New Year's at Ohio State
Dec 31 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2014
TIP OFF
• Tyler Scaife added in 16 points in the win in Bloomington, while Kahleah Copper rounded out the double figure scorers with 13. Additionally, Rachel Hollivay hauled in 12 rebounds.
ABOUT OHIO STATE
The Ohio State roster boasts the conference's two top scorers in Kelsey Mitchell (25.4 ppg) and Ameryst Alston (21.9 ppg). Alexa Hart is averaging 11.3 points along with a team-leading 8.6 rebounds per game. Shayla Cooper rounds out the Buckeyes in double figures at 10.0 points along with 5.5 boards per contest.
It is the best Rutgers road record to open up a season since winning six road games to open up the 2005-06 season. That season RU not only kicked off the season with eight straight victories, but defeated North Florida (66-36) and N.C. State (66-56) at the Junkanoo Jam, as well as San Jose State (76-64), Iowa (57-51), Providence (58-45) and Princeton (65-56) away from home. Ole Miss snapped the streak as the Scarlet Knights fell 67-57 on Dec. 14, 2005. RU would go on to finish the season at 27-5 overall and 16-0 in Big East play, reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
WELCOME BACK TO THE B1G TIME
BELOW THE AVERAGE
Indiana was also averaging 18.6 assists per game, ranking ninth nationally to start the game. The Hoosiers finished with a season-low seven handouts.
ALMOST A TRIPLE DOUBLE
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.
She opened the season with eight consecutive double figure scoring and rebounding games. Her streak was halted at Temple on Dec. 10 with 20 points and five rebounds.
Laney's 2014-15 Double-Doubles
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
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.
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
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.
Jan. 19 , 2014- vs. #1/1 UConn - 22 points
GETTING TO THE POINTS
A FIRST HALF FACT
Hernadez followed up that performance going 3-of-4 from three-point range in RU's 66-51 win at Indiana on Dec. 28, which including her draining back-to-back-to-back shots from beyond the arc.
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 12 games played, Hernandez has 11 made three pointers followed by Davis with eight.
D-D-D-FENSE
On Dec. 20, at Iona, Davis moved into the eighth position on RU's all-time steals list. The list features current assisant coach Tasha Pointer at the top of the list.
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE
She currently has 175 career blocks and needs three 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.
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.
400-WIN CLUB
TURNOVERS
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 Thirteen: #16/17 Rutgers at Ohio State | |
| Date | Thursday, January 1, 2015 |
| Time | 2 p.m. ET |
| Location | Columbus, Ohio | Value City Arena |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| Video | BTN Plus |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Ohio State |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Ohio State |
| Social Media | @RutgersWBB  | Facebook/RutgersWBB  |
TIP OFF
• The 2014 WNIT Champions kicked off its first season in the Big Ten with a 66-51 win at Indiana on Sunday to improve to 10-2 overall on the season. RU has won four of its last five contests.
• Thursday's game with Ohio State marks the final game of a three-game road trip. The Scarlet Knights are currently 6-0 away from the friendly confines of the RAC.
• Senior Betnijah Laney returned to the court against the Hoosiers after missing the final nonconference game at Iona with a sprained thumb. She picked up right where she left off as she collected her ninth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. She is currently tied for third nationally in double-doubles.
• For her efforts against the Hoosiers, Laney was named to the Big Ten Honor Roll - her fourth weekly award by the conference office this season.
• Tyler Scaife added in 16 points in the win in Bloomington, while Kahleah Copper rounded out the double figure scorers with 13. Additionally, Rachel Hollivay hauled in 12 rebounds.
ABOUT OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes had a four-game win streak snapped on Monday night as they opened the Big Ten portion of their schedule with an 87-78 loss at Maryland. Ohio State will meet the Scarlet Knights with an 8-5 overall mark, incluing a 6-2 record at home.
The Ohio State roster boasts the conference's two top scorers in Kelsey Mitchell (25.4 ppg) and Ameryst Alston (21.9 ppg). Alexa Hart is averaging 11.3 points along with a team-leading 8.6 rebounds per game. Shayla Cooper rounds out the Buckeyes in double figures at 10.0 points along with 5.5 boards per contest.
