WBB Renews Rivalry With PSU
Jan 09 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2015
TIP OFF
• The Scarlet Knights improved to 5-3 at the RAC this season and picked up its first win since a 100-44 victory over Davidson on Nov. 30. Rutgers had lost three straight at home, but all three setbacks were at the hands of teams ranked among the nation's top 25 - UNC, Tennessee & Iowa.
• The Scarlet Knights and Lady Lions were once Atlantic-10 rivals, squaring off in the 1983 and 1986 A-10 Tournament Championship game.
Penn State enters Saturday's contest with a 3-12 overall mark and 0-4 record in Big Ten play. The Lady Lions are sporting a 3-5 home record which includes wins over Towson (71-64), Wagner (96-66) and Rider (85-51). Penn State returns home after opening Big Ten action with four straight road games. They are coming off a 65-44 setback on Wisconsin on Tuesday.
The Lady Lions are led by Lindsey Spann at 16.1 points per game. Sierra Moore is contributing 11.4 points per game along with 5.0 rebounds and Candie Agee is averaging 10.1 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per contest. On the boards, Penn State is led by Kaliyah Mitchell at 6.3 rebounds per outting.
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.
BETNIJAH IS BETTER
Since her return last Sunday at Indiana, Laney is back to form posting double-doubles in three of her last four games - Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan - and narrowly missing out on the feat by a one point against No. 20 Iowa.
In her four games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 18.0 points and 11.3 boards. She has scored 20 or more points in three of the four games.
400-WIN CLUB
All-Time Rutgers WBB Coaching Records (By Wins)
The Scarlet Knights, who are on the season are shooting 70 percent from the free throw line, have shot 82.4 percent in their last two games.
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.
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 seventh nationally in defensive rebounds (8.0) and fifth in the country and tops in the Big Ten in total rebounds per game (12.4).
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season and has posted double figure rebounds in 11 of her 13 appearances this season.
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
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 12 made three pointers followed by Davis with nine.
D-D-D-FENSE
During Rutgers most recent road trips - Iona, Indiana and Ohio State - Davis averaged 5.3 steals per game including back-to-back games in Bloomington and Columbus with six thefts.
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.
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.
Davis has committed two turnovers or less in 13 of her 15 games this season.
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 Sixteen: #24/23 Rutgers at Penn State | |
| Date | Saturday, January 10, 2015 |
| Time | Noon ET |
| Location | College Park, Pa. | Bryce Jordan Center |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| TV | BTN Frank Hanrahan and Vera Jones |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Radio Network - WCTC (1450 AM) Danny Breslauer Rutgers Student Radio - WRSU (88.7 FM) Dylan Mruczinski and Gabe Sustick |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Penn State |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Penn State |
| Social Media | @RutgersWBB  | Facebook/RutgersWBB  |
TIP OFF
• The 2014 WNIT Champions snapped a two-game skid and avoided four-straight setbacks at home with an 81-68 win over Michigan on Wednesday night at the RAC. The win marked RU's first Big Ten home victory.
• Betnijah Laney put away her 11th double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a career-high seven assists and five steals. She currently ranks second nationally in double-doubles.
• Tyler Scaife also added in 20 points in the victory over the Wolverines, marking her sixth 20+ point scoring effort of the season.
• The Scarlet Knights improved to 5-3 at the RAC this season and picked up its first win since a 100-44 victory over Davidson on Nov. 30. Rutgers had lost three straight at home, but all three setbacks were at the hands of teams ranked among the nation's top 25 - UNC, Tennessee & Iowa.
• The Scarlet Knights and Lady Lions were once Atlantic-10 rivals, squaring off in the 1983 and 1986 A-10 Tournament Championship game.
ABOUT PENN STATE
The former Atlantic-10 rivals begin a new conference rivalry on Saturday in the Big Ten. The Lady Lions will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak when the Scarlet Knights visit the Bryce Jordan Center for the first time.
Penn State enters Saturday's contest with a 3-12 overall mark and 0-4 record in Big Ten play. The Lady Lions are sporting a 3-5 home record which includes wins over Towson (71-64), Wagner (96-66) and Rider (85-51). Penn State returns home after opening Big Ten action with four straight road games. They are coming off a 65-44 setback on Wisconsin on Tuesday.
The Lady Lions are led by Lindsey Spann at 16.1 points per game. Sierra Moore is contributing 11.4 points per game along with 5.0 rebounds and Candie Agee is averaging 10.1 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per contest. On the boards, Penn State is led by Kaliyah Mitchell at 6.3 rebounds per outting.
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.
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 last Sunday at Indiana, Laney is back to form posting double-doubles in three of her last four games - Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan - and narrowly missing out on the feat by a one point against No. 20 Iowa.
