FIRST ROUND WNIT: WBB vs. Georgetown
Mar 16 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team hosts Georgetown in the first round of the WNIT on Thursday, March 17. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
| WNIT FIRST ROUND: Rutgers (18-14, 8-10 Big Ten) vs. Georgetown (16-13, 9-9 Big East) | |
| Date | Thursday, March 17 |
| Time | 7:00 p.m. EST |
| Location | The RAC | Piscataway, N.J. |
| Video | BTN Plus |
| Radio | Rutgers IMG Radio Network - WCTC 1450 AM (Ralph Bednarczyk & Mark Peterson) WRSU 88.7 FM (Ryan Moran & Gabe Sustick) |
| Live Stats | |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Georgetown |
| Conference Game Notes | Big Ten | Big East |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Georgetown |
| Tickets | ScarletKnights.com/Tickets |
SEASON CONTINUES IN THE WNIT
The Rutgers women's basketball team's season continues with an at-large bid to the WNIT Postseason Tournament. The Scarlet Knights make their second WNIT appearance having won the 2014 title in their only other appearance in the tournament.
Rutgers enters Thursday's contest with an 18-14 overall mark and finished Big Ten play at 8-10. The 10th-seeded Scarlet Knights upset seventh seeded Nebraska, 66-63, in a come-from-behind victory in the Big Ten Tournament second round before RU's tournament run was halted in the quarterfinals by second seeded Ohio State, 73-58.
RU is led by Second Team All-Big Ten honorees Kahleah Copper and Tyler Scaife. Scaife, who used a coast-to-coast layup to help the Scarlet Knights to the 2014 WNIT title in a 56-54 victory over UTEP, leads Rutgers at 17.6 points per game. Copper, the 2014 WNIT MVP, is adding in 17.5 points per game along with a team-leading 8.0 rebounds per game.
Rutgers also features Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree Rachel Hollivay. Hollivay is averaging 7.3 points per game and is the Scarlet Knights' all-time leading shot blocker.
ABOUT GEORGETOWN
Georgetown comes to the RAC with a 16-13 overall record and 9-9 mark in the Big East.
The Hoyas fell to eventual tournament champion, St. John's, in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, 65-52.
Georgetown is led by freshman guard Dionna White at 14.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and is closely followed by sophomore guard Dorothy Adomako at 14.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Both Hoyas were Second Team All-Big East selections.
WNIT HISTORY
Rutgers is 6-0 in the WNIT winning the 2014 title, including the final three games on the road.
The Scarlet Knights opened the tournament run with three-straight home victories including a 65-61 first round win over Delaware, a 63-52 victory over Harvard in the second round and a double overtime 91-79 win over Seton Hall in the third round.
The quarterfinals saw RU emerge with a 55-50 win at Bowling Green, a team that had won 16 of its last 17 contests before meeting the Scarlet Knights.
In the semifinals, Rutgers defeated USF, 62-52, in Tampa before heading off to the WNIT Championship game.
The Scarlet Knights collected the title in a 56-54 win over UTEP in front of sold out crowd of 12,222 at the Don Haskins Center. Tyler Scaife went coast-to-coast for the game-winning bucket with 2.1 seconds remaining in the contest.
CRACKING THE TOP TEN
With her 17 points in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament against Nebraska, Kahleah Copper became the fourth Scarlet Knight to net over 1,800 career points and with her 25 points against Ohio State in the Big Ten quarterfinals became Rutgers' third all-time leading scorer.
Copper surpassed Regina Howard (1983-87) for the third position on the all-time scoring leaders list and currently has 1,832 career points. Only Cappie Pondexter (2002-06) and Sue Wick (1984-88) had scored more points in their careers "On The Banks".
Teammate Tyler Scaife also continues to move up the scoring leaders list. Scaife cracked the top 10 on the scoring leaders list against Michigan on Feb. 28 in the regular season finale with a team-leading 23 points. Scaife passed WNBA All-Star and 2015 All-WNBA Second Team member Epiphany Prince (2006-09).
Scaife currently has 1,589 career points and needs 34 more points to move up against into ninth past Matee Ajavon (2004-08).
HELPING HAND
Redshirt senior guard Briyona Canty has registered 16 games with five or more assists this season and is currently averaging 4.9 assists per game. She is sixth in the Big Ten.
Canty had a career-high 12 assist performance against Purdue on Feb. 25 in the Scarlet Knights' regular season road game. The 12 helpers were the most by a Scarlet Knights since Matee Ajavon handed out 13 assists against TCU on March 21, 2006.
It marked the fourth time in her career she has handed out double digits assists.
This season, Canty had 10 assists in RU's Big Ten opening win over the Golden Gophers.
