• The 2014 WNIT Champions have won three in-a-row for the first time since opening the season on a six-game win streak following its 58-49 victory at Purdue on Thursday night.
• The Scarlet Knights were led by junior Kahleah Copper with her fifth 20+ point game effort of the season. Copper had a game-high 21 points.
• After the Boilermakers took a brief lead at 30-28 three minutes into the second half on Thursday night, Copper rattled off eight straight points to put RU ahead for good.
• Senior Betnijah Laney added in her 13th straight double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. She also moved into eighth all-time in rebounding at Rutgers.
• The win improved the Scarlet Knights to 6-3 in conference and a four-way tie for third place in the Big Ten along with Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio State. Maryland is the currently leader at 9-0 with Iowa in second place at 8-1.
• It will be KIDS' DAY at the RAC on Sunday. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. with inflatables and games available in the KIDS' ZONE pre-game and post game foul shots on the floor post-game.
ABOUT PENN STATE
The Lady Lions come to the RAC to close out the season series with a 5-16 overall record and 3-8 mark in the Big Ten. Most recently, Penn State had a two-game win streak snapped in Wednesday's 75-64 loss at Minnesota.
Lindsey Spann leads a trio of Lady Lions in double figures. Spann is averaging 14.8 points per game whiel Sierra Moore adds in 11.7 points per game and 5.1 boards per contest. Rounding out the double figure scorers is Candice Agee at 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per outing.
On the boards, Penn State is led by Kaliyah Mitchell at 7.0 per game while also contributing 8.7 points per game.
Penn State is led by Coquese Washington, who is in her eighth season at the helm of the Lady Lion program. Last season, she helped guide the Lady
Lions to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament and a 24-8 overall mark.
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 175 wins in league play. She won 169 games while at Iowa and six at Rutgers.
Penn State's Rene Portland holds the record with 176 wins from 1980-2007.
ALL-TIME RUTGERS WINNER
Head coach
C. Vivian Stringer won her 400th career victory "On The Banks" at Houston on Feb. 11, 2014. Stringer needs 11 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
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"
1. 71.2 (20 games) 2014-15 - 15-5 - 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 nine of RU's 20 contests to date.
TOP 25 OPPONENTS
Rutgers currently stands at 2-4 against the top 25 after picking up a 66-61 win over Minnesota last Sunday, a squad ranked at No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Tyler Scaife, last year's American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, is averaging a team-leading 16.0 points per game.
Last Sunday against No. 21 Minnesota, Scaife was one-point shy of her career-high by pouring in a season-high 28 points against the Golden Gophers. She had netted 29 points in RU's double overtime win over Seton Hall in the third round of last season's WNIT. It was also her sixth 20+ point game of the season and 13th of her career.
Scaife has reached double figure scoring in 44 of her 56 career appearances and has led RU in scoring eight times in 2014-15.
Scaife is averaging 19.5 points per game against nationally ranked opponents this season, which also included 25 points in the Scarlet Knights' double overtime contest with No. 6 UNC on Dec. 4.
CANTY'S COMEBACK
Redshirt junior guard Briyona Canty made her first appearance in four games against Maryland on Jan. 15 after suffering a bone bruise in her right knee in RU's Dec. 28 game at Indiana.
Canty returned to the court against Maryland on the night of Jan. 15 and finished with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting and five rebounds from off the bench in 19 minutes of action. She followed up that performance with six points, five assists and two steals at Wisconsin on Jan. 18 and eight assists against No. 25 Minnesota last Sunday.
Since returning, Canty has come off the bench to average 6.3 points and 4.8 assists per game. In the last three games alone - at Wisconsin, vs. No. 21 Minnesota and at Purdue - she has dished the ball out on average 6.3 times. Her eight assists against the Golden Gophers last Sunday were the most assists by the redshirt junior since handing the ball out eight times at No. 25 Arkansas on Dec. 7.
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 the 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 five of her last nine games and narrowly missed out on the feat by one point against No. 20 Iowa on Jan. 4 and one rebound at Penn State on Jan 10.
In her nine games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 16.3 points and 10.1 boards per game. She has scored 20 or more points in three of the eight games as well.
1,000 POINT CLUB
Junior Kahleah Copper ended the Jan. 18 Wisconsin game with 14 points and became the 35th Scarlet Knight to reach 1,000 career points. She knocked down the first of two free throws at the 8:07 mark to accomplish the feat. She is the second Scarlet Knight to reach the 1,000 career point mark this season. Teammate Betnijah Laney reached the mark in RU's game with UNC on Dec. 4.
