PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The Rutgers women's basketball team (5-7, 0-2 B1G) defeated Hampton (3-5), 76-68, on Saturday afternoon at Jersey Mike's Arena. The Scarlet Knights effort was led by Chyna Cornwell, who recorded her fourth double-double of the season (18 points, 14 rebounds) and second in a row.
The Scarlet Knights jumped out to an early lead, taking a three-point edge into the half. Despite controlling the first half, Hampton refused to back down, as the team rallied to secure its first lead of the game midway through the third quarter.
The second half surge from the Lady Pirates only fueled Rutgers, as the Scarlet Knights used a 9-0 run to put them up by six entering the fourth.
"I thought we made a few substitutions and we had a little more energy and connection on the floor, Washington added. "The biggest key though is that we got stops during that stretch. We got stops and we are able to get going in transition. That made all the difference for us. Our confidence went a little higher after that stretch and we were able to hold on to the win in the fourth quarter."
Rutgers used a full team effort to help secure the victory. For the fourth time this season, every Scarlet Knight found the basket. Erica Lafayette scored a career-high 19 points, while also adding four assists and four rebounds. All of the junior's points came in the second half, marking the highest scoring half by a Scarlet Knight this season.
"[Lafayette] was really aggressive, especially in transition," Washington added. "She's a good player off the bounce, she didn't settle for threes. She got to her sweet spot on the floor, and she played with a lot of poise."
Senior Awa Sidibe scored in double figures with 12 points, also adding five assists and nine boards. She eads with the team with eight outings with 10+ points.
Rutgers continued its success of the glass, outrebounded Hampton 41-28 (+13). In addition to Cornwell and Sidibe's strong performances on the boards, freshman Antonia Bates also contributed a career-high five boards.
How it Happened
- Chyna Cornwell opened up the scoring, as the game's first five minutes consisted of back and forth baskets. A three-pointer from Kaylene Smikle gave Rutgers a 7-4 lead midway through the first quarter.
- Rutgers began a 5-0 run at the 4:18 mark on a second straight three from Smikle. Hampton ended the run with a layup, beginning a 5-0 run of their own. With three minutes remaining in the quarter, Rutgers held on to a one-point lead, 12-11.
- Two straight three-pointers from Abby Streeter and Kai Carter put the Scarlet Knights up 18-12. A free throw from Cornwell ended the quarter's scoring, giving Rutgers a seven-point lead heading into the second quarter.
- Hampton hit a three to start the second, cutting the difference to four points, but Cornwell quickly responded with a layup for the Scarlet Knights. The teams continued to trade baskets, with Rutgers holding on to its lead, 25-23, with six minutes to go in the half.
- After a media timeout at the 4:29 mark, Bates put Rutgers up 28-23 with her first three-pointer of the contest. Hampton, refusing to go away, responded with four straight points.
- Just before the buzzer, Carter hit the final shot of the first half to lead her team into the locker room with a three-point edge, 30-27.
- Out of halftime, Rutgers added an early layup to extend their lead. Hampton followed up with back-to-back buckets to cut the difference back to just one point, 32-31, forcing an RU timeout at the 6:41 mark.
- Hampton took their first lead of the game on a field goal with 5:16 to go in the third. Lafayette quickly answered for Rutgers with a field goal of her own, tying the contest, 36-36. Lafayette would go onto lead the squad with nine points in the third 10-minute span.
- The quarter's last five minutes consisted of back-and-forth scoring between teams, until Rutgers began a 9-0 run to end the third. The Scarlet Knights took a 49-43 lead into the fourth quarter.
- The Scarlet Knight came out of the break hot, scoring nine of the quarter's first 12 points. Rutgers stayed on top halfway through the fourth quarter, 60-53. The last five minutes of the game consisted of more back-and-forth basketball. The teams traded 11 straight free throws, giving Rutgers a 70-63 lead with just under a minute and a half to play.
- A pair of free throws from Carter with 14.8 to play ended the game's scoring to give RU the 76-68 win on Saturday afternoon.
Gallery: (12-10-2022) WBB vs. Hampton
Knights Notes
- Rutgers is now 5-1 when the team outrebounds its opponents.
- The Scarlet Knights are 5-0 when leading at halftime and the third quarter.
- Cornwell recorded her second consecutive and fourth overall double-double of the season with a career-best 18 points in addition to 14 rebounds.
- Lafayette set new career highs with 17 points and eight free throws. She went 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, her third perfect performance this slate.
- All eight Scarlet Knights netted points against the Lady Pirates for the fourth time this season.
- Rutgers won the battle of second chance points (16-6), fast break points (14-9) and bench points (34-9).
- Rutgers earned 18 assists against Hampton for a new season-high and its seventh double-digit helper outing.
- Rutgers held Hampton to 35.7 percent from the field on Saturday. RU is 4-1 when their opponents shoot less than 45 percent from the floor.
- Smikle hit three shots from beyond the arc on Saturday extending her streak. She has now hit at least one three-pointer in all 12 games this season.
Volume Up
Next Up
Rutgers continues its three-game homestand against Princeton on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Scarlet Knights will finish out the weekend on Sunday, December 18, hosting New Orleans at 2 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
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