Sunday, January 20
Piscataway, N.J.
2:00 p.m.
Rutgers University
vs
Michigan St.
Photo by: Rich Graessle
Women's Hoops Set To Battle #17/22 Michigan State on Sunday
Jan 19 | Women's Basketball
Scarlet Knights & Spartans To Tipoff at 2 p.m.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The No. 20/23 Rutgers women's basketball team looks to continue its winning ways on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the Scarlet Knights host No. 17/22 Michigan State.
BIG B1G BATTLE
Two of the six ranked teams in the Big Ten do battle on Sunday as league's top defense in No. 20/23 Rutgers takes on No. 17/22 Michigan State and the conference's top offense on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Scarlet Knights are 9-0 at home and are winners of nine-straight games, while the Spartans come to the RAC fresh off a 77-60 victory at home over No. 9 Maryland.
Rutgers won a thriller in overtime against Purdue on Wednesday night, 65-63, as redshirt junior forward Stasha Carey logged her 1,000th career point and finish just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Redshirt sophomore guard Arella Guirantes led RU with 17 points, while graduate student guard Charise Wilson chipped in 10 points.
The Boilermakers, who are receiving votes in both polls, put together a 14-0 run to close out regulation and force overtime at 54-54. Rutgers, however, never trailed in the extra session and went a perfect 6-of-6 from the stripe to help seal the victory.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The No. 23/17 Spartans enter Sunday's contest boasting the conference's top offense that averages 80.6 points per game and sits at 13-4 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten Play.
On the national scene, the Spartans are fifth in assists per game (20.5), sixth in assist turnover ratio (1.46) and eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.395).
Additionally, the Spartans are second in the Big Ten in scoring margin, winning by an average of 15.2 points per game.
MSU is coming off a 77-60 win over No. 9/9 Maryland at the Breslin Center. It was the squad's second win over a top 10 program this season, also capturing a 88-82 victory over then No. 3 Oregon back on Dec. 9.
On the stat sheet, a quartet of Spartans are averaging double figures led by senior center Jenna Allen at 15.4 points to go along with a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game. Allen's is the league's tenth best scorer and ranks 12th in rebounding.
Redshirt junior guard Shay Colley is pouring in 13.3 points per outing along with a team-second best 5.6 rebounds per contest. Rookie guard Nia Clouden is adding in 12.3 points per game, while junior guard Taryn McCutcheon rounds out the double-figure scorers at 10.3 points per contest, knocking in a average of 2.4 3-pointers a game. McCutcheon is also fifth in the Big Ten in assists averaging 5.0 per game.
LAST TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE
The Scarlet Knights made free throws count and Tyler Scaife blocked a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Rutgers women's basketball won its ninth game in-a-row in a 61-58 victory over Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2017 at the Breslin Center
A late 7-0 Michigan State run gave the Spartans a 58-55 edge with 1:41 to play, but Rutgers scored the next six points. A Scaife jumper followed by two free throws by the Little Rock, Arkansas native produced the 13th lead change of the game and Stasha Carey went 2-of-4 from the charity stripe to seal the victory.
Scaife finished the afternoon with a game-high 25 points, her seventh straight contest dropping in 20 or more points. Khadaizha Sanders and Carey both contributed eight points in the win. Caitlin Jenkins, meanwhile, hauled in a game-high 12 boards.
Michigan State was led by Sidney Cooks' 11 points, while Branndais Agee had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds
The Scarlet Knights missed their first seven shots to open the contest, but warmed up before the quarter closed. Rutgers closed out the opening stanza connecting on 8-of-13 from the floor and five lead changes later took a 17-12 lead into the second quarter.
The second quarter opened with RU going on a 5-0 run to take a double-digit advantage, but it would be the Spartans closing the frame with the hot hand. The Scarlet Knights hit a nearly five-minute lull with Michigan State rattling off 10 unanswered points. Sanders, however, drilled a 3-pointer to keep the Scarlet Knights ahead 29-28 at the intermission.
