIPLE DOUBLE
Syeseence Davis nearly missed out on a triple double as RU closed out the nonconference slate on Dec. 20 at Iona. Davis registered 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the 66-58 victory. It was Davis' first career double-double.
Rutgers' last triple double was by Khadijah Rushdan in 2011 with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Pittsburgh.
Teammate Rachel Hollivay nearly captured a triple-double last season at Howard ending the 68-38 victory last Nov. 22 with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks.
Davis became the third Scarlet Knight this season to perform a double-double joining Betnijah Laney and Briyona Canty.
BETTING DOUBLE
Senior forward Betnijah Laney opened 2014-15 with eight straight double-double performances and ranks fourth nationally in the category. Her streak was halted at Temple on Dec. 10 with 20 points and five rebounds. She currently ranks third nationally with her eight double-doubles this season. Laney has 23 double-doubles in her career. The senior forward had an incredible game against #6 UNC on Dec. 4 with a career-tying 24 points and career-high 24 rebounds.
The Clayton, Delaware native captured 15 double-doubles last season, the most double figure scoring and rebounding games since Kia Vaughn, currently with the WNBA's Washington Mystics, had 12 double-doubles during the 2006-07 season.
ALL ABOARD
Betnijah Laney's 24 rebounds vs. #6 UNC on Dec. 4 set a Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) record - men or women. She surpassed the previous record of 21 held by Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and former WNBA All-Star Sue Wicks set back in 1987 against Penn State.
She was two rebounds shy of tying the Rutgers women's basketball single game record. Sandy Tupurins grabbed 26 rebounds against William Paterson on Mar. 1, 1977.
Her 24 rebounds also placed her name among the top 15 all-time at RU in rebounding.
Laney's 24 boards against the Tar Heels is also among the best rebounding performances from around the country this season.
Top `14-15 Single Game WBB Performances
Vicky McIntyre, Oral Roberts - vs. Austin Peay - 27
Joy Adams, Iona - vs. Monmouth - 26
Sherae Bonner, Western Carolina - vs. Livingstone - 26
Brittni Montgomery, UCF - vs. Iona - 24
Betnijah Laney, Rutgers - vs. North Carolina - 24
Temi Fagbenle, Harvard - vs. Temple - 24
Brittany Hodges, Furman - vs. Davidson - 24
Sarah Imovbioh, Virginia - vs. Ohio State - 24
Top RU Rebounding Performances (since 2005)
Betnijah Laney - 24 - North Carolina (12/4/14)
Kia Vaughn - 21 - at Cincinnati (1/22/08)
Monique Oliver - 19 - at Miami (12/5/11)
Betnijah Laney - 18 - Colgate (11/28/14)
Monique Oliver - 17 - Georgetown (12/9/10)
Kia Vaughn- 17 - Georgetown (2/7/09)
ALL-TIME RU Rebounds
11. LaTonya Johnson (1988-92) - 745
12. Essence Carson (2004-08) - 707
13. Janell Williams (1991-95) - 700
14. Betnijah Laney (2011-present) - 698
15. Tammy Sutton-Brown (1997-01) - 685
CLEANING THE GLASS
Rutgers has won the battle of the boards in ten of its 11 games to date. Only Tennessee has outrebounded the Scarlet Knights this season as the Lady Vols held a 54-42 edge on the glass.
Betnijah Laney, who led RU in rebounding at 8.5 boards per game last season, has not missed a beat and is hauling in 12.8 rebounds per game in 2014-15. She is third nationally in both defensive rebounds (9.0) and fourth in the country in total rebounds per game (13.7).
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Tyler Scaife, last year's American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, has led the Scarlet Knights in scoring in six of the season's first 11 games and is averaging a team-leading 16.3 points per game. Scaife has reached double figure scoring in 38 of her 48 career appearances.
She netted 22 points in RU's loss to No. 11/13 Tennessee, marking her fourth 20+ point game of the 2014-15 season and 11th of her career. Scaife is averaging 20.0 points per game against nationally ranked opponents, which includes a season-high 25 points in the Scarlet Knights' double overtime contest with No. 6 UNC on Dec. 4.
GETTING TO THE POINTS
Rutgers is enjoying its highest scoring average under C. Vivian Stringer's 20-year tenure "On the Banks"
Top RU Scoring Averages Under C. Vivian Stringer
1. 73.7 (11 games) 2014-15 - 9-2 - Current Season
2. 70.0 (35 games) 1998-99 - 29-6 - Elite Eight
3. 68.7 (32 games) 1997-98 - 22-10 - Sweet 16
4. 67.3 (29 games) 2002-03 - 21-8 - 2nd Round
5. 66.2 (37 games) 2013-14 - WNIT CHAMPIONS
6. 65. 6 (31 games) 2000-01 - 23-8 - 2nd Round
Four or more Scarlet Knights have reached double figures in a game in eight of RU's 11 contests to date.
DOWNTOWN
The Scarlet Knight hit a season-high six three-point shots at Iona on Dec. 20, the most since hitting seven shots from downtown against Louisville on Jan. 18, 2013.
RU went 6-of-11 from three-point range against the Gaels with Syessence Davis and Cynthia Hernandez both connecting on a pair from long range.
Briyona Canty had the most three-point field goals made last season, connecting on 13 from beyond the arc over the course of the Scarlet Knights' 37 games. This season, thru 11 games played, Davis and Hernandez have eight three-pointers to their stat line.
