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RVISION: Postgame Press Conference PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Concluding its nonconference slate, the Rutgers women's basketball team was topped by Temple in a 48-37 decision on Saturday afternoon at the RAC.
The Scarlet Knights led by as many as 13 midway through the second quarter before the Owls made the comeback. After playing to a 26-18 halftime edge, RU was limited to just 11 points in the second, half while Temple poured in 30 in the turnaround.
Sophomore forward Desiree Keeling paced the Scarlet Knights (3-10) with her first career double-double, posting a career-high 14 rebounds to go with 10 points. Additionally, Keeling matched her career best with four rejected shots. Sophomore guard Aliyah Jeune followed with seven points, while junior guards Jazlynd Rollins and Kandiss Barber added in six points each.
Feyonda Fitzgerald led the Owls (7-3) with a game high 19 points, while Donnaizha Fountain followed with 15 points to round out the double figure scorers.
Rutgers quickly moved to an 11-2 lead at the start of the first quarter, with Jeune capping the burst with a three-pointer at the 5:04 minute mark. From there, the Owls responded with five-straight points, but the Scarlet Knights stopped the surge to close the first quarter with a 15-8 advantage.
RU continued to grow its lead into the second quarter, as a Rollins' three-pointer pushed the Scarlet Knight lead to double digits with a 20-8 margin at 7:59 to go in the frame.
After nearly a three-minute stalemate for both sides, Temple opened a point-for-point battle for the remainder of the stanza. Temple edged Rutgers in scoring, 8-6, throughout the span, but three-pointers for Parker and Sanders kept the Scarlet Knight lead at 26-18 going into the break.
Returning from halftime, the Owls opened the third quarter with an 8-2 burst to tie up the score at 28-28, and went on to lead by 31-28 with 2:35 to go in the frame following a Tanaya Atkinson free throw. A Barber layup brought RU within one on the next possession, however, Temple pushed its lead to as many as six at 36-30.
A three-pointer for Rollins made it a three-point game at 36-33 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter, but Temple's Fountain countered with a three-pointer of her own to set the Owl edge at 39-33 after three quarters of action.
In a low scoring fourth frame for both teams, Temple outscored Rutgers, 9-4, to close out the game.
Rutgers opens Big Ten play on the road at Michigan on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET live on Big Ten Network.
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