Dec. 7, 2014 Final Stats
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. - The No. 18 Rutgers women's basketball team returned to the win column, defeating No. 25 Arkansas, 64-52, on Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.
The Scarlet Knights improved to 7-1 on the season, while the Razorbacks dropped their second straight to fall to 6-2 overall. Both teams were coming off double overtime losses on Thursday night.
Kahleah Copper (Philadelphia, Pa.) led all scorers with 17 points, while Betnijah Laney (Clayton, Del.) captured her eight straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Playing in front of family and friends, Little Rock, Arkansas native, Tyler Scaife, had 13 points.Rachel Hollivay (Columbus, Miss.) rounded out the Scarlet Knight double figure scorers with 13.
Arkansas' Jessica Jackson led her team with 14 points. She started off hot with 11 points going 5-of-6 from the floor to open the game, but was unable to convert a field goal over the final 11:21 of the first half and managed just three second-half points. Jhasmin Bowen contributed 13 in the loss, while Melissa Wolff and Kelsey Brooks each had 11.
After a Jackson three-pointer put the Razorbacks up, 9-8, five minutes into the contest, Rutgers outscored Arkansas 5-1 over the next three minutes to control the lead the rest of the game. The Razorbacks were able to pull within two at 18-16 with 8:50 remaining in the half off of two Bowen free throws. The Scarlet Knights would close out the stanza outscoring Arkansas 16-8. Rutgers led 36-24 at the half.
The Scarlet Knights pushed their lead to as many as 14 in the early moments of the second half, but the Razorbacks would cut it to single digits by the midway point. During a span of seven minutes, Arkansas outscored Rutgers 12-4 as Brooks capped the run scoring on a layup with 11:39 remaining, cutting Rutgers' edge to 47-43. RU responded with a scoring burst of its own going on a 15-5 run over the following five minutes. Copper connected on two free throws to give Rutgers its biggest lead, 58-42, with 6:29 left. RU would maintain a double digit advantage to close the contest with a final score of 64-52.
The Rutgers women's basketball team is back on the road on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Temple. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Rutgers improved to 3-0 on road for the first time since 2011-12 when the Scarlet Knights started 4-0 away from the friendly confines of the RAC.
- RU captured its first top 25 win of the season against Arkansas. The Razorbacks were ranked at No. 25 in the Associated Press Poll. The Scarlet Knights' last win over nationally ranked opponent was a 61-58 victory over No. 16/15 Georgia on Dec. 21, 2013. Rutgers' last top 25 win away from the RAC was a 68-62 win over No. 20 Marquette on a neutral court in the Big East Tournament on March 6, 2011. RU's last road (non-neutral site) victory over a top 25 foe was against the same Golden Eagle team in a 76-55 win over No. 22 Marquette in Milwaukee on February 19, 2011.
- Arkansas was the first of two ranked SEC teams on this year's schedule. RU hosts No. 14 Tennessee on Sunday, Dec. 14 in their next home contest. RU is currently 2-0 against the SEC with a win over LSU on Nov. 22.
- Betnijah Laney posted her eighth straight double-double to open up the 2014-15 season and 23rd in her career. She had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
- Kahleah Copper poured in a game-high 17 points marking the second time this season and 21st time in her career she has led the Scarlet Knights in scoring.
- Briyona Canty dished the ball out eight times. She has recorded five or more assists in six of RU's eight games and 13 times during her career. - The Scarlet Knights dominated the paint, outscoring the Razorbacks 30-18 inside. Through eight games, RU is averaging 37.5 points in the pain.
- Arkansas committed only nine turnovers, the fewest by a Scarlet Knight opponent this year.
- With her 12 points, Laney now has 1,024 career points. She need four points to surpass former teammate Erica Wheeler (2009-13) for 32nd on the all-time scoring leaders list.
- With her 11 rebounds, Laney surpassed Tammy Sutton-Brown (1997-2001) for 14th on the all-time rebound leaders list. She has 688 career rebounds and needs to haul in 13more boards to move into 13th past Janell Williams (1991-95).
- Syessence Davis tied her season high in rebounds for the second straight game. She hauled in seven boards against both No. 6 UNC and No. 25 Arkansas.
- Rutgers has now led all eight of its opponents on the boards. The Scarlet Knights had a 44-38 edge in rebounds against the Razorbacks.
-The Scarlet Knights did not hit any shots from three-point range. RU has not connected on three-point field goals against LSU and Arkansas.
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-RU-