The Spartans reclaimed the lead early in the third quarter and a Shay Colley "and one" put MSU up 34-31 with 2:41 to go. Michigan State was unable to increase its advantage by more than three and the quarter would go on to end on a game of runs.
Rutgers rattled off an 8-0 run capped by a steal from Jazlynd Rollins with the outlet pass to Ciani Cryor and mid-air layup by Scaife to put RU ahead 41-36 at the 2:30 mark. Michigan State, however, punched back. A 7-0 Spartan run was halted on RU's final possession with another Sanders 3-pointer as the teams entered the final quarter deadlocked at 41-41.
The Scarlet Knights kicked off the fourth quarter with a 7-0 start capped by Jenkins making the "and one" for a 51-44 edge with 7:34 to go. The Spartan defense went on to hold RU to one field goal while outscoring the Scarlet Knights 14-4 and reclaim the lead and hold a 58-55 margin with 1:41 to go setting up the dramatic final moments.
PROTECTING HOMECOURT
Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 201-46 (.814) at the RAC.
RU is 22-3 over the last two seasons at home and is currently 9-0 at the RAC in 2018-19.
Last season, Rutgers went 13-3 at home last season. The Scarlet Knights won their first 12 contests at the RAC before dropping a 52-42 contest to Nebraska on Jan. 21. It was RU's longest home win streak since winning 20-straight RAC wins between Nov. 16, 2007 and Dec. 29, 2008.
RU finished with an unblemished nonconference mark at home for the second-straight season and over the last two years has gone 14-0 in non-Big Ten action.
SCORING MILESTONES TO WATCH
While it was head coach C. Vivian Stringer with her 1,000th victory earlier this season, one Scarlet Knights reached the 1,000 point milestone while another is approaching the mark.
On Jan. 16 in the overtime win against Purdue, Carey collected her 1,000th career point and currently has 1,006 points to-date.
Graduate student guard Sierra Calhoun is 82 points away from the milestone.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Thru the 17 games of the season, Rutgers ranks among the top 25 nationally in four categories.
The Scarlet Knights are checking in ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.335) and scoring defense (53.5), 20th in total blocks (85) and 21st in total steals (181).
B1G SPEAKING
Among conference peers, Rutgers currently ranks:
Scoring Defense - 1st - 53.5
Field Goal Pct. Defense - 1st -.335
Steals - 1st - 10.6
The following Scarlet Knights are ranked among conference peers:
Victoria Harris - 3rd - Steals - 1.8
Stasha Carey - 8th - Blocks - 1.6 / 9th - FT Percentage -.775
A LOSS IS STILL A LOSS, BUT...
All together, the three teams that have managed to defeat the Scarlet Knights are a combined 41-14 on the 2018-19 season.
RU's first loss of the season was to a Drake squad that sits at 12-4 overall and has appeared in the Top 25 this season. The Bulldogs posted a victory over then-No. 12/13 South Carolina to take third place at the Vancouver Showcase.
Gonzaga sits at No. 13/14 in the polls including a 79-73 win over then-No. 11 Stanford. The Bulldogs are 16-2 on the season with losses against defending national champion Notre Dame at the Vancouver Challenge and BYU.
Virginia Tech is 13-4 and has ranked as high as No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
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 17 opponents under their scoring average.
UP NEXT
Up next, the Rutgers women's basketball teams heads back out onto the road to meet No. 22/18 Iowa and close out the season series with Penn State next week.
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.
HOW TO WATCH
Sunday's game will be streamed on BTN Plus with Lou Brogno (play-by-play) and Dom Savino (color).
To learn more about BTN Plus and the Fox Sports App, click here.
ON THE AIRWAVES
Sunday's game air will on the Rutgers Radio Network on WCTC 1450AM, with Ralph Bednarczyk (play-by-play) and Mark Peterson (color).
