No. 24/22 WBB Hosts No. 8 Maryland
Jan 13 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2015
TIP OFF
• The Scarlet Knights are currently 5-3 at the RAC this season. All three setbacks were at the hands of teams ranked among the nation's top 25 - UNC, Tennessee & Iowa.
ABOUT MARYLAND
The Terps are led by Shatori Walker-Kimbrough at 14.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. She is followed on the stat sheet by Laurin Mincy at 13.7 points per game, while Brionna Jones is pouring in 11.8 points per contest along with a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per outing. Rounding out the double figure scorers is Lexie Brown at 11.6 points per game.
Head coach Brenda Frese is in her 14th season at Maryland and 17th season overall. Since arriving in College Park she has led the Terps to the 2006 National Championship, as well as last season's Final Four.
BETNIJAH IS BETTER
Since her return at Indiana on Dec. 28 to open up conference play, has posted double-doubles in three of her last fives games - Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan - and narrowly missing out on the feat by a one point against No. 20 Iowa on Jan. 4 and one rebound at Penn State on Jan 10.
In her five games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 18.0 points and 10.8 boards. She has scored 20 or more points in three of the five games as well.
WELCOME BACK TO THE B1G TIME
Penn State's Rene Portland holds the record with 176 wins from 1980-2007.
400-WIN CLUB
GETTING TO THE POINTS
Four or more Scarlet Knights have reached double figures in a game in eight of RU's 14 contests to date.
THEIVING KNIGHTS
Davis is averaging 3.1 steals per game ranking her second in the Big Ten and fifth nationally. Last season, she averaged 2.9 steals, led the American and was ninth nationally in the category.
During Rutgers most recent road trips - Iona, Indiana Ohio State and Penn State - Davis has averaged 5.8 steals per game including back-to-back games in Bloomington and Columbus with six thefts.
All-Time RU Steals
All three losses this season have come at the hand of top 25 squads. A 81-68 win over Michigan on Wednesday night snapped the three-game slide at home. RU has not suffered more than three-straight losses at home since the 2001-02 season.
OPPONENT TURNOVERS
TOP 25 OPPONENTS
BETTING DOUBLE
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
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 and has posted double figure rebounds in 12 of her 15 appearances this season.
CANTY AWAITING COMEBACK
Most recently, the Scarlet Knights shot 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the free throw line at Penn State last Saturday, the fourth time in 2014-15 RU has shot 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
DOWNTOWN
BLOCK PARTY
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 Seventeen: #24/22 Rutgers vs. #8/8 Maryland | |
| Date | Thursday, January 15, 2015 |
| Time | 9:00 ET |
| Location | Piscataway, N.J. | The RAC |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| TV | BTN Ed Cohen and Christy Winters Scott |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Radio Network - WCTC (1450 AM) Danny Breslauer and Mark Peterson Rutgers Student Radio - WRSU (88.7 FM) Sean Griffin and Dylan Mruczinski |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Maryland |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Maryland |
| Social Media | @RutgersWBB  | Facebook/RutgersWBB  |
| Promotions | $9 Ticket Promotion Dollar Hot Dog Night Briyona Canty Trading Card |
TIP OFF
• The 2014 WNIT Champions made it two-in-a-row with a 71-51 victory over Penn State on Sunday to improve to 12-4 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play.
• Betnijah Laney nearly captured her 12th double-double of the year with 18 points and nine rebounds vs. the Lady Lions. She currently ranks second nationally in double-doubles.
• Syessence Davis may have only had one point at Penn State, but the senior Scarlet Knight tied the Rutgers school record with 10 steals. As a team, RU's 22 thefts against the Lady Lions were one steal short of the team record.
• Additionally, Davis dished the ball out eight times while committing no turnovers.
• Also scoring in double figures were Kahleah Copper with a season-high 23 points and Tyler Scaife, who added in 14 points in the victory.
• The Scarlet Knights are currently 5-3 at the RAC this season. All three setbacks were at the hands of teams ranked among the nation's top 25 - UNC, Tennessee & Iowa.
ABOUT MARYLAND
The Terps join the Scarlet Knights as being the "new kids on the block" in the Big Ten. Maryland enters Thursday's contest at No. 8 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll at 13-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in league play.
Maryland has won seven straight after suffering back-to-back losses against Washington State (70-64) at the San Juan Shootout and at Notre Dame (92-72) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Most recently, the Terps are coming off a 77-73 victory at Minnesota on Sunday.
