Rutgers University
Seton Hall
Women's Basketball Travels to Seton Hall for First Road Test
Nov 14 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women's basketball team (2-1, 0-0 B1G) will travel to South Orange, New Jersey to face Seton Hall (2-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on FloHoops.
Last Time Out
Rutgers fell to Auburn (3-0, 0-0 SEC), 76-56, on Sunday afternoon at Jersey Mike's Arena. Chyna Cornwell secured her second double-double in three games during the contest, recording 11 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.
Kaylene Smikle recorded a team-high 19 points, while also earning a season-high four steals.
Freshman Jillian Huerter had a strong showing, recording a career-best 11 points, going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
HUERTER FOR 👌#GoRU | #RUWBB pic.twitter.com/9AGkM6gRy3
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) November 12, 2023
The Scarlet Knights got out to a fast start, opening the contest with a 13-2 run, led by five points from Cornwell. Rutgers held a 17-11 lead at the end of the first.
Down 38-22 at half time, Rutgers used a strong third quarter to get themselves back into the game, closing Auburn's lead to as few as eight points. RU outscored the Tigers 21-17, in the frame, paced by Smikle's nine points.
Rutgers was down 55-43 heading into the fourth, with the Tigers ultimately claiming the victory.
It's Destiny
Destiny Adams continues to make her presence known on the court for the Scarlet Knights, showing off a powerful and versatile style of play.
With back-to-back doubles-doubles in her first two games, the Manchester, New Jersey native ranks third in the national and first in the Big Ten in the statistics.
Adams also accumulated 37 rebounds through three games to second in the conference and sitting third with 8.7 defensive boards per game.
Adding to her game on defense, Adams tops the league with 10 steals.
Strong Off the Boards
The Scarlet Knights are picking up where they left off last season with a strong presence on the boards.
In the second game of the season against Wagner, RU beat their previous high off the glass from last season, grabbing 55 boards. The squad has outrebounded its opponent in each of its three games this slate.
Rutgers has had at least two players reach 10+ rebounds in two of three contests so far in the 2023-24 campaign. With 49.3 rebounds per outing, RU currently ranks second in the Big Ten.
2022-23 Season recap
In a season of discovery, Coquese Washington set a solid foundation for Rutgers in her first season at the helm during the 2022-23 campaign. She led RU to a 12-20 overall record including five Big Ten wins.
Washington guided the Scarlet Knights to their 1,000th win in program history with a road victory over Minnesota (Jan. 12), becoming just the 22nd Division I team and the third squad in the Big Ten to reach the milestone. In the same game against the Gophers, Washington also picked up her 100th Big Ten win.
Washington helped guide freshman guard Kaylene Smikle to greatness, as she was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team (Media & Coaches) and the Big Ten All-Freshman team (Media & Coaches). The guard also collected three Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, the most in program history. Under Washington's direction, Smikle became Rutgers' all-time leading freshman scorer, ending the season with 573 points to best the previous high of 536 points. She is the third freshman in program history to amass 500+ points.
Chyna Cornwell also achieved greatness as she was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (Media) as well as earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. In a breakout season, Cornwell paced RU with nine double-doubles, including four in Big Ten play. Her 16 rebounds against Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament set the new Big Ten Tournament program high, which was set in 2015 by current WNBA superstar Betnijah Laney. The Conover, North Carolina native led the team with 274 total rebounds to rank third in the Big Ten in addition to 105 offensive boards to finish second in the league.
50 Seasons
The Rutgers women's basketball team will celebrate its 50th season in program history during the 2023-24 campaign. Since the first season in 1974, the Scarlet Knights have proved they are a nationally elite program. The program has made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances in addition to four Sweet Sixteens, five Elite Eights, two Final Fours and one National Championship game.
The Scarlet Knights will honor their rich tradition "On The Banks" throughout the season with various special promotions.
The Scarlet Knights Against the Top-25
Rutgers is currently slated to face five opponents currently ranked in the AP/USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls.
