WBB Travels to Michigan State
Feb 20 | Women's Basketball
| Game Twenty-Seven: #19/18 Rutgers at Michigan State | |
| Date | Sunday, February 22, 2015 |
| Time | 2:00 ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Tickets | Click To Purchase |
| TV | ESPN2 Pam Ward and Stephanie White |
| Radio | Rutgers Student Radio - WRSU (88.7 FM) Deondre Smalls and Danny Friedman |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Michigan State |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Michigan State |
| Social Media | @RutgersWBB  | Facebook/RutgersWBB  |
TIP OFF
• The 2014 WNIT Champions, winners in eight of its last nine contests, picked up its 20th victory of the season in an 80-56 win at the RAC on Tuesday night in the lone meeting with Illinois.
• Four different Scarlet Knights reached double figures led by sophomore Tyler Scaife with a game-high 21 points.
• Also in double figures on Saturday against the Fighting Illini were junior Kahleah Copper with 16 points and seniors Betnijah Laney and junior Rachel Hollivay with 14 points each. Hollivay tied her season-high in scoring, while Laney went on to tie her career-high with seven assists in the victory.
• The Scarlet Knights dominated the paint against Purdue and finished with 50 points in the paint to tie their season high in the category. RU also had 50 points inside at Wagner on Nov. 25 in an 81-53 win. It was the 16th game with 30 or more points in the paint and fourth game with 40 or more points inside.
• The Scarlet Knights are currently third in the conference with three games remaining.
• Rutgers will celebrate senior day on Sunday, March 1 vs. Indiana. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans will meet the Scarlet Knights in the lone meeting between the two squads on Sunday with a 12-14 overall mark and 4-11 record in the Big Ten. Michigan State is coming off a 75-69 loss to No. 5 Maryland on Monday night. At home at the Breslin Center, the Spartans hold a 9-6 record.
Ariel Powers led the Spartans and is second in the league in scoring at 22.4 points per game along with a team-leading 11.7 rebounds per game. Her rebounding mark ranks her sixth in the nation and second in the conference.
Tori Jankoska is the only other Spartan averaging double figures and is pouring in 16.8 points per game along with 6.7 rebounds per contest.
Suzy Merchant is in her eighth season at the helm of the Michigan State program. Under her guidance the Spartans have finished third or better in the Big Ten in the last seven seasons and have advanced to the last six NCAA Tournaments.
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 record for most Big Ten victories in conference history with 809 wins in league play. She won 169 games while at Iowa and 11 at Rutgers.
ALL-TIME B1G WBB WINS
C. Vivian Stringer, IOWA (1983-95), RU (1995-present) - 180
Rene Portland, PSU (1980-07) - 176
Karen Langeland, MSU (1976-00) - 156
Lisa Bluder, IOWA (2000-Present) - 150
Jim Foster, OSU (2002-12) - 136
Don Perrelli, NU (1984-99) - 135
Nancy Darsch, OSU (1985-97) - 134
Lin Dunn, PUR (1987-96) - 120
Pam Borton, MINN (2002-14) - 104
Theresa Grentz, ILL (1995-07) - 101
Sharon Versyp, IND/PUR (2005-Present) - 100
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 six 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 - 429-212/(1995-present) 20 seasons
Ellen Johns - 6-5/(1974-75) One season
Dottie McCrea - 5-9/(1975-76) One season
WATCH LIST
Sophomore guard Tyler Scaife has been added to the Dawn Staley and Naismith Mid-Season Watch Lists. The Dawn Staley award is given to the most outstanding collegiate guard in the country and the Naismith Trophy is given annually by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club to the top collegiate player.
Senior Syessence Davis is among the 30 candidates for the Nancy Lieberman Awards, recognizing the top point guard in the country.
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. 70.4 (26 games) 2014-15 - 20-6 - 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 11 of RU's 26 contests to date.
TOP 25 OPPONENTS
Rutgers currently stands at 3-5 against the top 25 after the Feb. 10 setback to the Terps in College Park At home more recently, the Scarlet Knights picked up a 46-43 victory over No. 19/18 Nebraska on Feb. 5 in their last home appearance against a nationally ranked squad and a 66-61 win over Minnesota on Jan 25, a squad ranked at No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll.
WINS COME QUICK
The 2014-15 version of the Rutgers women's basketball team was one of the fastest groups to reach the 20-win mark.
Fastest to 20 By Date:
1979-80 - Feb. 14
1980-81 - Feb. 14
2005-06 - Feb. 14
2013-14 - Feb. 15
2007-08 - Feb. 16
2014-15 - Feb. 17
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, Laney has posted double figure scoring and rebounding in five of her last eight contests. She 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 14 games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 16.7 points and 10.1 boards per game. She has scored 20 or more points in four of the 14 games as well.
BETTING DOUBLE
Senior forward Betnijah Laney has 16 double-double performances this season and is tied for seventh nationally in the category.
Laney's current streak of four straight double-doubles was recently snapped in last Tuesday night's loss at No. 5 Maryland.
