PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team will look to get back to its winning ways on Thursday night against the Wisconsin Badgers. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (ET) at the Kohl Center with live streaming available on BTN Plus, as well as coverage from the Rutgers IMG Radio Network with Ralph Bednarczyk on the call.

GEARING UP FOR THE FINAL STRETCH
The Rutgers women's basketball team is coming off a stretch of four-nationally ranked opponents, which included the Scarlet Knights getting an upset win over then No. 13/14 Michigan last Sunday.

RU is coming off a 72-54 setback to then #10/9 Maryland on Sunday afternoon. Rutgers was led by junior Victoria Harris' second career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife added 10 points in the loss. Meanwhile, redshirt junior forward Stasha Carey was just shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Rutgers committed 22 turnovers, the most by the squad since turning the ball over 25 times at James Madison in the season opener back on Nov. 10.

ABOUT WISCONSIN
The Badgers welcome the Scarlet Knights sporting a 9-17 overall mark and 2-11 record in conference play. Wisconsin has dropped three straight and four of its last five including a 51-48 setback at Nebraska on Sunday. The Badgers' two conference wins include a 70-61 win at Illinois on Jan. 28 and a 58-46 victory at home over Northwestern on Jan . 21.

Senior guard Cayla McMorris leads the Badgers at 13.6 points per game to go along with a team-second best 6.3 rebounds per game.

Junior forward Marsha Howard is Wisconsin's other double figure scorer at 11.9 points per game. She leads the Badgers on the boards at 7.2 rebounds per contest.

STRINGER MILESTONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER
Rutgers head coach Stringer has compiled a 995-399 career record in 47 seasons and is five wins away from joining the elite 1,000 career victories club in women's basketball. 

Stringer's 34 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.


SCAIFE MILESTONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER
Redshirt senior guard Scaife currently needs 83 more to move into second place on the all-time list past Cappie Pondexter (2002-2006).

Scaife has scored 518 points this season and kicked off the 2017-18 campaign 10th all-time in scoring.

Scaife is also among the active leading scorers in Division I:
1    Kelsey Mitchell , Ohio St.    3,188
2    Katelynn Flaherty , Michigan    2,657
3    Victoria Vivians , Mississippi St.    2,265
4    A'Ja Wilson , South Carolina    2,163
5    Jasmine Nwajei , Syracuse    2,150
6    Tyler Scaife , Rutgers    2,129
7    Kolby Morgan , Tulane    2,125
8    Kahlia Lawrence , Mercer    2,112
9    Tyra Buss , Indiana    2,106
10    Ke'Shunan James, Murray St.    2,070

GETTING THE POINTS
Rutgers is enjoying one of its highest scoring averages under C. Vivian Stringer's 23-year tenure "On the Banks"  
 
Top RU Scoring Averages Under C. Vivian Stringer
1. 70.0 (35 games) 1998-99 – 29-6 – Elite Eight 
2t. 68.7 (32 games) 2014-15 - 23-10 - 2nd Round
2t. 68.7 (32 games) 1997-98 – 22-10 – Sweet 16
4. 67.3 (29 games) 2002-03 – 21-8 – 2nd Round
5. 66.2 (37 games) 2013-14 – WNIT Champions
6. 65.9 (27 games) 2017-18 - 18-9 - Current Season
7. 65.6 (31 games) 2000-01 – 23-8 – 2nd Round

MOST IMPROVED TEAM
Rutgers is on pace to become the NCAA Division I Most Improved Teams in 2017-18.

                                           16-17:     17-18:
1.    Rutgers     (+12)          6-24        18-8
2t.   Nebraska  (+11)          7-22         18-7
2t.   UC Irvine  (+11)          5-26         16-8
4.    Denver     (+8)            6-24         14-12
5t.   Butler       (+7)            6-25         13-14
5t.   Ala. A&M (+7)            2-25          9-12
5t.   Houston   (+7)           12-19        19-7
8t.   FAU         (+6)            4-25         10-11
8t.   UTEP      (+6)            8-23          14-9

NATIONALLY SPEAKING
As a team, Rutgers appeared in the top 25 in four categories including ranking third in steals (327) and 10th in steals per game (12.1)

Individually, redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife is fifth in field goals made (206), seventh in field goal attempts (463) and 15th in total points (518).