- No. 2/2 Iowa*
- No. 13/10 Ohio State*
- No. 9/9 Virginia Tech
- No. 19/17 Indiana*
- No. 20/19 Maryland*
*Big Ten contest
Princeton is also receiving votes in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.
Home Sweet Home
RU will compete in 13 nonconference games this season before jumping into Big Ten play on Saturday, Dec. 9 against Indiana. Of the 13 games, Rutgers will play nine at their home court of Jersey Mike's Arena.
The only time the team will leave the Banks will be to travel to in-state rivals Seton Hall (Nov. 15) and Princeton (Dec. 13) in addition to the South Point Classis to face Texas Tech (Nov. 24) and Boise State (Nov. 25) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Successful Staff
Along with Washington, assistant coaches Tasha Pointer and John Hampton will also be returning to the sidelines this season for the Scarlet Knights. There will also be some new faces as well, with the additions of Nneka Enemkpali and Jeanine Wasielewski to the staff.
Pointer returns "On The Banks," bringing 18 total years of coaching experience, including eight seasons on the sidelines with the Scarlet Knights from 2007-15. As a player from 1997-2001, Pointer led Rutgers to the 2000 Final Four, the hallmark of a 128-game career that produced program-record totals of 839 assists and 292 steals while scoring 1,456 points. Pointer was inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008, which was also her first year on the coaching staff that guided the Scarlet Knights to an NCAA Elite Eight, a Sweet 16, and a WNIT Championship during seven overall trips to the postseason.
Hampton, the former head coach at Clarkson University, has spent the last seven seasons at St. Joseph's, including the last three as the Hawks' assistant head coach. At St. Joe's, Hampton helped lead the Hawks to the postseason twice, an Atlantic 10 Tournament title game, a Hawk Classic crown, and a WNIT victory. Hampton graduated from Mansfield University in 2008, where he joined the men's basketball program as a walk-on and went on to earn the team's MVP twice in 2007 and 2008. He was selected as a PSAC All-Conference honoree as a senior.
Enemkpali comes to Piscataway after two seasons at Southern California where she also served as the Recruiting Coordinator. While with the Trojans, Enemkpali led efforts to sign the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class. She also helped USC make strides on the court as she coached the 29th overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Kadi Sissoko, to all All-Pac 12 honors. In addition, Enemkpali guided Rayah Marshall to All-PAC 12 and All-Defense honors as a sophomore. She went on to be selected to represent USA at the 2023 Americup games. Enemkpali is a 2015 graduate of Texas, where she earned three All-Big 12 selections and finished ranked No. 10 all-time in career rebounds (899) and No. 30 in career points (1,116).
Prior to joining the Scarlet Knights, Wasielewski was most recently the head coach at Southwestern Michigan College. She led the revival of the women's basketball program there, after a 25-year hiatus. In the program's first season back to competition in 2022-23, she recruited and coached a team of all freshmen to an 18-9 overall record, a 13-1 record on their home court and a third-place finish in conference that earned the squad a postseason tournament bid. She also spent time at Saint Francis (PA), Penn State under Washington, Loyola Chicago and MSU Denver. During her own collegiate player career, Wasielewski was a four-year letter winner at Northwestern University. She was a key contributor on the 1990 Big Ten Championship team, participated and advanced in two NCAA Tournaments and posted back-to-back 20-win seasons.
Returning to The Banks
The Scarlet Knights return six big contributors from last season including, Kaylene Smikle, Antonia Bates, Awa Sidibe, Erica Lafayette, Kassondra Brown and Chyna Cornwell.
The group combined for 1,684 points and Smikle, Cornwell, Sidibe and Brown were the top four scorers during the 2022-23 campaign. The same group were the top-four rebounders last season as well, combing for 747 boards.
Transferring In
Rutgers welcomed two transfers in the offseason in junior Destiny Adams from UNC and sophomore Mya Petticord from Texas A&M.
