LINCOLN, NEB. -- Despite a four Scarlet Knights registering double-figure scoring and a double-double from senior Ariel Butts (Columbus, Ga.), Rutgers dropped its contest at Nebraska, 65-54, on Saturday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
It was a late surge from the three-point range for Nebraska in the fourth to overtake the lead and steal the victory. Rutgers had controlled the lead for three quarters of the contest, outlasting numerous attempts of Nebraska challenging to claim the advantage.
The Scarlet Knights fell to an overall mark of 12-6 and a Big Ten record of 3-3, as the Huskers improved to 12-5 overall and 3-3 in conference action.
Senior Kahleah Copper (Philadelphia, Pa.) led RU with 12 points, followed by junior Tyler Scaife (Little Rock, Ark.) and senior Rachel Hollivay (Columbus, Miss.) with 11 points each in the loss. Butts registered her first double-double of her career with 10 points and a career-high and game-high 14 rebounds.
Nebraska finished with three in double figures as Jessica Shepard led all scorers with 22 points in the contest. Natalie Romeo followed with 19 points, 15 of which came from the three-point range, while Rachel Theriot contributed 17 points, 11 of which she secured at the charity stripe.
Rutgers opened the contest with a 6-0 run across the first four minutes of play. Keeping the Cornhuskers off the board until at the 5:51 mark, the Scarlet Knights extended their lead to 14-10 by the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Nebraska was able to bring the margin to two, 14-12, however, Rutgers used a 6-2 run to keep their advantage at 20-14 with 6:30 to go in the half. Husker Natalie Romeo registered back-to-back three-pointers across the next two minutes of play to tie the score at 20-20 with 4:42 on the clock.
Redshirt senior Briyona Canty (Willingboro, N.J.) returned momentum back to the Scarlet Knights with four straight points, as RU carried a 24-20 lead into the locker room at the half.
Rutgers and Nebraska traded points to start off the third quarter. Although the score was knotted on four occasions, due in part to seven Husker free throws, Rutgers maintained a 34-33 lead with 4:10 left in the frame. A three-point play from Hollivay ignited a 9-6 run for the Scarlet Knights, defending their lead and holding on to a 43-39 lead with a minute to go in the third.
Moments into the final stanza tied the score at 43-43. Copper drained a three-pointer to give the Scarlet Knights a 46-43 edge. However, Romeo responded with back-to-back three-pointers of her own to give Nebraska its first lead of the night at 49-46 with 6:25 to go in the game.
Despite a jumper from Canty pulling RU back within one, Romeo registered another basket from beyond the arc to push the Husker lead to 52-48. A free throw from Copper brought the margin to three, 54-51, with 2:58 remaining on the clock. However, it is the closest RU would come as Nebraska went on to lead by as many as 11 to steal the win.
KNIGHT NOTES:
- Assistant coach Timothy Eatman served as acting head coach against the Cornhuskers as head coach C. Vivian Stringer attended to her mother who has fallen ill.
- Rutgers finished the game with four in double figures for the first time in Big Ten play this season. RU last had four Scarlet Knights with double digits in the nonconference finale with LSU on Dec. 31.
- Ariel Butts became the third Scarlet Knight this season to record a double-double. She finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
- Butts tied her career-high with 10 points. She also had 10 points against Virginia during the Paradise Jam on Nov. 27.
- Butts also registered a career-high 14 rebounds, her most rebounds since grabbing 11 vs. St. John's on Nov. 19.
- Kahleah Copper was just short of her third consecutive double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. She reached double figures for the eighth straight contest.
- Tyler Scaife reached double-figure scoring for the 11th straight game. She ended the game with 11 points.
- Hollivay reached double digits for the sixth time in 2015-16 and 31st time in career with her 11 points. She has averaged 12.5 points in the last two games.
- Rutgers fell to 10-2 when leading at the half. The Scarlet Knights other loss after leading at the intermission was in a 69-65 setback at Iowa on Jan. 4. In the game against the Hawkeyes, RU led 37-33 at the half.
- Rutgers committed nine turnovers, the third time this season with 10 or fewer miscues.
Conversely, Nebraska had only five turnovers, the fewest by an RU opponent this season. The previous opponent low was nine by Virginia (Nov. 27) and Illinois (Jan. 13).
- RU outrebounded Nebraska, 46-30, its second largest rebounding margin of the season. In the last two outings, the Scarlet Knights have maintained a +19.0 rebounding margin.
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