Head coach Kevin McGuff is in his second season at Ohio State and his 13th overall as a head coach with stints at Xavier and Washington. Rutgers assistant coach Tasha Pointer was a member of his staff at Xavier during the 2006-07 season as the Musketeers finished with a 26-9 record and the Atlantic-10 title.
BETNIJAH IS BETTER
Senior forward Betnijah Laney sat out the final nonconference contest at Iona on Dec. 20 after suffering a sprained thumb on her left hand in RU's contest with Tennessee on Dec. 14. Laney suffered a bad sprain on the first play of the game.
Entering the game with the Lady Vols, Laney had been averaging 16.0 points and 14.8 rebounds, however after suffering the thumb injury moments into Tennessee game, Laney went on to end the contest with four points and five rebounds.
In her return last Sunday at Indiana, Laney was back to form as she collected her ninth double-double of the season with a game-high 20 points along with 10 rebounds.
CANTY AWAITING COMEBACK
Redshirt junior guard Briyona Canty played only five minutes in Sunday's game with Indiana after suffering a knee injury. Canty has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in her right knee and is listed as week-to-week. It is not the same knee that caused Canty to play only seven games in 2012-13 due to a microfracture.
HOLIDAY ROAD
Rutgers hits the road for the final game of three-game road trip after a 66-58 win at Iona and most recently, a 66-51 win at Indiana to open up Big Ten play.
The Scarlet Knights are currently 6-0 away from the friendly confines of the RAC.
It is the best Rutgers road record to open up a season since winning six road games to open up the 2005-06 season. That season RU not only kicked off the season with eight straight victories, but defeated North Florida (66-36) and N.C. State (66-56) at the Junkanoo Jam, as well as San Jose State (76-64), Iowa (57-51), Providence (58-45) and Princeton (65-56) away from home. Ole Miss snapped the streak as the Scarlet Knights fell 67-57 on Dec. 14, 2005. RU would go on to finish the season at 27-5 overall and 16-0 in Big East play, reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
The Scarlet Knights won 11 straight road games back in the 1986-87 season. RU opened that season with 23 straight victories finishing with a 30-3 overall mark and an appearance in the Elite Eight.
WELCOME BACK TO THE B1G TIME
Rutgers 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 with 170 wins in league play. She won 169 games while at Iowa and one at Rutgers.
Penn State's Rene Portland holds the record with 176 wins from 1980-2007.
BELOW THE AVERAGE
Indiana entered last Sunday's contest with the Scarlet Knights averaging 84.6 points per game, second in the league by 0.1 point behind Maryland. The 66-51 loss marked a season low in points by the Hoosiers and their fewest since its only other loss of the season - a 65-61 overtime setback against Indiana State.
The Hoosiers were ninth nationally in field goal percentage (.485) entering the game but were held to 15-of-50 (30.0 percent) by the Scarlet Knights, also marking a season-low.
Indiana was also averaging 18.6 assists per game, ranking ninth nationally to start the game. The Hoosiers finished with a season-low seven handouts.
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 has nine double-double performances this season and tied for second nationally in the category. Most recently, she had 20 points and 10 rebounds at Indiana on Sunday as she returned to the court following a thumb sprain.
She opened the season with eight consecutive double figure scoring and rebounding games. Her streak was halted at Temple on Dec. 10 with 20 points and five rebounds.
Laney's 2014-15 Double-Doubles
St. Joseph's - 10 pts, 13 reb
Northeastern - 14 pts, 13 reb
at LSU - 10 pts, 16 reb
at Wagner - 22 pts, 11 reb
Colgate - 17 pts, 18 reb
Davidson - 19 pts, 12 reb
#6 UNC - 24 pts, 24 reb
at #25 Arkansas - 12 pts, 11 reb
at Indiana - 20 pts, 12 reb
Laney has 24 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
ALSO ON BOARD
Rachel Hollivay hauled in a season-high 12 rebounds in the 66-51 win at Indiana on Sunday and has reached double-digit rebounds in her last three games.