Last season at UNC, Adams played in all 33 games and made four starts, while averaging 4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game. She ranked 16th in the ACC in steals (1.5 per game) and 23rd in blocks (0.8 per game), both second on the team. A graduate of Manchester Township High School, Adams was the 2020-21 Gatorade New Jersey Girls Basketball Player of the Year. She was also named to the Jordan Brand Classic 2021 Girls National Team and the 2021 McDonald's All-American Girls Team. In addition, Adams was ranked 20th in the ESPNW Class of 2021. rankings
For the Aggies last season, Petticord appeared in 21 games season and made one start. She averaged just over 15 minutes of playing time per outing. Petticord was a four-star recruit and No. 81-ranked prospect according to ESPNW in the 2022 class. She led her team to the 2022 Division III State Title and was named the Michigan Associated Press Division III Player of the Year.
Featuring Freshman
RU also brought in three freshmen to join the team this upcoming campaign, with the addition of Jillian Huerter, Lisa Thompson and Kennedy Brandt.
Prior to the 2021-22 season, Huerter went to Shenendehowa High School where she helped guide her team back-to-back two Section 2 Championships (2019 & 2020) as well as a Suburban Council Championship in 2021. While at Shenendehowa, she also averaged 15.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists before going into her final year of high school ball at the Kent School.
Thompson led her team at Example Academy to the 2023 Independent National Championship. Prior to her time at Example Academy, Thompson attended Joliet West High School, where she also guided her squad to three consecutive conference championships her first three seasons. She was named a McDonald's All-American Nominee as well as earning an invite to the USA Women's U17 World Cup Team Trials.
Brandt graduated from Glenbard West High School. She averaged 15 points, five rebounds and three assists per game and was selected as the Glenbard West Female Athlete of the Year. She was also a two-time All-Area and All-Conference pick as well as an All-State selection.
Scarlet Knights on the Big Screen
Rutgers will appear on national television seven times this season with six scheduled contests on the Big Ten Network and one on Fox Sports 1.
- vs. Auburn – Saturday, Nov. 12 – 5 p.m. (BTN)
- vs. Indiana – Saturday, Dec. 9 – 4 p.m. (BTN)
- vs. Virginia Tech – Sunday, Dec. 17 – 5:30 p.m. (FS1)
- vs. Iowa – Friday, Dec. 5 – 6 p.m. (BTN)
- at Ohio State – Thursday, Jan. 11 – 6 p.m. (BTN)
- vs. Maryland – Tuesday, Feb. 6 – 8:30 p.m. (BTN)
- vs. Minnesota – Tuesday, Feb. 13 – 7 p.m. (BTN)
Theme Games
Rutgers will celebrate multiple theme games throughout the season. More theme games and details will be released as each individual contest approaches.
- Nov. 6 – vs. Monmouth – Opening Day
- Nov. 12 – vs. Auburn – Nikki McCray-Penson Day
- Nov. 18 – vs. Saint Francis – Food Drive
- Nov. 19 – vs. Delaware State – Recess Game
- Dec. 9 – vs. Indiana – Blackout Game
- Dec. 17 – vs. Virginia Tech – Holiday Hoops/Youth Spirit Game
- Jan. 5 – vs. Iowa – Scarlet Out Game
- Feb. 6 – vs. Maryland – Black Excellence Game
- Feb. 17 – vs. Wisconsin – Play4Kay Game
- March 3 – vs. Northwestern – Senior Day/Thank You Fans
History Against Seton Hall
Rutgers own the 36-10 all-time edge over Seton Hall. The two teams first met in 1975 when the Scarlet Knights came out on top, 88-53. However, in the most recent meeting in 2022, the Pirates emerged with the victory, 75-57.
Scouting the Pirates
Seton Hall opened its season with a 75-32 win over Iona before falling to Columbia, 72-61. The Pirates bounced back however in their most recent outing, defeating Bryant, 73-45.
Micah Gray paces SHU with 15.3 points per game while Azana Baines and A'Jah Davis lead the team off the boards, averaging 5.7 rebounds.
Looking Ahead
Rutgers will return to Jersey Mike's Arena to face Saint Francis on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
The Scarlet Knights will also be hosting a food drive during the game as well as the men's game afterwards at 6 p.m. Fans who participate for the men's and women's game will receive tickets to the women's Virginia Tech game on Sunday, Dec. 17.
Follow Along
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), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