Last season, she also had two double figure assist games in RU's 63-52 second round Big Ten Tournament win over Indiana as well as RU's victory over Northeastern on Nov. 18, 2013.
Canty's double dishing effort marked the first double-digit assist game for a Scarlet Knight since Syessence Davis dished out the ball 10 times against Providence on Jan. 16, 2013.
In addition to her 10 assists in the opening Big Ten Tournament game with Indiana, she also handed the ball out six times in the quarterfinal against Northwestern to average 8.0 assists during Big Ten post-season play.
Canty handed out six assists in helping Rutgers snap a four-game skid in a 66-56 win over Nebraska on Jan. 30. It gave her 100 assists on the year, marking the third straight season she has captured 100 or more assists. She dished out 117 total assists last season.
BLOCK PARTY
On Feb. 21 against #6 Maryland, senior Rachel Hollivay recorded three blocks to become the first Scarlet Knight in history to have multiple seasons with 100 or more blocks.
To date, Hollivay currently has 109 in the 2015-16 season and 329 in her career. She currently ranks fourth among all Division I players in the category.
Hollivay had a season-high eight rejections against No. 25/22 Michigan State on Feb. 18 and against Penn State on Feb. 7, she had five blocks to become the first Rutgers women's basketball player with 300 career blocks.
Her feat was on the heels of collecting five blocks on Feb. 4 at Minnesota, to become RU women's basketball's all-time career shot blocks leader surpassing legend and former WNBA standout Sue Wicks (1984-88).
She also ranks third all-time among all Rutgers basketball student-athletes in career blocked shots. Only Hamady Ndiaye (2006-10) (358) and Roy Hinson (1979-83) (355) on the men's side have more career blocks.
Hollivay ended her sophomore season with 127 rejections which ranks her third (men or women) in blocks in a single season. Only Hamady Ndiaye (2009-10) and Roy Hinson (1982-83) on the men's side have blocked more shots in a single season, swatting away 145 and 144, respectively.
20/20 COURT VISION
Five times this season the duo of Kahleah Copper and Tyler Scaife have each put away 20 or more points in the same game.
More recently, the Scarlet Knight tandem led Rutgers with 20+ point outings at the Big Ten Tournament with Scaife's leading Rutgers with 26 points closely followed by Copper's 25 in the quarterfinal loss to Ohio State.
Two games featuring Scaife and Copper with 20 or more points have come down to the wire with overtime against Purdue on Feb. 25 and the thrilling victory over Northwestern on Feb. 10 with Scaife notching the game-winning basket in the final seconds.
On Feb. 25 against the Boilermakers, Scaife collected 23 points followed by Copper's 22 points. Nine of Scaife's team-high 23 points came in the third quarter as RU overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to take a 45-42 advantage into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Copper put away nine of her 22 points on the evening.
Against the Wildcats on Feb. 10, Tyler Scaife led RU with 24 points, her 11th game of the season with 20 or more points while Kahleah Copper dropped in 20 points, her eighth game this season with 20 or more points.
Rutgers also had two 20-point performers in the season opener against St. Joseph's Nov. 13. In that contest, Copper had a then-career-high 30 points, while Scaife also netted 24 points in the victory.
In the last 10 games, Copper has averaged 20.6 points per game, including 20 or more points in eight games during the span. She has reached the 20+ point mark in the final three contests of the regular season.
DOUBLING DOUBLE DOUBLES
Both Rachel Hollivay and Kahleah Copper collected double-doubles in RU's 66-55 Big Ten opening victory over Minnesota and in both victories over Illinois this season.
In Champaign on Feb. 13, Copper collected her ninth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Hollivay notched her fourth double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 boards.
In round one against the Fighting Illini back on Jan. 13, Hollivay put away a season-high 14 points and career-high tying 14 rebounds. Copper meanwhile added in 15 points and 11 boards.
In the Big Ten opener with Minnesota on Dec. 21, they were the first Scarlet Knight duo with double-doubles since Betnijah Laney (14 pts, 10 reb) and Briyona Canty (10 pts, 10 ast) both had double-double performances against Northeastern on Nov. 19, 2014. Hollivay poured in 14 points and hauled in 12 rebounds, while Copper netted 10 points to go along with 11 boards against the Golden Gophers.
PASSING THE TORCH
Last season Betnijah Laney, who was taken by the Chicago Sky in the second round of the WNBA draft and is currently suiting up with the Perth Lynx in Australia during the off-season, was Rutgers' double-double machine posting 20 double-digit scoring and rebounding games.
This season, returning leading scorer Kahleah Copper has picked up right where Laney left off. Through the end of the 2015-16 regular season, Copper has collected 11 double-doubles.