The Terps are led by Shatori Walker-Kimbrough at 14.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. She is followed on the stat sheet by Laurin Mincy at 13.7 points per game, while Brionna Jones is pouring in 11.8 points per contest along with a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per outing. Rounding out the double figure scorers is Lexie Brown at 11.6 points per game.
Head coach Brenda Frese is in her 14th season at Maryland and 17th season overall. Since arriving in College Park she has led the Terps to the 2006 National Championship, as well as last season's Final Four.
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.
Since her return at Indiana on Dec. 28 to open up conference play, has posted double-doubles in three of her last fives games - Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan - and narrowly missing out on the feat by a one point against No. 20 Iowa on Jan. 4 and one rebound at Penn State on Jan 10.
In her five games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 18.0 points and 10.8 boards. She has scored 20 or more points in three of the five games as well.
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 172 wins in league play. She won 169 games while at Iowa and three at Rutgers.
Penn State's Rene Portland holds the record with 176 wins from 1980-2007.
400-WIN CLUB
Head coach C. Vivian Stringer won her 400th career victory "On The Banks" at Houston on Feb. 11, 2014. Stringer needs 13 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 - 421-209/(1995-present) 20 seasons
Ellen Johns - 6-5/(1974-75) One season
Dottie McCrea - 5-9/(1975-76) One season
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 (16 games) 2014-15 - 12-4 - 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 14 contests to date.
THEIVING KNIGHTS
Syessence Davis had just one point off a free throw at Penn State on Saturday, but contributed a school record tying 10 steals along with eight assists and no turnovers. Davis' 10 steals ties the school record along with Denise Kenney, who also had 10 thefts against St. Joseph's on Feb. 16, 1978. Davis also surpassed her previous high of eight captured against Davidson on Nov. 30.
As a team, Rutgers recorded 22 steals against Penn State, one theft shy of the Rutgers single game record. The Scarlet Knights set the record with 23 steals against Temple on Jan. 17, 1987.
Davis is averaging 3.1 steals per game ranking her second in the Big Ten and fifth nationally. Last season, she averaged 2.9 steals, led the American and was ninth nationally in the category.
During Rutgers most recent road trips - Iona, Indiana Ohio State and Penn State - Davis has averaged 5.8 steals per game including back-to-back games in Bloomington and Columbus with six thefts.
All-Time RU 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 - 246
9. Regina Howard (1983-87) - 216
T-10. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) - 213
T-10. Cappie Pondexter (2002-06) - 213
PROTECTING HOME COURT
The Scarlet Knights have had an outstanding track record of success at home during the previous 12 seasons under head coach C. Vivian Stringer. RU is currently 5-3 at home and went 15-3 in 2013-14. Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 154-24 at the RAC.
The squad's 15 home wins in 2013-14 season tied for the most wins at the RAC under the 20-year tenure of C. Vivian Stringer. The Scarlet Knights also went 15-3 at home in the 1998-99 season.
All three losses this season have come at the hand of top 25 squads. A 81-68 win over Michigan on Wednesday night snapped the three-game slide at home. RU has not suffered more than three-straight losses at home since the 2001-02 season.
TURNOVERS
Scarlet Knight opponents are averaging 20.8 miscues per game, which included 38 turnovers by Penn State last Saturday.
PSU's mishandling of the ball 38 times marked the most turnovers by an opponent since Farmingdale State registered 32 miscues on Feb. 11, 2009. It was the third time since 2002-03 that an opponent has had 30 or more turnovers in a game. The Lady Lions' 38 turnovers resulted in season-high 36 points for the Scarlet Knights.
Only Arkansas on Dec. 7, has managed to record single digit turnovers.
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
at Ohio State - 15
Iowa - 17
Michigan - 21
Penn State - 38
TOP 25 OPPONENTS
Rutgers currently stands a 1-3 against the top 25.
RU had back-to-back games against the top 25 with a double overtime, 96-93, loss to No. 6 UNC on Dec. 4 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and a 64-52 victory at then-No. 25 Arkansas on Dec. 10.
Prior to the Dec. 10th win over the Razorbacks, the Scarlet Knights' last win over a nationally ranked opponent was a 61-58 victory over No. 16/15 Georgia on Dec. 21, 2013 at the RAC.
BETTING DOUBLE
Senior forward Betnijah Laney has 11 double-double performances this season and tied for second nationally in the category.