PROMOTIONS
- Military Appreciation Day
- GIVEAWAY: Rutgers Camo Hat
- HALFTIME: U11/12 Ridgewood AAU Scrimmage
BIG B1G BATTLE
Two of the six ranked teams in the Big Ten do battle on Sunday as league's top defense in No. 20/23 Rutgers takes on No. 17/22 Michigan State and the conference's top offense on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Scarlet Knights are 9-0 at home and are winners of nine-straight games, while the Spartans come to the RAC fresh off a 77-60 victory at home over No. 9 Maryland.
Rutgers won a thriller in overtime against Purdue on Wednesday night, 65-63, as redshirt junior forward Stasha Carey logged her 1,000th career point and finish just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Redshirt sophomore guard Arella Guirantes led RU with 17 points, while graduate student guard Charise Wilson chipped in 10 points.
The Boilermakers, who are receiving votes in both polls, put together a 14-0 run to close out regulation and force overtime at 54-54. Rutgers, however, never trailed in the extra session and went a perfect 6-of-6 from the stripe to help seal the victory.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The No. 23/17 Spartans enter Sunday's contest boasting the conference's top offense that averages 80.6 points per game and sits at 13-4 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten Play.
On the national scene, the Spartans are fifth in assists per game (20.5), sixth in assist turnover ratio (1.46) and eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.395).
Additionally, the Spartans are second in the Big Ten in scoring margin, winning by an average of 15.2 points per game.
MSU is coming off a 77-60 win over No. 9/9 Maryland at the Breslin Center. It was the squad's second win over a top 10 program this season, also capturing a 88-82 victory over then No. 3 Oregon back on Dec. 9.
On the stat sheet, a quartet of Spartans are averaging double figures led by senior center Jenna Allen at 15.4 points to go along with a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game. Allen's is the league's tenth best scorer and ranks 12th in rebounding.
Redshirt junior guard Shay Colley is pouring in 13.3 points per outing along with a team-second best 5.6 rebounds per contest. Rookie guard Nia Clouden is adding in 12.3 points per game, while junior guard Taryn McCutcheon rounds out the double-figure scorers at 10.3 points per contest, knocking in a average of 2.4 3-pointers a game. McCutcheon is also fifth in the Big Ten in assists averaging 5.0 per game.
LAST TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE
The Scarlet Knights made free throws count and Tyler Scaife blocked a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Rutgers women's basketball won its ninth game in-a-row in a 61-58 victory over Michigan State on Dec. 31, 2017 at the Breslin Center
A late 7-0 Michigan State run gave the Spartans a 58-55 edge with 1:41 to play, but Rutgers scored the next six points. A Scaife jumper followed by two free throws by the Little Rock, Arkansas native produced the 13th lead change of the game and Stasha Carey went 2-of-4 from the charity stripe to seal the victory.
Scaife finished the afternoon with a game-high 25 points, her seventh straight contest dropping in 20 or more points. Khadaizha Sanders and Carey both contributed eight points in the win. Caitlin Jenkins, meanwhile, hauled in a game-high 12 boards.
Michigan State was led by Sidney Cooks' 11 points, while Branndais Agee had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds
The Scarlet Knights missed their first seven shots to open the contest, but warmed up before the quarter closed. Rutgers closed out the opening stanza connecting on 8-of-13 from the floor and five lead changes later took a 17-12 lead into the second quarter.
The second quarter opened with RU going on a 5-0 run to take a double-digit advantage, but it would be the Spartans closing the frame with the hot hand. The Scarlet Knights hit a nearly five-minute lull with Michigan State rattling off 10 unanswered points. Sanders, however, drilled a 3-pointer to keep the Scarlet Knights ahead 29-28 at the intermission.
The Spartans reclaimed the lead early in the third quarter and a Shay Colley "and one" put MSU up 34-31 with 2:41 to go. Michigan State was unable to increase its advantage by more than three and the quarter would go on to end on a game of runs.
