Wednesday, November 28
Blacksburg, Va.
7:00 p.m.
Rutgers University
at
Virginia Tech
Photo by: (Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)
Women's Basketball Travels to Virginia Tech For ACC/B1G Challenge
Nov 27 | Women's Basketball
Scarlet Knights & Hokies Tipoff on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team travels to Virginia Tech for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The showdown with the Hokies is set for 7 p.m.
ON THE AIRWAVES
Wednesday's challenge with air on WRSU, 88.7 FM Rutgers Student Radio with Sam Marsdale and Tevin Johnson
HOW TO WATCH
Wednesday's ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup with Rutgers and Virginia Tech will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
ACC/BIG CHALLENGE
The Rutgers women's basketball team makes the quick turnaround from playing three games in three days at the Vancouver Showcase over Thanksgiving Break to making the trip to Blacksburg, Virginia to meet Virginia Tech in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday.
The Scarlet Knights went 1-2 at the Vancouver Showcase with losses to Drake and Gonzaga and victory over ETSU. Drake, who went to the NCAA Tournament a year ago winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, upset No. 13/12 South Carolina on day three to take third place in the tournament behind 2018 national champion Notre Dame and No. 9/8 Oregon State.
In the win over the Buccaneers, three Scarlet Knights finished in double digits led by graduate assistant guard Charise Wilson with 17 points and five assists. Senior forward Stasha Carey and redshirt sophomore guard Arella Guirantes both added in 10 points each while senior center Victoria Harris hauled in 10 rebounds.
Overall during the tournament week, Carey averaged 11.7 points, while Harris grabbed 6.7 rebounds.
ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies welcome the Scarlet Knights with an unblemished 7-0 record coming off two wins at the UCF Thanksgiving Tournament last week. Virginia Tech overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit for a 61-59 victory over Villanova and picked up an 85-57 victory over Richmond.
Entering the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Hokies are one of five ACC teams without a loss yet this season.
Last season, Virginia Tech played its way to a 23-14 overall mark and reached the finals of the WNIT Championship. The Hokies fell, 65-57, to the Big Ten's Indiana in the championship contest.
Virginia Tech has four averaging double digits led by senior guard and second team All-ACC selections Emery Taylor at 15.6 points per game, who is also grabbing team second-best 5.9 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Dara Mabrey is averaging 14.9 points per game, while redshirt senior forward Regan Magarity is pouring in 14.7 points along with 14.3 rebounds per contest.
Magarity, who set the Hokies' career rebounding record last season and has totaled 964 boards to date, is second nationally in rebounds per game and has performed six double-doubles to date.
STRINGER MILESTONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER
Rutgers head coach Stringer has compiled a 1002-404 career record entering her the 48th season of coaching and joined the elite 1,000 career victory club on November 13 in the Scarlet Knight victory over Central Connecticut State.
Stringer is the sixth NCAA women's basketball coach and fifth NCAA Division I women's basketball coach to reach the milestone victory.
In 2013, Stringer became just the seventh coach - men's or women's - to reach the 900-win mark.
Stringer's 35 20-win seasons are second-best in women's basketball history. Former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit leads all coaches with 36 20-win seasons.
The Naismith and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Coach is the fifth active winningest Division I coach and sixth all-time in career wins in NCAA women's basketball history.
D-D-D-DEFENSE
The defense turned up the pressure last season leading the Big Ten in scoring defense holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game.
Twenty-nine of RU's 32 opponents were held under their scoring average.
So far in 2018-19, the trend has held steady with all four opponents under their scoring average.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Thru the first seven games of the season, Rutgers ranks among the top 25 nationally in seven categories.
The Scarlet Knights rank second in total blocked shots (49) behind national leader Mississippi St. (59) and check in a fifth in blocks per game (7.0).
RU is also 10th in field goal percentage defense only allowing opponents to hit 30.5 percent from the floor.
Rutgers who set a school record in rebounds in the season opener against St. Francis (Pa.), 17th in total rebounds (293) and 25th in rebound margin (12.7).
Additionally, the Scarlet Knights are 14th in scoring defense (50.3) and 21st in total steals (71).
Individually, Stasha Carey is currently 12th in blocked shots with 14 total rejections.
