Senior Day Sunday
Feb 28 | Women's Basketball
| B1G Ten Tournament Second Round:No. 5 Rutgers vs. No. 12 Indiana | |
| Date | Thursday, March 5, 2015 |
| Time | Approx 3:00 p.m. (ET) |
| Location | Sears Centre | Hoffman Estates,Ill. |
| TV | BTN Lisa Byington, Vera Jones & Christy Winters-Scott |
| Radio | Rutgers Sports Radio Network (1450 AM) Danny Breslauer Rutgers Student Radio - WRSU (88.7 FM) Mike Rivera and Lance Glinn |
| Game Notes | Rutgers| Indiana |
| Statistics | Rutgers| Indiana |
| Social Media | @RutgersWBB | Facebook/RutgersWBB  |
TIP OFF
The 2014 WNIT Champions travel to the Sears Centre for its inaugural Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament appearance. The Scarlet Knights wrapped up the regular season on Sunday with a 71-60 victory over Indiana and are the No. 5 seed in the tournament.
? Three Scarlet Knights earned All-Big Ten honors it was announced on Monday. Senior forward Betnijah Laney was a First Team All-Big Ten selection, junior forward Kahleah Copper earned Second Team All-Big Ten Accolades and senior guard Syessence Davis was a Honorable Mention All-Big Ten pick.
? Rutgers will open up Big Ten Tournament action playing No. 12 Indiana at approximately 3 p.m. (ET) on BTN.
LAST TIME VS. INDIANA:
With three players scoring in double figures, the Scarlet Knights sent their seniors out on a high note with 71-60 victory on Sunday afternoon at the RAC. Junior guard Kahleah Copper led the way for the Scarlet Knights with 24 points and seven rebounds. Laney produced her 18th double-double of the season, dropping 18 points with 13 rebounds. Laney also added five assists to her stat line. Sophomore guard Tyler Scaife joined Copper and Laney in double figures with 16 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. Rutgers shot 49 percent (32-of-67) and forced 19 Hoosier turnovers to secure the victory. Indiana was led in scoring by guard Trya Buss, who produced 14 points in the loss. Guard Amanda Cahill also represented the Hoosier in double-figures with 11 points.
Both teams traded baskets early in the first half, but Rutgers come out to a 17-8 advantage at the 12:30 mark. The nine-point lead would be the largest for the Scarlet Knights during first half action. A free throw by Buss capped nine unanswered points for Indiana, tying the score at 17-17 with 9:09 left before the midpoint. The opening half featured two more ties before back-to-back layups from Scaife sparked a 6-2 run to close out the half. Rutgers entered the locker room with a 30-26 lead.
Rutgers never looked back in the second half, leading by as much as 19 points down the stretch. The Scarlet Knights outscored Indiana, 28-13 by the 7:50 mark. Indiana would not draw any closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
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 181 wins in league play. She won 169 games while at Iowa and 12 at Rutgers.
ALL-TIME B1G WBB WINS
C. Vivian Stringer, IOWA (1983-95), RU (1995-present) 181
Rene Portland, PSU (1980-07) 176
Karen Langeland, MSU (1976-00) 156
Lisa Bluder, IOWA (2000-Present) 152
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 B1G WBB WIN PERCENTAGE
Tara Van Derveer, OSU 4 53-4 .929
Carolyn Peck, PUR 2 26-5 .855
Brenda Frese, MINN, MD 2 28-5 .848
Vivian Stringer, IOWA, RU 13 181-51 .780
Kristy Curry, PUR 7 86-26 .768
Lin Dunn, PUR 9 120-38 .759
Nell Fortner, PUR 1 12-4 .750
Jim Foster, OSU 11 136-46 .747
Rene Portland, PSU 15 175-69 .717
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 five 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 - 430-214/(1995-present) 20 seasons
Ellen Johns - 6-5/(1974-75) One season
Dottie McCrea - 5-9/(1975-76) One season
WATCH LIST
Senior Syessence Davis is among the 15 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, recognizing the top point guard in the country. 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.
