PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women's basketball extended its win streak to seven-straight games and it's home win streak to eight with a 75-57 victory over Houston on Saturday evening at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights improved to a record of 12-2 on the season as they ended nonconference play.

Redshirt senior Tyler Scaife recorded a game-high 24 points for her fifth-straight and ninth overall 20+ scoring performance of the season. Junior forward Caitlin Jenkins registered her fourth double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds while classmate Victoria Harris also added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, marking the first time of her career. Redshirt junior forward Stasha Carey nearly eclipsed one of her own with 10 points and eight rebounds to go with five steals in the win.

Three Cougars finished in double-figures with Angela Harris leading the way with 15 points. Dorian Branch followed with 13 points while Jasmyne Harris rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points in the loss.



Rutgers raced to a 15-2 lead to start the game, as the two Houston points were scored at the free throw line. Houston's Angela Harris ended a five-minute Cougar drought with a jumper followed by a 3-pointer for Branch. Rutgers, however, pushed its lead even further to 18-8 by the 2:55 mark.

Houston then countered with back-to-back buckets from beyond the arc to pull within four at 18-14. Rutgers though managed to hold on to its lead for a 22-18 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Moving into the second frame, the Scarlet Knights generated a 12-3 burst to extend its lead back to double-digits at 34-21 with 3:59 to go until halftime. RU went on to lead by as many as 19 across the remaining minutes of the first half, carrying a 43-25 margin into halftime.

The Scarlet Knights maintained their momentum into the third quarter, opening with a 9-1 surge. Scaife contributed five-straight points, capping the run with a steal that led to a three-point play. The energy pushed RU to lead by as many as 28 across the rest of the third period and going on to set a 60-38 margin heading into the fourth quarter.

RU led by at least 19 points throughout the remainder, reaching a 75-57 margin for the win.



Following a break for the holidays, Rutgers wraps up an eight-game homestand with its Big Ten opener against Purdue on Thursday, Dec. 28. Game time is slated for 2 p.m. ET at the RAC with Lou Brogno and Patrick Boyle calling the action on the BTN Plus stream and Ralph Bednarcyk and Mark Peterson on the call for the Rutgers IMG Radio Network.

KNIGHT NOTES

• With the win, Rutgers head coach Stringer improved her career record to 989-392 and is 11 wins away from 1,000 career victories.
• Tyler Scaife surpassed the 1,900 career point mark with her game-high 24 points and now has 1,908 points. She needs 92 points to become the third Scarlet Knight to collect 2,000 career points and 304 more to move into second place on the all-time list past Cappie Pondexter (2002-2006).
• Scaife also produced her ninth 20+ scoring effort of the season.
• Caitlin Jenkins and Victoria Harris both secured double-doubles in the win. It was the first time since Feb. 13, 2016 against Illinois that Rutgers had two players with double-doubles in the game. Against the Illini, it was Kahleah Copper (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Rachel Hollivay (13 points,11 rebounds).
• Caitlin Jenkins secured her fourth double-double of the year with her 10 points and 11 rebounds, while it was the first career double-double for Victoria Harris with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
• Rutgers outrebounded the Cougars, 53-32. Harris' 10 boards were a new career mark. Her previous high was nine captured in last season's meeting with Houston back on Dec. 10, 2016.
• Stasha Carey tied her career-high with five steals. It was the third time in her career she has captured five thefts last occurring against Boston College back on Jan. 21, 2016.
• What a difference a year makes. Below are the differences between last year's 3-11 nonconference stats and this season's 12-2 nonconference stats.

                                    16-17                     17-18
Points                          49.1                        70.6
Scoring Margin            -10.1                      +15.6
FG%                            .338                        .432
Rebounds                    35.6                        39.3
Rebounding Margin     -3.3                        +2.9
Assists                         15.5                        17.1
Turnovers                    17.1                        15.2
Steals                           8.3                          13.2

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