As a team last season, Rutgers appeared nationally in the top 25 in four statistical categories last season including ranking ninth in total steals (375), tenth in steals per game (11.7), 20th in blocked shots per game (5.3) and 24th in total blocked shots (168).
B1G SPEAKING
Among conference peers, Rutgers currently ranks:
Rebounding Defense - 1st - 29.1
Field Goal Defense - 2nd - .305
Blocked Shots - 2nd - 7.0
Steals - 2nd - 10.1
Scoring Defense - 3rd - 50.3
The following Scarlet Knights are ranked among conference peers:
Stasha Carey - 3rd - Blocks - 2.0
Victoria Harris - 4th - Steals - 2.0
Caitlin Jenkins - 8th - Rebounding - 8.0
Charise Wilson - 9th - Assists - 4.3
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Rutgers shot 57.4 (27-of-47) from the floor in the 68-44 win over ETSU in game three of the Vancouver Showcase on Saturday. It marked the squad's best shooting performance since hitting 55.4 percent (31-of-56) against Tulane at the Paradise Jam on Nov. 26, 2015.
STOP THIEF
Senior center Victoria Harris logged five steals against ETSU on Saturday, the most steals by an RU player this season. The five thefts were one steal shy of Harris' career mark.
Rutgers currently second in the Big Ten averaging 10.1 steals per game and ranks 21st nationally in the category.
UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights will get some rest after meeting the Hokies and continue nonconference play at Harvard on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.
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.
ON THE AIRWAVES
Wednesday's challenge with air on WRSU, 88.7 FM Rutgers Student Radio with Sam Marsdale and Tevin Johnson
HOW TO WATCH
Wednesday's ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup with Rutgers and Virginia Tech will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
ACC/BIG CHALLENGE
The Rutgers women's basketball team makes the quick turnaround from playing three games in three days at the Vancouver Showcase over Thanksgiving Break to making the trip to Blacksburg, Virginia to meet Virginia Tech in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday.
The Scarlet Knights went 1-2 at the Vancouver Showcase with losses to Drake and Gonzaga and victory over ETSU. Drake, who went to the NCAA Tournament a year ago winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, upset No. 13/12 South Carolina on day three to take third place in the tournament behind 2018 national champion Notre Dame and No. 9/8 Oregon State.
In the win over the Buccaneers, three Scarlet Knights finished in double digits led by graduate assistant guard Charise Wilson with 17 points and five assists. Senior forward Stasha Carey and redshirt sophomore guard Arella Guirantes both added in 10 points each while senior center Victoria Harris hauled in 10 rebounds.
Overall during the tournament week, Carey averaged 11.7 points, while Harris grabbed 6.7 rebounds.
ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies welcome the Scarlet Knights with an unblemished 7-0 record coming off two wins at the UCF Thanksgiving Tournament last week. Virginia Tech overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit for a 61-59 victory over Villanova and picked up an 85-57 victory over Richmond.
Entering the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Hokies are one of five ACC teams without a loss yet this season.
Last season, Virginia Tech played its way to a 23-14 overall mark and reached the finals of the WNIT Championship. The Hokies fell, 65-57, to the Big Ten's Indiana in the championship contest.
Virginia Tech has four averaging double digits led by senior guard and second team All-ACC selections Emery Taylor at 15.6 points per game, who is also grabbing team second-best 5.9 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Dara Mabrey is averaging 14.9 points per game, while redshirt senior forward Regan Magarity is pouring in 14.7 points along with 14.3 rebounds per contest.
Magarity, who set the Hokies' career rebounding record last season and has totaled 964 boards to date, is second nationally in rebounds per game and has performed six double-doubles to date.
STRINGER MILESTONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER
Rutgers head coach Stringer has compiled a 1002-404 career record entering her the 48th season of coaching and joined the elite 1,000 career victory club on November 13 in the Scarlet Knight victory over Central Connecticut State.
Stringer is the sixth NCAA women's basketball coach and fifth NCAA Division I women's basketball coach to reach the milestone victory.
In 2013, Stringer became just the seventh coach - men's or women's - to reach the 900-win mark.
Stringer's 35 20-win seasons are second-best in women's basketball history. Former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit leads all coaches with 36 20-win seasons.
The Naismith and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Coach is the fifth active winningest Division I coach and sixth all-time in career wins in NCAA women's basketball history.
