Total Team Effort Powers Women’s Hoops Over Hampton

Friday, December 18

Piscataway, N.J.

12 PM ET

Rutgers University

3-1,1-1Big Ten

Hampton

0-2,0-0Big South

Hampton

Rutgers

Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics

Total Team Effort Powers Women’s Hoops Over Hampton

Dec 18 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Game Book Postgame Press Conference

All 10 Scarlet Knights score a bucket while passing out 25 assists in a near-50-point victory

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's basketball (3-1) passed out 25 assists and had all 10 players score a bucket while defeating Hampton (0-2) by a score of 94-45 on Friday afternoon at the RAC.

The 25 assists were the most in a game by Rutgers since 25 against FDU in December 2017. The Scarlet Knights shot 55 percent from the floor while making 11 three-pointers and 13-of-14 from the free throw line.

"It's really something special," said head coach C. Vivian Stringer on the ball movement. "We train our guards to see the whole court and to see the offense develop before it actually happens. Zippy and Arella made the extra passes today, and everyone getting in on the scoring today was indicative of this entire team buying into our plan and wanting to win as a team."

The Scarlet Knights quickly took control with a 17-0 run in the first quarter, powered by a pair of made three-pointers by Zipporah Broughton and Arella Guirantes getting started early on another high-scoring performance. Broughton and Guirantes were both in double-figures by the second quarter, where RU built as much as a 29-point lead at 41-12 with just under four minutes left before halftime.

Diamond Johnson heated up in the second half, connecting on her first three shots all from three-point range. Mael Gilles joined the hot streak going 4-of-4 with eight points in the third quarter alone. Rutgers scored 30 in the third and led by as many as 48 midway through the fourth.

Arella finished with 25 points, eight assists, six boards, three steals and two blocks. Gilles had 16 on an efficient 8-of-9 shooting, while Johnson (11 points) and Broughton (10 points) rounded out the double-digit scoring. Broughton's career-high 10 assists sealed her first collegiate double-double, and Tyia Singleton led all rebounders with eight.

Two more Rutgers freshmen stepped up in the victory with Liz Martino grabbing six steals to go with her eight points, both career-highs. Sakima Walker scored six with a young-career-highs of seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Scarlet Knights continue non-conference play on Sunday, Dec. 20 against Sacred Heart at 8 p.m. at the RAC.

NOTES

Rutgers' 25 assists were the most in a game since 25 against FDU in December 2017.
All 10 Rutgers players checking into the game scored at least two points on Friday.
Four RU players scored in double-figures for the third straight game.
Arella Guirantes reached the 20-point plateau for the third time this season and 21^st time in her career.
Arella Guirantes tied a career-high with eight assists and set a new career-high with five made three-pointers.
Arella Guirantes now has 1,388 career points, ranking 18^th in history of any player to wear the Rutgers uniform.
Zipporah Broughton notched her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists, surpassing her previous high of six.
Diamond Johnson has scored in double-figures in all four games to start her collegiate career.
Ranking second in the nation in steals per game with 16.0, Rutgers held pace with another 16 steals against Hampton on Friday.
Rutgers has held all four opponents this season under their scoring average (Hampton 64.4 last season), adding up to 91 of its last 99.
Freshman Diamond Johnson received her first career start in her fourth collegiate game.
RU improves to 42-8 (.840) at the RAC since the beginning of the 2017-18 season.
Rutgers wins the first meeting between the two programs.

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