FROM THE LINE
Rutgers has shot 75 percent or better from the line in five of its last seven games. RU shot 10-of-13 from the line (76.9 percent) vs. Minnesota, the 10th time the Scarlet Knights have shot 75 percent or better from the charity stripe. In the last seven games, RU has combined to go 77.0 percent from the line (87-of-113). 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.
The Scarlet Knights shot 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the free throw line at Penn State on Jan. 10, the fourth time in 2014-15 RU has shot 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
BENCH PRODUCTION
Since coming off the bench starting with RU's game against Michigan on Jan. 7, Rachel Hollivay has been averaging 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. She has scored in double figures in three of her six games during that span. Hollivay also had a season-tying 14 points against No. 8 Maryland along with a season-high six blocks. Hollivay had one of her best shooting performance of the season going 5-of-6 from the field and adding in 11 points in RU's 73-63 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 18.
BETTING DOUBLE
Senior forward Betnijah Laney has 13 double-double performances this season and is tied for seventh nationally in the category.
She had back-to-back double-doubles following her absence from the nonconference finale on Dec. 20 at Iona with a thumb sprain and nearly capture her 11th double-double with nine points and 13 rebound vs. #20 Iowa on Jan 4.
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
Wisconsin - 12 pts, 11 reb
at Purdue - 18 pts, 14 reb
Laney has 28 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
Ruvanna Campbell, Chicago - vs. Oakland - 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. Betnijah Laney (2011-present) - 789
9. June Olkowski (1978-82) - 780
10. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) - 764
THEIVING KNIGHTS
Syessence Davis had just one point off a free throw at Penn State on Jan. 10, 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 3.5 steals per game ranking her first in the Big Ten and sixth nationally. Last season, she averaged 2.9 steals, led the American and was ninth nationally in the category.
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 - 255
9. Regina Howard (1983-87) - 216
T-10. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) - 213
T-10. Cappie Pondexter (2002-06) - 213
TURNOVERS
Scarlet Knight opponents are averaging 19.9 miscues per game, which included 38 turnovers by Penn State on Jan. 10.
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.
DOWNTOWN
Cynthia Hernandez finished with a season-high 17 points at Wisconsin on Jan. 18, surpassing her previous high of nine captured against Davidson (Nov. 30) and Indiana (Dec. 28). She shot a blistering 5-of-5 from downtown.
Hernandez's five made three-pointers were the most by a Scarlet Knight since Erica Wheeler drained five three-pointers against Connecticut on March 7, 2011. Her five three's tied a Kohl Center record originally set by Lori Bjork of Illinois on Jan. 15, 2006.
As a team, 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.
Hernandez followed up that performance going 3-of-4 from three-point range in RU's 66-51 win at Indiana on Dec. 28, which included her draining back-to-back-to-back shots from beyond the arc.
Briyona Canty had the most three-point field goals made by a Scarlet Knight last season, connecting on 13 from beyond the arc over the course of the Scarlet Knights' 37 games. This season, thru 19 games played in 2014-15, Hernandez has 18 made three pointers.
CLEANING THE GLASS
Rutgers has won the battle of the boards in 15 of its 20 games to date.
Betnijah Laney, who led RU in rebounding at 8.5 boards per game last season, has not missed a beat and is hauling in 11.5 rebounds per game in 2014-15. She is ninth nationally in defensive rebounds (8.0) and seventh in the country and second in the Big Ten in total rebounds per game (11.5).
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season and has posted double figure rebounds in 14 of her 19 appearances this season.
NO MESSY ESSY
Syessence Davis leads the Big Ten and ranks 6th nationally in assist/turnover ratio. She has dished the ball out a total of 82 times with only 27 miscues through 20 games.
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 16 of her 20 games this season.
ALL-TIME RU ASSISTS
1. Tasha Pointer (1997-01) - *839
2. Janet Malouf (1985-89) - 718
3. Mary Coyle (1978-82) - 640
4. Matee Ajavon (2004--08) - 556
5. Liz Hanson (1992-96) - 474
6. Cappie Pondexter (2002-06) - 470
7. Khadijah Rushdan (2007-12) - 464
8. Kristen Foley (1982-87) - 455
9. Patty Coyle (1978-82) - 394
10. Telicher Austin (1985-89) - 371
-- Syessence Davis - 355
BLOCK PARTY
Rachel Hollivay captured a season-high six rejections in RU's game with No. 8 Maryland on Jan. 15. She also 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 33 games with three or more blocks. She currently has 200 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 BLOCKS
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) - 200
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
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team takes on another top 25 opponent in Nebraska on Thursday, Feb. 5. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. and will air on BTN. It will also be dollar hot dog night at the RAC.