In her last three outtings - Tennessee, Iona and Indiana - the junior center has averaged 10.7 rebounds per game.
CLEANING THE GLASS
Rutgers has won the battle of the boards in 11 of its 12 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 12.5 rebounds per game in 2014-15. She is sixth nationally in both defensive rebounds (9.0) and fifth in the country and tops in the Big Ten in total rebounds per game (12.5).
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season.
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 12 games and is averaging a team-leading 16.3 points per game.
Scaife has reached double figure scoring in 39 of her 49 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.
NO FEAR
Sophomore guard Tyler Scaife certainly doesn't shy away from the competition. Here's her scoring performances against top 10 competition.
Jan. 19 , 2014- vs. #1/1 UConn - 22 points
March 1, 2014-- at #1/1 UConn - 8 points
March 9, 2014 - vs. #1/1 UConn - 12 points
Feb. 23, 2014 -- at #3/3 Louisville -17 points
Jan. 28, 2014 - vs. #5/5 Louisville - 25 points
Dec. 4, 2014 - vs. #6/6 UNC - 25 points
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. 73.1 (12 games) 2014-15 - 10-2 - 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 12 contests to date.
A FIRST HALF FACT
The Scarlet Knights have led at the half in all 12 contests to date.
DOWNTOWN
The Scarlet Knights 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.
Hernadez followed up that performance going 3-of-4 from three-point range in RU's 66-51 win at Indiana on Dec. 28, which including her draining back-to-back-to-back shots from beyond the arc.
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 12 games played, Hernandez has 11 made three pointers followed by Davis with eight.
D-D-D-FENSE
Point guard Syessence Davis averaged 2.9 steals per game last season, led the American and was ninth nationally in the category last season.
She recorded eight steals in the 100-44 win over Davidson on Nov. 30, tying for the most steals by a Scarlet Knight since 2005. Former teammate Erica Wheeler also had eight thefts at DePaul on Feb. 12, 2013.
On Dec. 20, at Iona, Davis moved into the eighth position on RU's all-time steals list. The list features current assisant coach Tasha Pointer at the top of the list.
Steals
1. Tasha Pointer (1997-01) - *292
T-2. Sue Wicks (1984-88) - 287
T-2. Liz Hanson (1992-96) - 287
4. Matee Ajavon (2004-08) - 275
5. Denise Kenney (1976-79) - 263
6. Epiphanny Prince (2006-09) - 260
7. Vicky Picott (1987-91) - 257
8. Syessence Davis - 226
9. Regina Howard (1983-87) - 216
T-10. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) - 213
T-10. Cappie Pondexter (2002-06) - 213
NO MESSY ESSY
Syessence Davis leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally in assist/turnover ratio. She has dished the ball out a total of 44 times with only 12 miscues through 12 games. The senior guard dished out the ball nine times at Iona on Dec. 20 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 the last two games - at Iona and at Indiana - Davis has totaled 15 assists to just three turnovers. Davis has not committed more than two turnovers in a game thus far.
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE
The Scarlet Knights dished the ball out 27 times at Temple on Dec. 10, tying for the most assists in a game this season. RU also had 27 assists in its 100-44 win over Davidson on Nov. 30. Rutgers currently dished the ball out 17.7 times per game ranking them second in the Big Ten and 18th in the country.
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 175 career blocks and needs three 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) - 175
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 34.8 points in the paint through its first 12 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
at Indiana - 32
400-WIN CLUB
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer won her 400th career victory "On The Banks" at Houston on Feb. 11, 2014. Stringer needs 15 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 - 419-208/(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 20.2 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
at Indiana - 21
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team welcomes Iowa to the RAC for its first home Big Ten contest on Sunday, Jan. 4. Tipoff is set for noon. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a free inaugural game t-shirt. Also Simon Sez with Steve Max will be at halftime.
The Rutgers women's basketball team welcomes Iowa to the RAC for its first home Big Ten contest on Sunday, Jan. 4. Tipoff is set for noon. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a free inaugural game t-shirt. Also Simon Sez with Steve Max will be at halftime.
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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Players Mentioned
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