B1G SPEAKING
You can find Rutgers leading the Big Ten in scoring defense (58.3) and steals (12.2) and second in turnover margin (+5.7).

Among conference peers:
- Redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife is sixth in scoring (19.5), 13th in field goal percentage (.448)  and fifth in free throw percentage (.835). 
- Junior forward Caitlin Jenkins is 11th in rebounding (7.8) and sixth in blocks (1.5). 
- Redshirt junior forward Stasha Carey is sixth in steals (1.9), tied for ninth in blocks (1.2) and 15th in rebounding (6.9).
- Redshirt sophomore Ciani Cryor is tied for seventh in steals (1.8).

D-D-D-DEFENSE
The defense has turned up the pressure this season and currently leads the Big Ten in scoring defense holding opponents to just 58.3 points per game. Twenty-five of RU's 27  opponents to date have been held under their scoring average.

       Avg. Entering    Total Pts.
Team:                     Game w/ RU:    vs. RU:      
JMU                        70.2                    63
Temple                    96.0                    67
Charlotte                 70.5                    54
Wake Forest           71.7                    51
So. Carolina           88.2                    78
Wash, 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
Mich. St.               79.6                    58
Illinois                   64.8                    37
Penn State           70.4                    65
Purdue                 66.1                    47
Minnesota            86.2                    70
Penn State          80.1                     80
Nebraska             70.9                    52
Indiana                68.2                    64
Maryland             85.1                    88
Michigan             77.1                     56
Ohio State          85.1                     90
Maryland            84.0                     72


DOUBLE DOWN
Three Scarlet Knights have captured double-doubles on the season - junior forward Caitlin Jenkins, redshirt junior Stasha Carey and junior center Victoria Harris.

Junior center Victoria Harris was the latest Scarlet Knight to accomplish the feat with a career-high tying 13 points along with a career-high tying 11 rebounds against No. 10/9 Maryland on Feb. 11. It was Harris' second career double-double.

Harris performed her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the nonconference finale with Houston on Dec. 16.

Rutgers has had two Scarlet Knights with double-doubles in a game. Jenkins and Harris both secured double-doubles in the 75-57 nonconference finale victory over Houston on Dec. 16. 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 WNBA draftees Kahleah Copper (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Rachel Hollivay (13 points,11 rebounds).

In addition to double-doubles against the Cougars and vs. FDU on Dec. 10, Jenkins also performed back-to-back double-doubles against Western Michigan and Washington State at the Gulf Coast Showcase over Thanksgiving, matching the total number of double-doubles the Scarlet Knights had all of last season. 
The Shreveport, Louisiana native posted 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Western Michigan on Nov. 25 and followed with 10 points and 13 boards against Washington State on Nov. 26.

Jenkins also captured 11 points and 11 rebounds in RU's 101-35 win over Fairleigh Dickinson and 10 points and 11 rebounds in the 75-57 nonconference finale with Houston.

The junior forward has totaled 18 career double-doubles in her career, which also include 14 double-digit scoring and rebounding performances as a freshman at Southern Mississippi in 2015-16.

Redshirt junior Stasha Carey jas also accomplished the feat  this season posting back-to-back double figure scoring and rebounding contests against Minnesota and Penn State.

Her third double-double of the season came on Jan. 18 at Penn State with 10 points and 11 boards, while in the previous game with Minnesota she captured a seas-high 25 points and 14 rebounds in an 80-70 overtime win against the Golden Gophers on Jan. 13.

Carey had her first Scarlet Knight double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds in a 70-45 win over Seton Hall on Dec. 8. 

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native now has 16  career double-double having accomplished the feat 13 times in her first two seasons at Pittsburgh.

Last season, Rutgers also secured two double-doubles. Khadaizha Sanders registered 10 assists and 17 points against Seton Hall and Desiree Keeling followed with 10 points and 14 rebounds against Temple in the next game.

UP NEXT
Following Thursday's matchup with the Badgers, the Scarlet Knights will return home to the RAC for its regular season home finale against Iowa on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Rutgers will recognize its senior Scarlet Knights - Tyler Scaife, Jazlynd Rollins, Kathleen Fitzpatrick and Nigia Greene - prior to tipoff.

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

- RU -