Box Score Dec. 04, 2014
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Box Score | Photo Gallery | VIDEO: Post-Game Press Conference
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - In a double overtime thriller, the No. 18/20 Rutgers women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season to No. 6/6 UNC, 96-93, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Scarlet Knights, who had the nation's longest active win streak entering the game with 12 straight wins dating back to last season's WNIT Championship run, fell to 6-1 overall.
Senior Betnijah Laney (Clayton, Del.) recorded her 1,000th career point and then some, registering a career-tying 24 points and career-high 24 rebounds for her seventh straight double-double of the season. Laney became the 34th Scarlet Knight to reach join the list of 1000-point scorers. The senior also reset the RAC rebounding record with her 24 boards.
UNC opened the game with 11 uncontested points until Laney scored on a fast break with 15:11 to go in the first half. However, the Scarlet Knights punched back as RU's defense was able to hold the Tar Heels scoreless for over four minutes while rattling off seven six unanswered points of their own.
Bryiona Canty (Willingboro, N.J.) drained a jumper to put RU in front for the first time, 23-21, at the 5:11 mark and the Scarlet Knights entered the half ahead, 33-29. Laney recorded her 1,000th point at the 2:27 mark of the first half en-route to carrying 14 points and 14 rebounds into the locker room at the intermission, marking her seventh consecutive double-double on the season.
Allisha Gray, who finished with a game-high 29 points, connected on a three pointer five minutes into the second stanza to cut RU's lead to 45-42. Rutgers responded, however, with a 15-6 run to go up 60-48 with 9:47 left in regulation. The Scarlet Knights maintained at least an eight point cushion with six minutes to go in the second half.
UNC nailed back-to-back three-pointers as the Scarlet Knights clung to a 67-66 edge with 3:09 left in the stanza. RU, however, managed to build a five-point edge just a minute later. Canty knocked down a shot and came away with a steal to feed teammate Kahleah Copper (Philadelphia, Pa.) for a 71-66 lead with 1:57 to go.
After a Tar Heel timeout, Gray came up with huge play from beyond the arc and UNC cut its deficit to 71-69.
After RU misses a pair of chances at the line, Gray went up for a three for a chance to give UNC to win with 21 seconds on the clock, but instead was fouled earning a trip to the free throw line. Gray knocked down her two charity shots to tie the game at 71-71, sending the contest into overtime.
The visiting Tar Heels led much of the first overtime until 36 seconds remained. UNC held an 83-78 edge with only 32 second remaining, but saw Syessence Davis (Neptune, N.J.) come away with two huge plays. Davis connected from three-point range and on the inbounds play by the Tar Heels, Copper was able to steal the ball and find Davis underneath the basket to tie the game 83-83 with 20 seconds left. After a UNC turnover, Tyler Scaife (Little Rock, Ark.) attempted to drive the lane for the game-winning score but was unable to connect.
The second overtime turned into a point for point battle on the hardwood. The score would be tied on three occasions, but RU had the edge in the early moments.
With the scoreboard at 90-90, Gray found her way inside to put UNC ahead, 92-90, for the first time in the period with 1:01 to go, starting a 5-0 UNC run. The run was capped by four straight points from Latifah Coleman.
Laney knocked down a three-pointer with six seconds remaining to give the game its final margin.
Scaife finished the game with a season-high 25 points as one of four Scarlet Knights in double figures. Copper added 17 and Davis had a career-high 15 points from off the bench.
In addition to Gray's double-double with a game-high 29 points and 11 rebounds, UNC saw Stephanie Mavunga added 15, Xylina McDaniel contribute 14, and Brittany Roundtree score 12 points in the victory.
The Rutgers women's basketball team will look to return to the win column on Sunday, Dec. 7 at #25 Arkansas.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Rutgers faced UNC for the first time in history. It was the second meeting between the two winningest active coaches in women's basketball. C. Vivian Stringer and Sylvia Hatchell's only other meeting was on Dec.29, 1989 when Coach Stringer was at Iowa - Iowa won, 106-81, at the Hilton Head Island Super Shootout.
- UNC's 11-point opening run was the largest lead by an RU opponent this season. The Scarlet Knights had previously trailed by as many as six in wins over Northeastern and Wagner.
- Betnijah Laney recorded her seventh straight double-double with a career-tying 24 points and career-high 24 rebounds. It is the third time in her career she has scored 24 points.
- Laney became the 34th Scarlet Knight to reach the 1,000 career point mark. She currently has 1,012 career points and sits in 33rd on the all-time scoring leaders list following tonight's performances.
- Laney's 24 rebounds is a RAC women's basketball record. She surpassed the previous record of 21 held by Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Sue Wicks set back in 1987 against Penn State.
- The 24 rebounds by Laney were the most boards by a Scarlet Knight since Kia Vaughn hauled in 21 against Cincinnati in 2008. Sandy Tupurins holds the RU women's record with 26 against William Paterson on March 1, 1977.
- Laney played all 50 minutes of the double overtime contest.
- Tyler Scaife had a season-high 25 points, the third time this season she has reached 20+ point scoring.
- With Scaife's 25 points and Laney's 24 points, it marks the second time this season two Scarlet Knights have scored 20 or more points in a game. Laney notched 22 points and Kahleah Copper netted 20 at Wagner on Nov. 25.
- Syessence Davis scored a career-high 15 points going 6-of-9 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from downtown. She surpasses her previous career-high of 12, last capturing against USF on March 3, 2014. Her three made treys are also a new career mark.
- Davis registered four steals, bringing her career total to 211 thefts. She needs two more steals to tie C'ta Mitchleson (1989-93) and Cappie Pondexter (2002-06) for ninth on RU's all-time list.
- UNC was the first top 25 team RU has faced this season. Also on this season's slate is #12/15 Nebraska, #14 Tennessee, #15/10 Maryland, #16 Michigan State, #22/19 Iowa and #25 Arkansas.
- UNC committed only 10 turnovers, the fewest by an RU opponent this season. The previous opponent low was 18 miscues by Colgate.
- It was the first time RU was outscored in the paint. UNC held a 44-32 edge in points in the paint.
- It was the 39th overtime contest in Scarlet Knight history and ninth game that went into double overtime. Rutgers last double overtime contest was a 91-79 victory over Seton Hall in the third round of the 2014 WNIT. The Scarlet Knights are 24-15 all-time in overtime and 6-3 in double overtime contests.
- RU shot 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) from three-point range. The five made shots from downtown were the most by the team since connecting on eight three-pointers vs. USF on Feb. 26, 2013.
- The Scarlet Knights held a 53-41 edge on the boards against the Tar Heels. RU has won the battle on the boards in all seven contests to date.
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