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
at Ohio State - 23 pts, 12 reb
Michigan - 20 pts, 10 reb
Laney has 26 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 Rebounding 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
1. Sue Wicks (1984-88) - *1357
2. Kia Vaughn (2005-09) - 1079
3. Regina Howard (1983-87) - 1036
4. Vicky Picott (1987-91) - 1029
5. Sandy Tupurins (1976-80) - 944
6. Tanya Hansen (1988-92) - 894
7. Kathy Glutz (1976-80) - 835
8. June Olkowski (1978-82) - 780
9. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) - 764
10. Betnijah Laney (2011-present) - 752
11. Linda Miles (1997-01) - 751
12. LaTonya Johnson (1988-92) - 745
13. Essence Carson (2004-08) - 707
14. Janell Williams (1991-95) - 700
15. Tammy Sutton-Brown (1997-01) - 685
CLEANING THE GLASS
Rutgers has won the battle of the boards in 13 of its 16 games to date. Only Tennessee, Michigan and Penn Statehave outrebounded the Scarlet Knights this season as the Lady Vols held a 54-42 edge on the glass, the Wolverines a slight 34-33 advantage and Lady Lions a 40-33 margin on the boards.
Betnijah Laney, who led RU in rebounding at 8.5 boards per game last season, has not missed a beat and is hauling in 12.4 rebounds per game in 2014-15. She is eighth nationally in defensive rebounds (8.0) and fifth in the country and tops in the Big Ten in total rebounds per game (12.1).
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season and has posted double figure rebounds in 12 of her 15 appearances this season.
CANTY AWAITING COMEBACK
Redshirt junior guard Briyona Canty played only five minutes in the Dec. 28 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.
FROM THE LINE
The Scarlet Knights, who are on the season are shooting 70.9 percent from the free throw line, have shot 82.4 percent in their last three games.
RU shot a season best 88.9 percent from the free throw line going 16-of-18 from the charity stripe in the Jan. 4 loss with No. 20 Iowa. Shrita Parker went a perfect 4-of-4 while Laney finished 5-of-6 and Copper went 6-of-7. Scaife also hit her lone attempt from the line.
Most recently, the Scarlet Knights shot 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the free throw line at Penn State last Saturday, the fourth time in 2014-15 RU has shot 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Tyler Scaife, last year's American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, is averaging a team-leading 16.6 points per game. Scaife has reached double figure scoring in 42 of her 53 career appearances and has led RU in scoring in seven times in 2014-15. She netted 20 points in RU's loss to No. 20 Iowa, marking her fifth 20+ point game of the 2014-15 season and 12th of her career.
Scaife is averaging 20.0 points per game against nationally ranked opponents this season, 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. 14, 2014 - vs. #6/6 UNC - 25 points
A FIRST HALF FACT
The Scarlet Knights have led at the half in 14 of its 16 contests to date. Ohio State and Iowa have both managed to head into the intermission outscoring the Scarlet Knights. RU trailed 40-27 at the half in its meeting with the Buckeyes on Jan. 1 and were behind 34-30 against the Hawkeyes on Jan. 4.
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 13 games played, Hernandez has 13 made three pointers followed by Davis with nine.
NO MESSY ESSY
Syessence Davis leads the Big Ten and ranks 9th nationally in assist/turnover ratio. She has dished the ball out a total of 67 times with only 22 miscues through 16 games.
Most recently, the senior guard handed out the ball eight times with no turnovers in RU's 71-51 victory at Penn State on Jan. 10
Davis has committed two turnovers or less in 14 of her 16 games this season.
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 30 games with three or more blocks, including rejecting four Ohio State attempts on Jan. 1 and four Michigan shots on Jan. 7. She currently has 188 career blocks, moving into fifth all-time at RU on the New Year's Day contest with Ohio State.
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.
All-Time RU 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. Rachel Hollivay (2012-present) - 188
6. Monique Oliver (2009-13) - 177
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 33.4 points in the paint through its first 16 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 and Ohio State have outscored the Scarlet Knights in the paint as the Tar Heels had a 44-32 advantage on Dec. 4 and the Buckeyes outscored RU 40-18 inside on Jan. 1.
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
at Ohio State - 18
Iowa - 28
Michigan - 46
at Penn State - 24
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team is back out on the road traveling to Wisconsin on Sunday, Jan. 18. Tipoff is 3 p.m. (ET) and will be available on BTN Plus.
The Rutgers women's basketball team is back out on the road traveling to Wisconsin on Sunday, Jan. 18. Tipoff is 3 p.m. (ET) and will be available 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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Players Mentioned
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