WBB Begins B1G Play Thursday with Minnesota
Dec 29 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Big Ten season begins on New Year's Eve for the Rutgers women's basketball team when the Scarlet Knights welcome Minnesota to the RAC at 1 p.m. Fans can enjoy $2 popcorn and beverage combos at the concession stands.
| Game Thirteeen: Rutgers (9-3, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. Minnesota (8-3, 0-0 Big Ten) | |
| Date | Thursday, Dec. 31 |
| Time | 1:00 p.m. EST |
| Location | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Video | BTN Plus (Lou Brogno & Dick Lloyd) |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM (Ralph Bednarczyk & Mark Peterson) WRSU 88.7 FM (Dylan Mackinnon & Mike Antosiewicz) |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Minnesota |
| Conference Game Notes | Big Ten |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Minnesota |
| Tickets | ScarletKnights.com/Tickets |
| Promotions | $2 Popcorn & Beverage Combo |
CLOSING OUT HOMESTAND - OPENING B1G PLAY
The Rutgers women's basketball team closes out a five-game homestand on New Year's Eve as the Scarlet Knights host the Minnesota in the Big Ten opener. Fans can enjoy $2 popcorn and beverage combos at the concession stands.
RU had a generous 11-day break between games following its 69-57 victory over LSU to close out the nonconference schedule. The Scarlet Knights enter Thursday's contest at 9-3 overall and have won four-straight including wins over Arkansas (60-40), Iona (58-33), Savannah State (65-26) and LSU (69-57) during the current homestand. Rutgers has won eight of its last nine games and have won five straight at home.
In the victory over the Tigers, four Scarlet Knights landed in double figures. Tyler Scaife registered a game-high 18 points, followed by Kahleah Copper with 15 points. Shrita Parker and Khadaizha Sanders each registered career-highs to round out the double-figure scorers with 12 points and 11 points, respectively.
Following Thursday's contest, Rutgers hits the road for the first time since early December and travels to Iowa for a meeting with the Hawkeyes on Monday, Jan. 4.
ABOUT MINNESOTA
The Golden Gophers begin the Big Ten season on Thursday as well and come to New Jersey sporting an 8-3 nonconference mark. Minnesota has won two straight and four of its last five games, including an 83-50 victory over NJIT on Monday night.
Rachel Banham, Minnesota's all-time leading scorer, is second among all Big Ten scorers and is ninth nationally at 23.1 points per game as one of three Golden Gophers averaging double digits. Banham also leads Minnesota on the boards at 6.6 rebounds per contest.
Carlie Wagner checks in at 18.4 points per game, while Mikayla Bailey is averaging 11.7 points per game. Both are hauling in over five rebounds per game as well.
LAST TIME VS. MINNESOTA
The No. 25/23 Rutgers women's basketball team picked up a top 25 victory as the Scarlet Knights topped No. 21/RV Minnesota, 66-61, on Sunday Jan. 25, 2015.
Tyler Scaife led the Scarlet Knights with a season-high 28 points, Betnijah Laney followed with 15 points, while Kahleah Copper added in 13 of her own.
Minnesota was paced by Amanda Zahui B. with a game-high 36 points and 15 rebounds. Carlie Wagner rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Gophers with 12 points.
Rutgers opened the first ten minutes of play outscoring Minnesota, 25-5, but the Gophers gained momentum for a 13-3 run and cut their deficit to eight, 28-20, with 4:46 to go in the first half.
RU and Minnesota would go wire-to-wire to close the stanza, but the Scarlet Knights were able to carry a 37-31 advantage into the locker room.
Returning from half, Minnesota managed to pull within five on three occasions. After the Gophers cut their deficit to 49-44 with 10:54 left to play, RU would use a 9-2 run over the next four minutes of play for a 12-point cushion. Scaife capped the run going inside to give her Scarlet Knights a 58-46 edge with 6:06 left to play.
The Gophers, however, would respond by holding the Scarlet Knights scoreless for nearly the next five minutes. Minnesota rattled off eight unanswered points as RU clung on to a 58-54 lead with 3:41 to go.
On Minnesota's next possession, the Gophers were unable to connect on three different looks and Briyona Canty came down the other end to put a stop to the drought to put Rutgers up, 60-54, with 1:07 to go.
Down the stretch RU, Canty and Scaife both knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Scarlet Knights an eight point, 62-54, lead with 40 seconds left.
While a lay-up by Minnesota's Zahui and three by Mikayla Bailey, made it a three-point game with 16 seconds remaining, Copper took off after taking the ball from Canty for a fastbreak to seal the five-point victory.
FOUR SCORE...AND 11 DAYS AGO
In their last outing, a 69-57 win over LSU, the Scarlet Knights had four in double figures, a feat last accomplished by the squad on Feb. 17, 2015 against Illinois.
Tyler Scaife was two points shy of posting her fourth consecutive game with 20 or more points. She finished the game leading all scorers with 18. With her 18 points, Scaife moved up two places on the all-time scoring leaders list, surpassing Monique Oliver (2009-13) and Patty Coyle (1978-82), into 25th place. She now has 1,217 points. She needs 10 more points to move past Julie Salmon (1982-86) into 24th all-time.
Kahleah Copper poured in 15 points and now needs 19 more points to become the 11th Scarlet Knight to score 1,500 career points.
Shrita Parker meanwhile netted a career-high 12 points and tied her career-high with four assists. The sophomore Scarlet Knight reset her previous career-high of 11 points captured against Virginia in the Paradise Jam Tournament and vs. Michigan at home last season.
Khadaizha Sanders ended the afternoon with a career-high 11 points, her first double digit scoring effort of her career. She netted seven of her 11 points in the second quarter.
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO
In the last four home games, RU opponents have averaged 39.0 points per game. Additionally during the last three games, RU has won by a margin of 24.0 points.
Savannah State netted only 26 points on Dec. 13 the fewest allowed by a Big Ten school this season, and was RU's lowest scoring opponent since Farmingdale State in an 85-25 Scarlet Knight victory on Feb. 11, 2009.
RU raced out to a 21-2 advantage at the half against Savannah State, marking the fewest points scored in a quarter by an opponent this season.
Prior to the Dec. 13 contest with the Lady Tigers, Iona netted just 33 points, while Arkansas was able to record 40 points, marking the fewest by a Scarlet Knight opponent since Davidson netted 35 in RU's 66-35 victory over the Wildcats on Dec. 4, 2013.
Against the Razorbacks, Rutgers shot 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from the field ans has connecting on 50 or better from the floor five times this season.
Additionally, the Scarlet Knights' 29 first quarter points vs. Arkansas were the most by the team this season, surpassing the previous high of 25 netted against St. Joseph's in the season opener on Nov. 13.
FIRST QUARTER KEY
The first quarter has been the key to Rutgers victories this season.
In games won, the Scarlet Knights are outscoring the opposition, 299--213, in the first half of play, including a 162-96 advantage in the first quarter.
In games lost, the opponent leads RU, 100-68, in scoring in first half, including a 58-24 edge in first quarter scoring.
FROM THE LINE
Junior Tyler Scaife has been clutch from the line missing just three free throws in her 39 attempts to date. She currently leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally in free throw percentage, shooting at a .923 percent clip.
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team is on the road for its first Big Ten matchup away from the RAC this season. RU meets Iowa on Monday, Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. (ET). The game will be televised by BTN with Lisa Byington and Deb Antonelli on the call.
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-RU-
