VANCOUVER, Canada –The Drake Bulldogs overcame a slow first quarter start and managed to bounce back from a 15-point halftime deficit to hand the Rutgers women's basketball team its first loss of the season as the Scarlet Knights fell 69-59 in the opening game of the TCL Vancouver Showcase.

Drake, who tops the espnW Mid-Major Poll, improved to 5-0 on the year while Rutgers fell to 4-1 overall.

Redshirt senior forward Stasha Carey led all Scarlet Knights with 20 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free throw line, to go along with seven rebounds. Redshirt sophomore Arella Guirantes had all nine of her points in the first half.

Drake had three in double figures led by 23 from Becca Hittner. Sara Rhine contributed 18 from off the bench and Sammie Bachrodt added in 14 points.
 
FIRST QUARTER
Zipporah Broughton hit 1-of-2 from the line and Arella Guirantes nailed a shot from downtown from the top left side of the arc to give RU an 8-4 lead at the midway point of the opening stanza. Guriantes' 3-pointer ignited a 13-0 run for the Scarlet Knights, which was bookended by another long range shot by Sierra Calhoun to push RU's advantage to 17-4 with 2:19 left in the quarter.

The Scarlet Knights outscored the Bulldogs 16-2 over the final 5:40 of the first quarter to take a 20-6 lead into the next frame.
 
SECOND QUARTER
After shooting only 11 percent (2-of-18) in the first quarter, Drake found a second quarter rhythm, connecting on a 50-percent clip (9-of-18).

The Bulldogs opened the second quarter with back-to-back-to-back three's and pulled within 22-15 two minutes into the quarter.

Six unanswered points by Drake leading scorer Sara Rhine pulled the Bulldogs within five, 29-24, at the midway mark of the quarter, but Stasha Carey went on to score eight of RU's next 15 points and give the Scarlet Knights a 44-29 advantage at the break.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Sierra Calhoun thwarted 9-0 second half opening run by Drake with her second 3-pointer of the contest as RU held onto a 47-38 with seven minutes remaining.

All together, the Bulldogs would outscore Rutgers, 19-7, in the quarter including a 6-0 run over the final minute, as RU held onto a 51-48 edge entering the final stanza.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
Maddy Dean from beyond the arc gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 55-54, with 6:52 left to play.

The Bulldog defense held the Scarlet Knights without a field goal until the 2:20 mark as Carey drove to the basket for her 20^th point of the evening. Drake, however, in the midst of a 13-3 run, was holding on to a 63-57 lead.

UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights face Gonzaga on Friday, November 23 at 3 p.m. (ET). The Bulldogs fell 81-65 to No. 1 Notre Dame in other opening round action earlier Thursday.
 


KNIGHT NOTES

• The contest marked the return of Zipporah Broughton to the floor and the debut of Sierra Calhoun for the Scarlet Knights
• Stasha Carey was the first Scarlet Knight to reach the 20-point mark on the season and netted 20 or more points for the fourth in her career.

Follow Rutgers women's basketball at www.ScarletKnights.com and (@RutgersWBB) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest news and updates. For additional updates, download the Rutgers Gameday App.