NOTE: Since the original posting, the game time has been updated to 4:30 p.m. ET at Wisconsin, still airing on Big Ten Network.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers women's basketball opens 2020-21 Big Ten play on the road at Wisconsin on Friday, Dec. 11 at 4:30 p.m. ET inside the Kohl Center and airing live on national TV on Big Ten Network.

ON THE AIR

• Watch on Big Ten Network (Play-by-play: Lisa Byington, Color Analyst: Christy Winters Scott)
• The game can also be streamed on the Fox Sports App with a subscription
• Listen on WRSU 88.7 FM (Play-by-play: Doug Willig & Christian Vasquez) 

THE SCOUT

• The Badgers (1-1, 0-1) are playing their second Big Ten game after opening with a 85-78 setback at Iowa on Dec. 5.
• Starting guard Sydney Hilliard surpassed her career high in points in back-to-back games to start the season, netting 26 points at Iowa last Saturday, surpassing her previous career high of 24, which she scored against Western Illinois in the Badgers' season opener.
• Junior Imani Lewis is the returning scorer from last season at 14.5 points per game - earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 2019-20.
• The Badgers have four freshmen who have seen the court so far this season. Brooke Schramek leads the way for the freshmen, averaging 16 minutes a game as she had a strong outing at Iowa with six points, three rebounds and shooting 4-4 from the free-throw line. Forward Kate Thompson has also played in both games for the Badgers so far this season, averaging eight minutes and two rebounds a game. The other two freshmen seeing playing time so far are Halle Douglass and Lovisa Djurström. Djurström made her debut against Western Illinois and Douglass saw her first minutes at Iowa last weekend.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

 
 

KNIGHT NOTES

TIPPING OFF: RU returns three starters and six letterwinners, including Big Ten scoring champion and All-American Arella Guirantes, along with Big Ten All-Defensive Team selection Tekia Mack, to a team that went 22-9 last season with unanimous projections for a selection to the NCAA Tournament. The Scarlet Knights officially ended their season in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, their fifth trip to the quarters in six years of Big Ten Tournament competition.

WATCH OUT: Redshirt senior guard Arella Guirantes, the returning Big Ten scoring champion, was selected the Big Ten Coaches Preseason Co-Player of the Year and was unanimously voted to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team by the coaches and media. She is on four national watch lists: the Wooden Award for Most Outstanding Player, the Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy for National Player of the Year, and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award for the nation's top shooting guard.

SHINE ON: True freshman Diamond Johnson, the No. 6 overall recruit in the nation according to ESPN, is one of 20 named to the Nancy Lieberman watch list for the country's best point guard. The Neumann Goretti product scored 15 points against Monmouth, the most in a Rutgers freshman debut since Betnijah Laney recorded 18 points against California in 2011.

RARE, YET FAMILIAR, COMPANY: Arella Guirantes' 20.6 points per game last season marked one of five recorded 20+ point averages for a single season under C. Vivian Stringer since 1981. One of the other four? Current Rutgers assistant coach Michelle Edwards' 20.0 points per game at Iowa from the 1987-88 season. 

WELCOME TO THE B1G: Rutgers is one of the youngest teams in the nation with eight newcomers and 71 percent of the roster starting the season with two years experience or less in Division I. RU is one of just 32 teams across the nation with 10 or more players on the roster with two years experience or less.

IN THE POLLS: Rutgers began the season receiving votes in both national polls: 1 point in the AP media poll and 7 points in the coaches poll. RU is up to 9 points in this week's coaches poll.

PLAYING OFFENSIVE: Rutgers enjoyed one of the highest scoring averages during C. Vivian Stringer's 25-year tenure as head coach last season. At 66.5 points per game, the 2019-20 team ranks fifth at RU since 1995.

D-FENCE: Rutgers ranked in the nation's Top 25 in key defensive metrics - coming in 20th in field goal percentage defense and 25th in scoring defense. The Scarlet Knights led the Big Ten in both of those categories. RU has held 88 of its last 96 opponents under their scoring averages, including 28 of 31 last year.

FUTURE IS NOW: C. Vivian Stringer and her staff have secured the No. 8 nationally ranked recruiting class for 2020 according to ESPN, led by the signing of No. 6 ranked prospect Diamond Johnson out of Neumann Goretti in Philadelphia, one of four recruits ranked in the Top 55 - Sakima Walker (#21), Chyna Cornwell (#48) and Liz Martino (#53). Blue Star Basketball ranks the class No. 5 in the nation.


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