Women's Basketball Hits The Road
Nov 12 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team begins a four-game road trip starting with the Scarlet Knights' first ever meeting with the Elon Phoenix. Tipoff is set for Monday at Alumni Gym at 5:30 p.m.
| Game Two: Elon (0-1, 0-0 CAA) | |
| Date | Monday, Nov. 14 |
| Time | 5:30 p.m. EST |
| Location | Alumni Gym | Elon, N.C. |
| Video | Phoenix All-Access |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM (Ralph Bednarczyk) |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Game Notes | Rutgers ( Big Ten) | Elon (CAA) |
| Stats | Rutgers | Elon |
ON THE ROAD
The Rutgers women's basketball team hits the road for the first time in 2016-17 traveling to Elon for a matchup with the Phoenix of the CAA on Monday at 5:30 p.m. It will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.
The Scarlet Knights will be looking to get into the win column after a 66-53 season opening loss to Chattanooga, the defending SoCon champions. In the loss, junior Shrita Parker led RU with 10 points and a career-high tying five assists, while sophomore Aliyah Jeune hauled in a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Scarlet Knights on the boards.
ABOUT ELON
The Phoenix are coming off a season opening loss, as well, after falling 71-56 at Green Bay in the Preseason WNIT. Rutgers faced Green Bay last season in St. Thomas defeating the Phoenix, 54-43, enroute to the 2015 Paradise Jam title.
In the loss on Friday night, senior guard Lauren Brown led Elon with 17 points and newcomer guard Jada Graves added in 12 points. Green Bay held a 34-9 lead at the half and Elon came as close as 10 points, 57-47, with 7:09 left in the game.
Last year, Elon finished at 18-13 overall and 11-7 in the CAA, finishing fourth in the league.
Among the eight returning members of the Phoenix, four of last year's starters return
including Essence Baucom (8.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg), Shay Burnett (12.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Malaya Johnson (8.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Maddie McCallie (3.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg).
Prior to the start of the season, Burnett was a Preseason First Team All-CAA pick while teammate Jennifer Rhodes was an honorable mention selection. Rhodes put away 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds a season ago.
In the Preseason CAA Poll, the Phoenix were selected second behind reigning conference champion James Madison, who the Scarlet Knights will face on Dec. 5.
Head coach Charlotte Smith is in her sixth season with the Phoenix having helped Elon to two straight WNIT appearances and three overall post-season appearances in the last five seasons. Smith was also an assistant coach with Team USA's Women's U18 squad helping to guide the team to the FIBA Americans U18 Championship in Valdiva, Chile this summer.
AND YOUTH SHALL LEAD YOU
Friday's box score with Chattanooga featured four sophomores, one returning junior and four newcomers in two freshmen and two JUCO transfers.
Out of the starting five, junior Shrita Parker had the most starting experience with 14 nods to the starting five last season. Sophomore KK Sanders had appeared in five starts as a freshman in 2015-16, including the two WNIT contests, while sophomore Victoria Harris had previously made two starts at center as a rookie.
Sophomore Aliyah Jeune and freshman Kate Hill, meanwhile, both made their starting lineup debuts. Hill was the first freshman to get a starting role in a season opener since Tyler Scaife's rookie season in 2013-14.
ON PACE WITH PARKER
Shrita Parker led Rutgers in scoring in Friday's loss with Chattanooga with 10 points. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native was the top RU scorer for just the second time in her career and scored in double figures for the seventh time in her three years "On the Banks".
Additionally, Parker dished the ball out a career-high tying five times. She also handed out the ball five times in the overtime loss at Purdue last year.
OH NO YOU DON'T
The Scarlet Knights graduated all-time shot blocker Rachel Hollivay last season, but Victoria Harris seems ready to keep up Hollivay's shot blocking pace.
The sophomore Scarlet Knight registered five blocks in 20 minutes of play against the Lady Mocs.
SIDELINED
Ashli Jeune will be sidelined for the 2016-17 season it was announced prior to the Chattanooga game on Friday.
The redshirt sophomore suffered an ACL tear in her left knee earlier in the week.
A native of Southampton, New Jersey, Jeune redshirted the 2014-15 season and appeared in 21 contests as a redshirt freshman in 2015-16.
YOUNGER SISTER SHINES
While it was announced that Ashli Jeune will have to miss the 2016-17 season on Friday, her younger sister Aliyah put up some notable numbers in the season opener.
The sophomore not only garnered her first career start, but grabbed a career-high seven rebounds and collected a career-high four steals.
UP NEXT
The Rutgers women's basketball team returns to the state of North Carolina to meet Wake Forest on Thursday, Nov. 17. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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.
-RU-