Two of her 10 double-doubles have come against schools from her hometown of Philadelphia. Seven other double doubles have come against Big Ten competition.
Copper's most recent double-double stemmed from 25 points and 12 rebounds in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament against Ohio State.
To date, Copper has registered 16 double figure scoring and rebounding contests.
TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU
Briyona Canty was nearing triple double territory with 11 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in the Feb. 7 contest at Penn State.
The last triple double by a Scarlet Knight was last performed by Khadijah Rushdan in 2011 with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Pittsburgh.
One other Scarlet Knight on the current roster has flirted with capturing a triple double. Rachel Hollivay nearly captured a triple-double against Howard on Nov. 22, 2013 with 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks.
SHOOTING SOLUTION
Shrita Parker reset her career high once again as one of four Scarlet Knights in double figures in RU's 66-56 victory over Nebraska on Jan. 30 Parker recorded 14 points in the win.
Parker was also one of four Scarlet Knights in double figures in RU's setback to No. 7/7 Ohio State on Jan. 14.
Parker collected a then career-high 13 points in her seventh start of the season. The sophomore Scarlet Knight went 4-of-8 from the field, including a 4-of-7 mark from three-point range, either tying or resetting personal bench marks in makes and attempts.
Parker's four made shots from beyond the arc against the Buckeyes ties for the most made by a Scarlet Knight this season.
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO
Savannah State netted only 26 points on Dec. 13 the fewest allowed by a Big Ten school this season, and was RU's lowest scoring opponent since Farmingdale State in an 85-25 Scarlet Knight victory on Feb. 11, 2009.
RU raced out to a 21-2 advantage at the half against Savannah State, marking the fewest points scored in a quarter by an opponent this season.
Prior to the Dec. 13 contest with the Lady Tigers, Iona netted just 33 points, while Arkansas was able to record 40 points, marking the fewest by a Scarlet Knight opponent since Davidson netted 35 in RU's 66-35 victory over the Wildcats on Dec. 4, 2013.
Additionally, in Big Ten play, while the Scarlet Knights fell to Ohio State, 67-58, on Jan. 24, it marked the fewest points scored by the Buckeyes in Big Ten play and the second fewest on the season. Only defending national champion and top ranked UConn has held Ohio State to fewer points in 2015-16.
FROM THE LINE
Junior Tyler Scaife has been clutch from the line missing just 18 free throws in her 94 attempts to date and is shooting at a .809 percent clip.
Scaife opened the season going a perfect 13-of-13 from the charity stripe in the season's first three contests, which included a perfect 9-of-9 performance against St. John's on Nov. 19.
Believe it or not, Scaife's free throw performance against the Red Storm was not her career best. Scaife knocked down all 10 of her free throw attempts against Delaware in the first round of the WNIT back in 2014.
At the Paradise Jam, Scaife knocked down a perfect 8-of-8 from the line including a 6-of-6 mark in RU's victory over Green Bay to capture the 2015 Paradise Jam title.
Scaife has gone perfect from the line in 34 contests in her three years "On The Banks", including 15 of RU's 32 games to date this season.
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 32 games to date and is averaging 3.8 three point field goals a game.
Nine different Scarlet Knights have connected from beyond the arc led by Kahleah Copper with 27 3-point field goals made, followed by Tyler Scaife with 26 and Shrita Paker with 25.
Shrita Parker knocked down four shots from downtown against No. 7/7 Ohio State on Jan. 24, tying for the most three-point field goals made by a Scarlet Knight this season.
In her first three seasons "On The Banks", Copper did not connect on a single three-point field goal and attempted only two from beyond the arc during her junior campaign. This year she's 27-of-67 (.403).
Scaife meanwhile has already surpassed last season's total of 10 made three pointers.
Last season, RU ranked last in the Big Ten and was 343 of 348 Division I schools in three-point field goals per game.
In 2014-15, RU was 75-of-237 from three-point range and shot at a .316 clip from beyond the arc. The Scarlet Knights went without a made shot from downtown in four contests and connected on only one three-pointer in nine games, averaging 2.3 three-point field goals per game.
Rutgers has connected on five or more three-pointers in 12 of the season's 29 games. Last year, the Scarlet Knights had five total games on their 33 game slate with five or more made three-point field goals.
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 11-4 this season, with all four set backs to teams in the national polls (Top 25 - Ohio State, Maryland, Michigan State; Receiving Votes - St. John's).
Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 170-33 (.837) at the RAC.
UP NEXT
The winner of Thursday's Rutgers-Georgetown matchup will meet the winner between VCU-Virginia in the second round. The second round will be held either March 19, 20, 21 or 22. Date, time and location will be announced following first round contests.
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