WBB Looks To Extend Home Win Streak Vs. Illinois
Jan 12 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team returns home to the RAC, where the Scarlet Knights have won seven-straight, to host Illinois on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m.
| Game Seventeen: Rutgers (11-5, 2-2 Big Ten) vs. Illinois (7-8, 0-4 Big Ten) | |
| Date | Wednesday, Jan. 13 |
| Time | 7:00 p.m. EST |
| Location | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Video | BTN Plus (Loug Brogno & Cathy Andruzzi) |
| Radio | WRSU 88.7 FM (Matt Salvatore & Julianne Roca) |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Illinois |
| Conference Game Notes | Big Ten |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Illinois |
| Tickets | ScarletKnights.com/Tickets |
| Promotions | $5 Meal Combo |
DEFENDING HOME STREAK
The Rutgers women's basketball team is back home to defend its seven-game win streak on Wednesday in the first of two meetings with Illinois.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a three-game week which included a home victory over Wisconsin (61-41) and setbacks at No. 25 Iowa (69-65) and No. 5 Ohio State (90-78).
Against the fifth-ranked Buckeyes on Sunday, Tyler Scaife dropped in a season-high 27 points, while Kahleah Copper added in her sixth double-double of the year and third in the last four games. The senior Scarlet Knight contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Rutgers has won seven straight at the RAC, where they own a 7-1 record on the 2015-16 season.
ABOUT ILLINOIS
Illinois makes its second ever trip to the RAC on Wednesday entering the contest at 7-8 overall and 0-4 in Big Ten Conference play.
After opening the season with four straight wins and emerging victories in seven of their first eight contests, the Fighting Illini will be looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. Illinois last victory was on Dec. 12 in a 74-69 victory over Central Michigan. Most recently, Illinois is coming off a 73-57 set back at Nebraska on Sunday.
Chatrice White leads the Fighting Illini at 17.9 points per game along with a team-leading 9.8 rebounds per game. She is 10th in the league in scoring and second behind Northwestern's Nia Coffey in rebounding.
Joining White in double figures is Kyley Simmons at 11.5 points per game and Cierra Rice at 13.6 points per contests.
LAST TIME VS. ILLINOIS
The No. 19/18 Rutgers women's basketball team steam rolled past Illinois, claiming an 80-56 victory on Feb. 17, 2015 at the RAC en-route to its 20th win of the season.
Tyler Scaife paced the Scarlet Knight offense for the ninth time last season with a game-high 21 points. Kahleah Copper followed with 16 points, while Betnijah Laney and Rachel Hollivay poured in 14 points apiece.
Illinois was led by Ivory Crawford with 15 points in the loss. Kyley Simmons added 12 points to stat sheet, all of which were from beyond the arc. Brittany Carter registered 11 points, while Chatrice White posted 10 points to round out the double-figure scorers.
Rutgers and Illinois started the contest with a back-and-forth battle, trading the lead on multiple occasions. After nearly five minutes of play, the score was tied at 11-11, after which Rutgers found a spark, going on a 16-5 run to generate a 27-16 advantage with 7:39 on the clock.
The Fighting Illini, however, quickly scored back-to-back three pointers and a jumper by Crawford to pulled Illinois to within six, 32-26, with just over three minutes remaining until the intermission.
Thanks to a pair of steals by Copper and Syessence Davis, the Scarlet Knights were able to hold off Illinois for the remainder of the first half to carry a 36-28 advantage into halftime.
The Scarlet Knights opened the second half outscoring the Fighting Illini, 18-8, and established a 55-36 edge as the clock read 12:28 left.
Kyley Simmons knocked in a three-pointer in an attempt to stump the run, but Rutgers responded with nine-uncontested points, while holding Illinois scoreless for nearly five minutes of play. The run helped to develop RU's largest lead of the night, 64-39, with 7:40 left in the game.
The lead would only grow as the Scarlet Knights registered another four points straight to jump in front, 68-41, after only a minute had expired.
Rutgers maintained at least a 22-point edge over Illinois for the remainder of the contest. Despite the solid lead, the Scarlet Knights never let up as Cynthia Hernandez drained consecutive buckets from beyond the arc to keep the RU offense rolling en-route to the 24-point victory.
CRACKING THE TOP TEN
With her team-high 20 points against the Hawkeyes last Monday night, Kahleah Copper joined a number of notable names in Rutgers scoring history as she cracked the Top 10 in all-time scoring.
Copper became the 11th Scarlet Knight to register 1,500 or more career points. She needs four more points to move up on the list to surpass WNBA All-Star and 2015 Second Team All-WNBA honoree, Epiphanny Prince, for ninth place.
HOMESTAND STANDOUTS
The Scarlet Knights are currently enjoying a seven-game home win streak dating back to late November.
During this stretch in the friendly confines at the RAC, RU has been outscoring the opposition by an average of 19.6 points per game pouring in 62.9 points per home contest while opponents are netting just 43.3.
Additionally, RU is averaging 15.0 assists, 8.7 steals, 6.7 blocks and committing just 11.4 turnovers in the seven-game span.
During the win streak, Tyler Scaife is averaging 18.6 points per game, while Kahleah Copper is adding in 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Also Briyona Canty is dishing the ball out 5.1 times per game and Rachel Hollivay is swatting away the ball 4.0 times per contest.
CAPITALIZING ON MISCUES
Rutgers netted 23 points off 21 Iowa turnovers in last Monday night's contest. The Scarlet Knights posted 19 points in the first half on 16 Hawkeye turnovers.
In the last five games, RU has averaged 23.0 points off a total of 111 opponent miscues.
Conversely, RU has averaged just 11.7 turnovers in that span including a season low four turnovers in their last home contest against Wisconsin. It was the fewest turnovers by the program since turning the ball over five times at Syracuse on Feb. 14, 2007.
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, 351-268, in the first half of play, including a 185-125 advantage in the first quarter.
In games lost, the opponent leads RU, 176-139 in scoring in first half, including a 96-53 edge in first quarter scoring.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE
This season senior Kahleah Copper has collected six double-doubles, including three of the last four games
Two of her six double-doubles have come against schools from her hometown of Philadelphia. Three other double doubles have come against Big Ten competition.
To date, Copper has registered 11 double figure scoring and rebounding contests in her career.
FROM THE LINE
Junior Tyler Scaife has been clutch from the line missing just four free throws in her 45 attempts to date. She currently leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally in free throw percentage, shooting at a .911 percent clip.
LOOKING AT THE THREE
The members of the Scarlet Knights took working on three-pointers seriously over the summer, which resulted in RU knocking down eight shots from downtown in the season opener at St. Joseph's on Nov. 13.
RU has hit at least one three-point field goal in each of its 16 games to date and is averaging 4.3 three point field goals a game.
Nine different Scarlet Knights have connected from beyond the arc led by Tyler Scaife with 18 3-point field goals made, followed by Kahleah Copper with 14 and Cynthia Hernandez with 13.
PROTECTING HOMECOURT
The Scarlet Knights have had an outstanding track record of success at home. The Scarlet Knights went 11-4 at home in 2014-15, with all four setbacks against the nation's top 25 and are 7-1 this season.
Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 168-30 (.848) at the RAC. In this last five years, RU has put together a record of 71-14 (.835) at the RAC.
UP NEXT
Following Wednesday's contest with the Fighting Illini, the Scarlet Knights are back on the road making its first road trip to Nebraska on Saturday, Jan. 16 and follow with a trip to Michigan State on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Both road contests will air on BTN.
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-RU-