NO MESSY ESSY
Syessence Davis leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally in assist/turnover ratio. The senior guard dished out the ball nine times at Iona last Saturday and committed only two turnovers. She also handed the ball out nine times against #6 UNC on Dec. 4, while committing just one turnover. In games with Davidson and UNC, Davis combined for 17 assists and two turnovers.
Davis has not committed more than two turnovers in a game thus far.
THEY SHOOT, THEY SCORE
The Scarlet Knights have shot over 50 percent from the field in two of their last three contests - both road games at Temple and Iona. RU shot 51.0 percent (25-of-39) from the floor in its 66-58 win at Iona to close out nonconference play, marking the fifth time RU shot 50 percent or better from the floor.
FROM SIXTH WOMAN TO STARTING LINEUP
Briyona Canty, who served as Rutgers' "sixth woman" a year ago, has a successful start at point guard in 10 of the first 11 games for the Scarlet Knights.
Canty captured her second career double-double with 12 points and a new career-high 10 assists in the win over Northeastern on Nov. 18. It was the second straight game the redshirt junior guard had reset her career mark in assists. She performed her first double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in RU's WNIT semifinal win at USF.
In the season opener against St. Joseph's Canty tied her career-high in points (16) and also added a then career-high eight assists. The redshirt junior guard also captured 16 points in the Scarlet Knights' American Athletic Conference semifinal appearance against eventual national champion, UConn.
Canty set a new career-high in steals with six at Wagner on Nov. 25. She surpassed her previous-high of four last recorded at Bowling Green in the WNIT on March 31, 2014.
Most recently at Temple on Dec. 10, the redshirt junior guard had nine points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals.
BLOCK PARTY
Rachel Hollivay swatted away five Hawk shots in RU's season opener and then again in the Scarlet Knights' first road game at LSU.
Hollivay has registered 27 games with three or more blocks, including rejecting three Lady Vol shots on Dec. 14. She currently has 174 career blocks and needs four more blocks to move into fifth all-time on RU's career blocked shots list.
Hollivay ended last year with 127 rejections and is third (men or women) in blocks in a single season. Only Hamady Ndiaye (2009-10) and Roy Hinson (1982-83) on the men's side have blocked more shots in a single season, swatting away 145 and 144, respectively.
Blocked Shots
1. Sue Wicks (1984-88) - 293
2. Kia Vaughn (2005-09) - 279
3. LaTonya Johnson (1988-92) - 248
4. Tanya Hansen (1988-92) - 245
5. Monique Oliver (2009-13) - 177
6. Rachel Hollivay (2012-present) - 174
7. Tammy Sutton-Brown (1997-01) - 148
8. Rashidat Junaid (2006-10) - 136
9. Regina Kalucki (1991-95) - 128
10. Chelsey Lee (2008-13) - 109
LIVING IN THE PAINT
Rutgers continues to dominate the paint just like they did last season. RU is averaging 35.1 points in the paint through its first 11 games of 2014-15, which included a season-high 50 in the Nov. 25 win at Wagner. It was the Scarlet Knights highest total inside since netting 52 paint points in last year's win over the Seahawks on Dec. 13, 2013, as well as against UCF on Feb. 15, 2014.
Only No. 6 UNC has outscored the Scarlet Knights in the paint as the Tar Heels had a 44-32 advantage on Dec. 4.
Rutgers and No. 11/13 Tennessee both came away with 22 points each in their match-up on Dec. 14. It was RU's fewest paint points of the season.
PAINT POINTS
St. Joseph's - 34
Northeastern - 36
at LSU - 38
at Wagner- 50
Colgate - 34
Davidson - 46
UNC - 32
at Arkansas - 30
at Temple - 36
Tennessee - 22
at Iona - 28
400-WIN CLUB
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer won her 400th career victory "On The Banks" at Houston on Feb. 11, 2014. Stringer needs 17 more wins to surpass Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz as RU's all-time winningest women's basketball coach.
All-Time Rutgers WBB Coaching Records (By Wins)
Theresa Grentz - 434-150/ (1977-95) 19 seasons
C. Vivian Stringer - 418-208/(1995-present) 20 seasons
Ellen Johns - 6-5/(1974-75) One season
Dottie McCrea - 5-9/(1975-76) One season
TURNOVERS
Scarlet Knight opponents are averaging 20.1 miscues per game. Only Arkansas on Dec. 7, has managed to record single digit turnovers. RU tied its season-low in turnovers with 11 at Temple. Meanwhile, the Owls turned the ball over 21 times leading to 27 points for the Scarlet Knights. In the season opener, RU committed just 11 turnovers while St. Joseph's had 21 miscues leading to 24 points for Rutgers. RU turned over the ball 12 times on Nov. 28 against Colgate, including only four turnovers in the first half.
OPPONENT TURNOVERS
St. Joseph's - 21
Northeastern - 22
at LSU - 21
at Wagner - 25
Colgate - 18
Davidson - 29
UNC - 21
at Arkansas - 9
at Temple 21
Tennessee 13
at Iona 21
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team rings in the New Year with a trip to Ohio State on Thursday, Jan. 1. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. (ET) on BTN Plus.
The Rutgers women's basketball team rings in the New Year with a trip to Ohio State on Thursday, Jan. 1. Tipoff is at 2 p.m. (ET) on BTN Plus.
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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