Rutgers rattled off an 8-0 run capped by a steal from Jazlynd Rollins with the outlet pass to Ciani Cryor and mid-air layup by Scaife to put RU ahead 41-36 at the 2:30 mark. Michigan State, however, punched back. A 7-0 Spartan run was halted on RU's final possession with another Sanders 3-pointer as the teams entered the final quarter deadlocked at 41-41.
The Scarlet Knights kicked off the fourth quarter with a 7-0 start capped by Jenkins making the "and one" for a 51-44 edge with 7:34 to go. The Spartan defense went on to hold RU to one field goal while outscoring the Scarlet Knights 14-4 and reclaim the lead and hold a 58-55 margin with 1:41 to go setting up the dramatic final moments.
PROTECTING HOMECOURT
Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 201-46 (.814) at the RAC.
RU is 22-3 over the last two seasons at home and is currently 9-0 at the RAC in 2018-19.
Last season, Rutgers went 13-3 at home last season. The Scarlet Knights won their first 12 contests at the RAC before dropping a 52-42 contest to Nebraska on Jan. 21. It was RU's longest home win streak since winning 20-straight RAC wins between Nov. 16, 2007 and Dec. 29, 2008.
RU finished with an unblemished nonconference mark at home for the second-straight season and over the last two years has gone 14-0 in non-Big Ten action.
SCORING MILESTONES TO WATCH
While it was head coach C. Vivian Stringer with her 1,000th victory earlier this season, one Scarlet Knights reached the 1,000 point milestone while another is approaching the mark.
On Jan. 16 in the overtime win against Purdue, Carey collected her 1,000th career point and currently has 1,006 points to-date.
Graduate student guard Sierra Calhoun is 82 points away from the milestone.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Thru the 17 games of the season, Rutgers ranks among the top 25 nationally in four categories.
The Scarlet Knights are checking in ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.335) and scoring defense (53.5), 20th in total blocks (85) and 21st in total steals (181).
B1G SPEAKING
Among conference peers, Rutgers currently ranks:
Scoring Defense - 1st - 53.5
Field Goal Pct. Defense - 1st -.335
Steals - 1st - 10.6
The following Scarlet Knights are ranked among conference peers:
Victoria Harris - 3rd - Steals - 1.8
Stasha Carey - 8th - Blocks - 1.6 / 9th - FT Percentage -.775
A LOSS IS STILL A LOSS, BUT...
All together, the three teams that have managed to defeat the Scarlet Knights are a combined 41-14 on the 2018-19 season.
RU's first loss of the season was to a Drake squad that sits at 12-4 overall and has appeared in the Top 25 this season. The Bulldogs posted a victory over then-No. 12/13 South Carolina to take third place at the Vancouver Showcase.
Gonzaga sits at No. 13/14 in the polls including a 79-73 win over then-No. 11 Stanford. The Bulldogs are 16-2 on the season with losses against defending national champion Notre Dame at the Vancouver Challenge and BYU.
Virginia Tech is 13-4 and has ranked as high as No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
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 17 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 |
| Va. Tech | 78.3 | 67 |
| Harvard | 68.3 | 49 |
| LSU | 63.9 | 43 |
| Northwestern | 71.5 | 41 |
| Maryland | 78.2 | 65 |
| Brown | 76.0 | 52 |
| Penn State | 70.8 | 61 |
| Illinois | 74.1 | 60 |
| Nebraska | 75.9 | 62 |
| Purdue | 67.1 | 63 |
UP NEXT
Up next, the Rutgers women's basketball teams heads back out onto the road to meet No. 22/18 Iowa and close out the season series with Penn State next week.
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.
- RU -
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWomen’s Basketball Post Game Press Conference - Lafayette
Saturday, December 20
Women’s Basketball Post Game Press Conference - Saint Peter’s
Sunday, November 30
Women's Basketball Postgame Press Conference - Northeastern
Saturday, November 29
Women's Basketball Postgame Press Conference - Siena
Tuesday, November 25