D-D-D-DEFENSE
The defense turned up the pressure last season leading the Big Ten in scoring defense holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game.
Twenty-nine of RU's 32 opponents were held under their scoring average.
| Avg. Total Points Entering Game |
Total Points vs. Rutgers |
|
| JMU | 70.2 | 63 |
| Temple | 96.0 | 67 |
| Charlotte | 70.5 | 54 |
| Wake Forest | 71.7 | 51 |
| South Carolina | 88.2 | 78 |
| Washington St. | 69.7 | 64 |
| Siena | 67.3 | 63 |
| NC State | 71.9 | 53 |
| Virginia | 63.2 | 43 |
| Seton Hall | 81.1 | 45 |
| FDU | 63.0 | 35 |
| Princeton | 65.8 | 50 |
| Houston | 73.9 | 57 |
| Purdue | 68.8 | 50 |
| Michigan State | 79.6 | 58 |
| Illinois | 64.8 | 37 |
| Penn State | 70.4 | 65 |
| Purdue | 66.1 | 47 |
| Minnesota | 86.2 | 70 |
| Penn State | 70.1 | 70 |
| Nebraska | 70.9 | 52 |
| Indiana | 68.2 | 64 |
| Maryland | 85.1 | 88 |
| Michigan | 77.1 | 56 |
| Ohio State | 85.7 | 90 |
| Maryland | 84.0 | 72 |
| Wisconsin | 60.9 | 50 |
| Iowa | 79.7 | 77 |
| Northwestern | 62.1 | 63 |
| Purdue (B1G) | 66.3 | 60 |
| Ohio State (B1G) | 85.3 | 82 |
So far in 2018-19, the trend has held steady with all four opponents under their scoring average.
| Avg. Total Points Entering Game |
Total Points vs. Rutgers |
|
| St. Francis (Pa) | 80.9 | 52 |
| Stony Brook | 62.6 | 47 |
| CCSU | 62.5 | 44 |
| Albany | 43.7 | 39 |
| Drake | 82.5 | 69 |
| Gonzaga | 68.8 | 57 |
| ETSU | 61.7 | 44 |
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Thru the first seven games of the season, Rutgers ranks among the top 25 nationally in seven categories.
The Scarlet Knights rank second in total blocked shots (49) behind national leader Mississippi St. (59) and check in a fifth in blocks per game (7.0).
RU is also 10th in field goal percentage defense only allowing opponents to hit 30.5 percent from the floor.
Rutgers who set a school record in rebounds in the season opener against St. Francis (Pa.), 17th in total rebounds (293) and 25th in rebound margin (12.7).
Additionally, the Scarlet Knights are 14th in scoring defense (50.3) and 21st in total steals (71).
Individually, Stasha Carey is currently 12th in blocked shots with 14 total rejections.
As a team last season, Rutgers appeared nationally in the top 25 in four statistical categories last season including ranking ninth in total steals (375), tenth in steals per game (11.7), 20th in blocked shots per game (5.3) and 24th in total blocked shots (168).
B1G SPEAKING
Among conference peers, Rutgers currently ranks:
Rebounding Defense - 1st - 29.1
Field Goal Defense - 2nd - .305
Blocked Shots - 2nd - 7.0
Steals - 2nd - 10.1
Scoring Defense - 3rd - 50.3
The following Scarlet Knights are ranked among conference peers:
Stasha Carey - 3rd - Blocks - 2.0
Victoria Harris - 4th - Steals - 2.0
Caitlin Jenkins - 8th - Rebounding - 8.0
Charise Wilson - 9th - Assists - 4.3
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Rutgers shot 57.4 (27-of-47) from the floor in the 68-44 win over ETSU in game three of the Vancouver Showcase on Saturday. It marked the squad's best shooting performance since hitting 55.4 percent (31-of-56) against Tulane at the Paradise Jam on Nov. 26, 2015.
STOP THIEF
Senior center Victoria Harris logged five steals against ETSU on Saturday, the most steals by an RU player this season. The five thefts were one steal shy of Harris' career mark.
Rutgers currently second in the Big Ten averaging 10.1 steals per game and ranks 21st nationally in the category.
UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights will get some rest after meeting the Hokies and continue nonconference play at Harvard on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.
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.
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