PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers women's basketball (8-3, 4-3) looks to build on a three-game winning streak when Minnesota (7-9, 6-8) comes to the RAC on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. The annual Play4Kay Breast Cancer Awareness game is presented by RWJBarnabas Health.

The Scarlet Knights are ranked No. 12 in the latest NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, a new selection guide for at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament valuing offensive and defensive efficiency alongside results-oriented data. RU has won three consecutive games by an average of 16.7 points in their return to the court after a five-week COVID-19-related hiatus, including triumph at No. 21/20 Northwestern.

Rutgers hosts a Minnesota team that has won five of seven after starting the season 2-7. With the Big Ten regular season series tied at 4-4 between these two teams, the home team is undefeated in those eight games.

ON THE AIR

• Watch on Big Ten Network+ (Play-by-play: Lou Brogno; Analyst: Tim Catalfamo)
• Listen on WCTC 1450 AM (Play-by-play: Ralph Bednarczyk; Analyst: Mark Peterson)
• Listen on WRSU 88.7 FM (Play-by-play: Brant Wolff and Dylan McCoy)

THE SCOUT

• After starting the season 2-7, the Golden Gophers (7-9, 6-8) have won five of their last seven, including their last two over Illinois (83-73) and Wisconsin (68-63).
• Minnesota's sophomore trio of Kadi Sissoko, Sara Scalia and Jasmine Powell carried the offense against Wisconsin last time out, accounting for 52 of the team's 68 points.
• The Gophers excel at the three-point line, ranking third in the Big Ten with their 7.9 makes per game from beyond the arc.
• Scalia heads up that category with her 3.1 three-pointers made per contest, third in the conference and 14th in the country.
• Powell leads the team in scoring at 15.5 points per game, along with a 5.7 assists per game mark that comes in second in the Big Ten and 15th nationally.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

 
 

KNIGHT NOTES

NET WORKING: On Jan. 4, Rutgers was listed No. 13 in the first-ever NCAA Evaluation Tool rankings, which replace RPI as a guide for selecting at-large bids for the NCAA Tournament. The NET rankings take into account Adjusted Net Efficiency (offensive vs. defensive points per possession weighted on quality of opponent) and Team Value Index (results-oriented). RU remains at No. 12 as of Feb. 16 following three wins by an average of 16.7 points in their return to the court after a five-week COVID-19-related hiatus, including triumph at No. 21/20 Northwestern.

ARELLA RISING: Redshirt senior guard Arella Guirantes is on five national watch lists: the Wooden Award for Most Outstanding Player, the Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy for National Player of the Year, a Top 10 semifinalist for the Meyers Shooting Guard Award, and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
     Only Player to rank Top 5 in Big Ten in scoring, assists, blocks & steals
     Triple-double on Dec. 23 vs. Manhattan (6th in RU history) with 17 points, 10 rebounds & 11 assists
     Three 30+ point performances vs. No. 9 Maryland, Iowa & Purdue

SHINE ON: True freshman Diamond Johnson, the No. 6 overall recruit in the nation according to ESPN, is one of 10 named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List semifinalists for the country's top point guard. The Neumann Goretti product earned Rutgers' first ever Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor on Dec. 21. Johnson has scored in double-figures in all 11 of her games and has scored 14 or more in seven consecutive contests.
    Ranks 5th in the NCAA with a .500 three-point shooting percentage (30-60)

MACK ATTACK: Senior wing Tekia Mack returned from an injury on Dec. 31 and has played in every minute since returning (5 games). Mack scored a career-high 26 points in the 78-62 victory against Nebraska and added her fifth career double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) in the win at No. 21/20 Northwestern.

THOU SHALL STEAL: Rutgers ranks fourth in the country with 13.4 steals per game and is fifth in the nation in turnover margin at 8.0 through 11 games. Three Scarlet Knights make up the Top 5 in the Big Ten in steals per game with Tekia Mack (2.9), Arella Guirantes (2.5) and Mael Gilles (2.4). RU's 22 steals at Wisconsin were its most in a game since 23 against FDU in 2017 and the most in a conference game since 22 against Penn State in 2015.

THAT'S OFFENSIVE: Rutgers scored 80 or more points in five consecutive games for the first time in the C. Vivian Stringer era "On the Banks" - the first time since the 1990-91 season. The Scarlet Knights rank seventh in the nation in scoring margin through eight games at +22.5, scoring 79.4 points per game (20th in the nation).  

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.

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.
 

#TRENDING

• Arella Guirantes' five blocks at Purdue were the most in a game since Caitlin Jenkins had six vs. Siena in December 2017.
• Rutgers' win at No. 21/20 Northwestern was its first ranked road win since a 73-65 victory at No. 4 Maryland on Dec. 31, 2018.
• In consecutive games, Tyia Singleton set new career highs in rebounding (11 vs. Nebraska) and point scoring (17 vs. Northwestern).
• Arella Guirantes (28) and Diamond Johnson (19) have combined to make 47 consecutive free throws going into the Minnesota game. 
• Tekia Mack scored a career-high 26 points in the win over Nebraska on Feb. 7, shooting 8-of-10 on two-point field goals.
• Currently graded .784 from the charity stripe, RU is strongly challenging its single-season free throw percentage record of .734 ('80-81).
• RU has outscored opponents in the paint in 10 of 11 games this season.
• RU is 6-0 with a lead at halftime.
• The Scarlet Knights have outscored opponents by an average of 15.7 in points off turnovers (27.7 - 12.0).
• Rutgers scored 80 or more points in five consecutive games for the first time since the 1990-91 squad scored 80-plus in five straight wins in January of a 23-7 campaign.
• Arella Guirantes has five career 30+ point games, all against Big Ten opponents.
• RU's 87 points against Maryland were Rutgers' most in a Big Ten game since joining the conference in 2014-15 ... and most in a conference game since 90 vs. Seton Hall in the Big East in 2013.
• Guirantes' 30+point double-double vs. Maryland was Rutgers' first since Kahleah Copper had 30 and 10 against St. Joseph's on Nov. 13, 2015.
• With Diamond Johnson at 17.9 points per game, a look at the Top 5 freshman scoring averages in team history:

• 1. Cappie Pondexter (02-03) - 18.3ppg
• 2. Patti Sikorski (76-77) - 15.8ppg
• T3. Kathy Glutz (76-77) - 15.5ppg
• T3. June Olkowski (78-79) - 15.5ppg
• 5. Sue Wicks (84-85) - 14.9 ppg 

NATIONAL RANKS

• Team: Steals/gm (4th - 13.4)
• Team: Turnover margin (5th - 8.0)
• Diamond Johnson: 3FG% (5th - .500)
• Team: Scoring margin (7th - 22.5)
• Team: Turnovers forced (8th - 21.2)
• Arella Guirantes: FT% (8th - .918)
• Team: FG% (10th - .478)
• Team: FT% (14th - .784)
• Team: 3ptFG% (15th - .380)
• Arella Guirantes: Pts/gm (16th - 22.0)
• Team: Scoring offense (20th - 79.4)
• Arella Guirantes: Assists/gm (24th - 5.2)
• Team: Blocks/gm (25th - 5.2)


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