In her four games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 18.0 points and 11.3 boards. She has scored 20 or more points in three of the four games.
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 171 wins in league play. She won 169 games while at Iowa and two 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 14 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 - 420-209/(1995-present) 20 seasons
Ellen Johns - 6-5/(1974-75) One season
Dottie McCrea - 5-9/(1975-76) One season
The Scarlet Knights finished shooting at a 53.1 percent clip (34-of-64) against the Wolverines for their sixth game of 2014-15 shooting 50% or better from the field.
CANTY AWAITING COMEBACK IN THE HOOP
Rutgers shot 57.6 percent (19-of-33) in the first half on Wednesday night against Michgan, its second-best first half shooting performance of the year. RU's best first half shooting performance came against Wagner as the Scarlet Knights went 28-of-36 to connect at a 58.3 clip.
The Scarlet Knights finished shooting at a 53.1 percent clip (34-of-64) against the Wolverines for their sixth game of 2014-15 shooting 50% or better from the field.
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
RU shot a season best 88.9 percent from the free throw line going 16-of-18 from the charity stripe in last Sunday's 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, who are on the season are shooting 70 percent from the free throw line, have shot 82.4 percent in their last two games.
PARKER PLAYING TIME
Freshman guard Shrita Parker has seen significant minutes in the last two games. Most recently against Michigan, the Virginia Beach native played a season-high 21 minutes going 4-of-7 from the field for a season-high nine points. Against Iowa, Parker had six points and three rebounds, which included a perfect 4-of-4 effort from the line.
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. 73.2 (15 games) 2014-15 - 11-4 - 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.
HOLIDAY ROAD
The Scarlet Knights opened the season with six straight wins on the road before suffering an 85-68 setback at Ohio State on Jan. 1.
It was 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.
BETTING DOUBLE
Senior forward Betnijah Laney has 11 double-double performances this season and tied for second nationally in the category.
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. Linda Miles (1997-01) - 751
11. LaTonya Johnson (1988-92) - 745
12. Betnijah Laney (2011-present) - 743
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 12 of its 14 games to date. Only Tennessee and Michigan have outrebounded the Scarlet Knights this season as the Lady Vols held a 54-42 edge on the glass and the Wolverines a slight 34-33 advantage.
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 seventh nationally in defensive rebounds (8.0) and fifth in the country and tops in the Big Ten in total rebounds per game (12.4).
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season and has posted double figure rebounds in 11 of her 13 appearances this season.
20/20 VISION
Five times this season, a pair of Scarlet Knights have dropped in 20 or more points in a game. Most recently, Betnijah Laney an Tyler Sciafe both captured 20 points in RU's first Big Ten home victory against Michigan.
In the previous game, Kahleah Copper posted 22 points and Tyler Scaife added in 20 in RU's setback to No. 20 Iowa on Jan. 4 RU also had a pair of Scarlet Knights reach the 20-point mark as Betnijah Laney and Copper both netted 20 points each in the 88-55 win at Temple on Dec. 10. In the Dec. 4 match-up with No. 6 UNC, Laney scored a career-tying 24 points and Scaife registered a season-high 25 points. Additionally in the 81-53 win at Wagner on Nov. 25. Laney had 22 points, while Copper contributed 20 points in the victory.
WNIT MVP Kahleah Copper reached the 20+ point milestone 11 times last season, the most since Brittany Ray did so seven times in 2009-10.
This season, Tyler Scaife leads the Scarlet Knights with the most 20+ point games with six, followed by Betnijah Laney with five.
A FIRST HALF FACT
The Scarlet Knights have led at the half in 13 of its 15 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 12 made three pointers followed by Davis with nine.
D-D-D-FENSE
Point guard Syessence Davis is averaging 3.1 steals per game ranking her second in the Big Ten and 14th 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 and Ohio State - Davis averaged 5.3 steals per game including back-to-back games in Bloomington and Columbus with six thefts.
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.
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 - 236
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 17th nationally in assist/turnover ratio. She has dished the ball out a total of 59 times with only 22 miscues through 15 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.
Davis has committed two turnovers or less in 13 of her 15 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 186 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.
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) - 186
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 34.0 points in the paint through its first 15 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
TURNOVERS
Scarlet Knight opponents are averaging 19.7 miscues per game. 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
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team returns home to host Maryland at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15 at the RAC. The game will air on BTN. Nine dollar tickets are available. It will also be dollar hot dog night.
The Rutgers women's basketball team returns home to host Maryland at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15 at the RAC. The game will air on BTN. Nine dollar tickets are available. It will also be dollar hot dog night.
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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