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. 70.0 (35 games) 1998-99 - 29-6 - Elite Eight
2. 69.4 (29 games) 2014-15 - 21-8 - Current Season
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 29 contests to date.
TOP 25 OPPONENTS
Rutgers currently stands at 3-6 against the top 25 after the Feb. 26 setback at No. 25 Northwestern. 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 team and a 66-61 win over Minnesota on Jan. 25, a squad ranked at No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll.
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.
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.
In her 18 games back, all in Big Ten play, the senior Scarlet Knight has averaged 16.7 points and 9.7 boards per game. She has scored 20 or more points in five of the 18 games and posted double-doubles in 11 conference contests as well.
BETTING DOUBLE
Senior forward Betnijah Laney has 18 double-double performances this season and is tied for 10th 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 has 33 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. 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)
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) 873
8. Kathy Glutz (1976-80) 835
9. June Olkowski (1978-82) 780
10. C'ta Mitchelson (1989-93) 764
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Syessence Davis was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and becomes the third Scarlet Knight to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors. Current assistant coach Chelsea Newton was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, while Essence Carson, a current member of the New York Liberty, was the BIG EAST's top defensive player in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
THIEVING 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 fourth nationally.
Last season, she averaged 2.9 steals, led the American and was ninth nationally in the category. She needs three more steals to tie current assistant coach Tasha Pointer's all-time steals record.
ALL-TIME RU STEALS
1. Tasha Pointer (1997-01) *292
2. Syessence Davis 289
T-4. Sue Wicks (1984-88) 287
T-4. Liz Hanson (1992-96) 287
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 122 times with only 38 miscues through 29 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 23 of her 29 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 390
ALMOST A TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Syessence Davis nearly missed out on a triple double as RU closed out the nonconference slate on Dec. 20 at Iona. Davis registered 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the 66-58 victory. It was Davis' first career double-double. Rutgers' last triple-double was by Khadijah Rushdan in 2011 with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Pittsburgh. Teammate Rachel Hollivay nearly captured a triple-double last season at Howard ending the 68-38 victory last Nov. 22 with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks. Davis became the third Scarlet Knight this season to perform a double-double joining Betnijah Laney and Briyona Canty.
SHINING COPPER
In conference play, Kahleah Copper is leading the Scarlet Knights at 17.4 points per game. Copper has scored in double figures in all but four games this season and has had 20+ point performances in the last three straight and four of the last five contests to close out the regular season. In the final five games of the regular season, she has averaged 20.8 points per contest.
The Philadelphia product has registered 13 games of shooting 50 percent or better from the floor.
Copper has also been known as the go to Scarlet Knight.
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.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Tyler Scaife, last year's American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, is averaging 14.7 points per game.
On Jan. 25 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 50 of her 66 career appearances and has led RU in scoring nine times in 2014-15. Scaife is averaging 15.9 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.
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
Jan. 15, 2015 - vs. #8/8 Maryland - 8 points
Feb. 10, 2015 - vs. #5/5 Maryland - 10 points
CLEANING THE GLASS
Rutgers has won the battle of the boards in 19 of its 29 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 10.8 rebounds per game in 2014-15. Laney had 17 double digit rebounding efforts last season and has posted double figure rebounds in 19 of her 28 appearances this season.
TURNOVERS
Scarlet Knight opponents are averaging 19.3 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 a 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 three straight games with 20 or more miscues averaging 22.3 turnovers in games with Purdue, Illinois and Michigan State. Michigan State on Feb. 22 turned the ball over 24 times resulting in 27 Scarlet Knight points. The 24 turnovers were the most by an RU opponent since Penn State's 38 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. 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. Most recently, RU committed 10 first half turnovers at Michigan State on Feb. 22, but cleaned up their ball handling in the second stanza and registered just four turnovers in the second half. The Scarlet Knights have committed 15 or fewer miscues 16 times this season.
UP NEXT
The winner of Thursday's game will advance to play No. 4 Northwestern in the quarterfinals on Friday at approximately 3 p.m. (ET).
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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