PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 1, 2020) – Rutgers women's basketball (21-8, 11-7) scored its signature victory on Sunday to conclude the 2019-20 regular season, a 78-74 overtime victory over No. 18/20 Iowa at the RAC to send the Scarlet Knights into the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 5 seed.
Four Scarlet Knights scored at least 13 points, Rutgers had a plus-13 edge in rebounding and outpaced the Hawkeyes in points in the paint, second chance points and fast break points.
"That's a great team we played, and we couldn't be happier with the win," said head coach
C. Vivian Stringer, who recorded 269 victories as Iowa's head coach from 1983 – 1995. "It's been a monkey on our back, so it was great to do what we needed to do today."
The Scarlet Knights secure the No. 5 seed in the 2020 Big Ten Tournament presented by SoFi at Bankers Life Fieldhouse from March 4-8. Rutgers will play the winner of Illinois/Wisconsin in the second round on Thursday at approximately 2:30 p.m.
- Arella Guirantes, Khadaizha Sanders and Tekia Mack all scored 17 points to lead the Scarlet Knights. Mack grabbed six rebounds, Guirantes swatted four blocks and Sanders swiped six steals in the victory. Sanders' 17 points and six steals both tied career highs.
- Mael Gilles recorded her first Big Ten double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, adding three assists and two steals.
- Danielle Migliore earned her second start of the season as a Scarlet Knight and connected on an early three-pointer for a 7-6 lead.
- Senior Jordan Wallace, starting her final home game at RU, grabbed 10 rebounds.
In a game with 10 lead changes, this one couldn't be settled in 40 minutes. As the 2019-20 regular season went into overtime, Mael Gilles put Rutgers in control by converting a fast break off a steal on RU's first defensive possession before following with an assisted layup for a quick 4-0 run in the first 1:23 of game clock in the extra period. Rutgers never gave back the lead as Guirantes, in typical clutch fashion, finished a three-point play with 1:38 left and then hit a three-pointer with 48 seconds left to keep RU ahead, 73-68.
- Rutgers cleaned the glass in the first period to secure an 18-14 lead. The Scarlet Knights shot just 29 percent from the field, but the 15-9 rebounding advantage – including 10 on the offensive boards – made the four-point difference. The building was rocking on Tekia Mack's steal into a bucket, only to be followed by an 'and-one' layup by Mack on RU's next possession after a defensive stop.
- Both teams managed just one made shot midway through the second quarter. Things picked up as Sanders continued her hot shooting with a step-back jumper with 1:30 ahead of halftime for a 28-21 lead. Guirantes hit a shot to keep pace with Iowa's quick six points in the final 75 seconds and RU took a 30-27 edge into the locker room.
- RU's 3:20 scoring drought and a quick 6-0 run by Iowa handed the visitors their first lead since midway through the first quarter, 32-31. The see-saw kept tilting as Mael Gilles and Mack each hit three-pointers to tip the scales back in Rutgers' favor, the latter providing a 38-36 lead with four to play in the quarter. RU ended the period 6-of-8 from the floor with Sanders hitting a jumper and a free throw in the final 90 seconds, and Jordan Wallace beating the buzzer with a put-back on the offensive rebound.
- Iowa slowly chipped away throughout the fourth, but Rutgers held its slim lead at 55-53 with 3:46 to play thanks to Mack's four points and a crucial bucket by Gilles, who was called upon to keep the lead with under a minute to go. She converted her two free throws, but Iowa sent the game to overtime with a three-point with 11 seconds remaining. RU's game-winning attempt at the buzzer rimmed out.
- Gilles put Rutgers in control by converting a fast break off a steal before following with an assisted layup for a quick 4-0 run in the first 1:23 of game clock in the extra period. Following Guirantes' clutch six points, Sanders helped ice the win by making 4-of-4 from the line – sealing the victory despite Iowa hitting another two 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds.
- Rutgers wins its first overtime game since January 2019 against Purdue.
- Rutgers' 15 points in overtime were its most in an extra period since netting 19 in double-overtime on March 27, 2014 in a 91-79 win over Seton Hall in the WNIT.
- Rutgers scores its first ranked win since topping No. 17/22 Michigan State last season, 76-62, in January 2019.
- RU beats Iowa for the first time since 2006, predating Rutgers' membership in the Big Ten and snapping Iowa's eight-game winning streak in the series. Iowa is now 8-3 overall and 6-1 as Big Ten opponents in the regular season.
- RU held Iowa – the Big Ten's top offense at 80.1 points per game – to 63 points in regulation (17 under their season average). Rutgers has now held 27 of 29 opponents this season under their season median, and in 57 of 61 dating back to the start of last season.
- Arella Guirantes finishes the regular season as the Big Ten's scoring leader at 20.0 points per game. She is the first Scarlet Knight to average 20 points since RU Hall of Famer Cappie Pondexter in 2006 – the year before she was drafted second overall in the WNBA Draft.
- Rutgers is 40-7 (.851) over the last three seasons at the RAC and finishes the 2019-20 season 14-2 at home – its best RAC percentage since the 2010-11 team went 12-1.
- RU outscored Iowa 32-26 in points in the paint, marking the 24th time in 29 games Rutgers has outscored opponents in the stripe.
- RU outscored Iowa 19-16 in fast break points, moving to 16-1 this season when they accomplish that feat.
- Rutgers grabbed 16 steals, its second most in a game this season, and move to 12-2 in games with double-digit thefts. It was the most steals in a Big Ten game since 18 against Wisconsin last season on Feb. 25.
- Rutgers improves to 18-3 this season when three or more players score in double-figures.
- Rutgers moves to 66.8 points scored per game, the fifth most offensively productive offense for the Scarlet Knights during the C. Vivian Stringer era (since 1995). The four higher scoring average teams all made the NCAA Tournament (in '98, '99, '03 and '15).
The Scarlet Knights secure the No. 5 seed in the 2020 Big Ten Tournament presented by SoFi at Bankers Life Fieldhouse from March 4-8. Rutgers will play the winner of Illinois/Wisconsin in the second round on Thursday at approximately 2:30 p.m. No. 4 Indiana awaits in Friday's quarterfinals with a double-bye.
Follow Rutgers women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@RutgersWBB) for all of the latest news and updates. The team is also on Facebook (
www.facebook.com/RutgersWBB). For all Rutgers Athletics news follow us on Twitter(@RUAthletics), Instagram (@RUAthletics), Snapchat (@RUAthletics) and Facebook (
www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the
Gameday App.
- RU -