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
Penn State - 16 pts, 14 reb
#18/19 Nebraska - 16 pts, 11 reb
at Michigan - 17 pts, 10 reb
Laney has 31 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.
FREE POINTS
Rutgers shot a perfect 13-of-13 from the free throw line on Feb. 10 at No. 5 Maryland. It was RU's best performance from the charity stripe since sinking 10-of-10 at Syracuse on Jan. 6, 2009. Betnijah Laney led the way going 4-of-4 from the line.
More recently, Rachel Hollivay went a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe against Illinois on Tuesday night. It was the junior center's best performance from the free throw line since going 5-of-5 at LSU on Nov. 22.
SHINING COPPER
When the Scarlet Knights get down, its been Kahleah Copper to the rescue against Purdue and Penn State.
On Jan. 29 in the 76-65 win at Purdue, Copper poured in a game-high 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting (47.1 percent) from the field. After the Boilermakers took a lead at 30-28 with 16:58 to go, Copper rattled off eight straight points to return the lead to Rutgers for good.
On Feb. 1 vs. Penn State, Copper reset her season-high with 25 points, shooting 10-of-19 from the floor (52.6 percent). She scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half. Penn State would tie the contest 48-48 with 8:41 to play, however, Copper added on a free throw to give Rutgers the lead the rest of the way and would score 10 of her game-high 25 points during this final span.
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 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)
Top `14-15 Single Game WBB Rebounding Performances
Amanada Zahui B., Minnesota - vs. Iowa - 29
Mimi Mungedi, Nevada - vs. San Jose St. - 29
Vicky McIntyre, Oral Roberts - vs. Austin Peay - 27
Joy Adams, Iona - vs. Monmouth - 26
Sherae Bonner, Western Carolina - vs. Livingstone - 26
Jillian Alleyne, Oregon - vs. UCLA - 25
Kayla Roberts, Norfolk State - vs. Hampton - 25
Brittni Montgomery, UCF - vs. Iona - 24
Betnijah Laney, Rutgers - vs. North Carolina - 24
Joy Adams, Iona - vs. Monmouth - 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
Vicky McIntyre, Oral Roberts - vs. Omhama - 24
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. Betnijah Laney (2011-present) - 844
8. Kathy Glutz (1976-80) - 835
9. June Olkowski (1978-82) - 780
10. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) - 764
CLEANING THE GLASS
Rutgers has won the battle of the boards in 19 of its 26 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 11.2 rebounds per game in 2014-15. She is 13th nationally in defensive rebounds (8.0) and 19th in the country and third in the Big Ten in total rebounds per game (11.0).
Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season and has posted double figure rebounds in 18 of her 25 appearances this season.
THEIVING KNIGHTS
Syessence Davis had just one point off a free throw in the first meeting with 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 3.4 steals per game ranking her first in the Big Ten and fifth 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. Syessence Davis - 278
5. Matee Ajavon (2004-08) - 275
6. Denise Kenney (1976-79) - 263
7. Epiphanny Prince (2006-09) - 260
8. Vicky Picott (1987-91) - 257
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 fourth nationally in assist/turnover ratio. She has dished the ball out a total of 108 times with only 32 miscues through 26 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 20 of her 25 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. Syessence Davis - 381
11. Telicher Austin (1985-89) - 371
A FIRST HALF FACT
The Scarlet Knights have led at the half in 22 of its 26 contests to date.
TURNOVERS
Scarlet Knight opponents are averaging 19.4 miscues per game, which included 38 turnovers by Penn State on Jan. 10.
PSU's mishandling of the ball 38 times in the first meeting 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.
Most recently, RU opponents have had back-to-back games with 20 or more miscues. On Tuesday night against Illinois, turned the ball over 21 times and in the last two games Scarlet Knight opponents have averaging 21.5 mishandlings.
R TURNOVERS
The Scarlet Knights committed a season-low nine turnovers, which included only one miscue in the first half, on Jan. 18 at Wisconsin. Last time Rutgers had less than 10 turnovers was against Harvard on Mar. 24, 2014 in the WNIT when the Scarlet Knights had only eight miscues.
Most recently, Rutgers committed only 10 turnovers in the 78-49 win over Purdue on Feb. 14. Conversely, the Boilermakers had 22 miscues resulting in a season-high 30 points off turnovers for the Scarlet Knights.
The Scarlet Knights have committed 15 or fewer miscues 13 times this season.
NIKE HONORS STRINGER FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Rutgers women's basketball head coach C. Vivian Stringer was among six coaches and athletes who served as inspiration behind Nike's Black History Month Collection for positively impacting sport with their courage and determination.
Along with Stringer, Georgetown men's basketball coach John Thompson, NFL wide receiver Jerry Rice, track and field athlete Brianna Rollins, Ghana national soccer team member Kevin-Prince Boateng and California skateboarder Theotis Beasley were honored.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of the 2015 BHM Collection go to the Ever Higher Fund, which supports organizations that leverage the power of sport to maximize the potential of underserved youth. The fund's mission is to assist communities with knowledge, resources and tools for the next generation of leaders.
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team closes the road portion of its schedule on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. against Northwestern.
