PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's basketball (4-6, 0-1) dropped its Big Ten opener to No. 8 Maryland (8-2, 1-0) after a hard fight leading to a 73-59 final score on Sunday afternoon at Jersey Mike's Arena and live on national television on Big Ten Network.
The Scarlet Knights, who trailed by 15 with a minute remaining in the first half, battled back to within four points after a 21-point third quarter and a 4-0 run with seven minutes to play in the game. The defending Big Ten champion Terrapins responded with a 11-3 spurt to regain a larger margin over the next four minutes.
For the first time this season, Rutgers had four players score in double-figures, led by
Shug Dickson's highest output as a Scarlet Knight with 18 points. Dickson made three 3-pointers, grabbed five boards, and added five assists and two steals.
Tyia Singleton grabbed her first double-double of the year with a season-high 10 points going with a game-high 12 rebounds.
Lasha Petree chipped in 11, while
Osh Brown poured in 10 with eight rebounds.
Maryland also had four players in double-figures – Angel Reese (18), Katie Benzan (15), Chloe Bibby (14), and Ashley Owusu (12). The Terps shot 53% to Rutgers' 36%. Rutgers won the rebounding battle, 35-28, but Maryland outscored RU in the paint 40-30 and netted 23 points off 19 Scarlet Knight turnovers.
- Rutgers produced its highest-scoring first quarter of the season with 16 against the Top 10 opponent, led by Shug Dickson's seven points as the RU defense held Maryland to just a 4-0 run in the period, which ended 18-16 in the Terps' favor.
- The Terrapins shot 62% in the second and held Rutgers to seven points with six turnovers.
- Singleton and Dickson heated up in the third with six points apiece. RU's opening 9-2 run in the period helped the Scarlet Knights get within eight points as Sayawni Lassiter beat the buzzer with a steal and a shot at the other end to make it 52-44 Maryland.
- Dickson dished to Brown to cap the 8-4 run to start the fourth that brought Rutgers within four points. A Lassiter three-ball disrupted a 7-0 Terps stint, before another 4-0 Maryland run put the nationally-ranked visitors back up by double-digits.
- Rutgers had four players in double-figures (Shug Dickson, Lasha Petree, Osh Brown, and Tyia Singleton) for the first time this season.
- No. 8 Maryland came into the game averaging just 10.7 turnovers per game before Rutgers forced them into 15 on 10 steals.
- The Scarlet Knights held No. 8 Maryland 11 points under their season scoring average. Rutgers has held opponents under their scoring average in 27 of its last 29, and 114 of its last 124 dating back to 2017-18.
- Tyia Singleton recorded the second double-double of her career and the first since the 2020-21 regular-season finale against Ohio State. It was her fifth career game in double-figure scoring and fifth with double-digit rebounds.
- Lasha Petree made multiple three-pointers (2-of-6) for the third time this season. It was her 71st career double-digit scoring game.
- Shug Dickson reached double-digit scoring for the 42nd time in her career. It was her highest Rutgers output in her fifth game for the Scarlet Knights.
- Osh Brown scored in double-figures for the 73rd time in her career and added to her NCAA active career leader total in rebounding with 1,204.
- Maryland, a .341 three-point shooting team, managed 3-of-13 from beyond the arc at Rutgers.
- Rutgers is undefeated at 4-0 when outscoring opponents in points off turnovers and points on the fast break. RU is now 0-6 when trailing in those specialty categories.
- The Starting 5 of Jailyn Mason, Shug Dickson, Lasha Petree, Tyia Singleton, and Osh Brown took the opening tip for the third consecutive game. It is the seventh different starting variation employed by acting head coach Timothy Eatman this season.
- Maryland moved to 28-12 all-time against Rutgers, and 10-1 as Big Ten opponents.
- Rutgers faced its second nationally-ranked Top 10 opponent of the season in a span of eight days.
Rutgers heads out on the rugged road of the Big Ten on Thurs., Dec. 9 at Penn State at 7 p.m. on B1G+.
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