PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The Rutgers women's basketball team (1-0, 0-0 B1G) defeated Monmouth (0-1, 0-0 CAA), 56-51, on Monday night at Jersey Mike's Arena to open its 2023-24 campaign. Junior transfer Destiny Adams led the way for the Scarlet Knights, recording her first career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds to begin her career as a Scarlet Knight.
Mya Petticord also recorded a big game in her Rutgers debut, scoring a game-high and career-best 17 points. The sophomore transfer from Texas A&M also registered a career-high six rebounds.
"They're great additions," said head coach Coquese Washington. "We certainly have great leadership with Mya at the point and Destiny, she's a matchup nightmare. She's so versatile, we can move her around and put her at different spots. I just love what they bring, they bring a tremendous amount of energy."
Chyna Cornwell secured the 10th double-double of her career with 10 points and 10 rebounds to reinforce her strong presence on the glass that she displayed a season ago.
Freshman Lisa Thompson made her collegiate debut, recording seven points in 24 minutes to provide a spark off the bench.
The Hawks jumped out to a lead early to get things going, but the Scarlet Knights quickly recovered, using a 6-0 run to take an 8-5 lead at the first quarter's 5:28 minute mark. RU never looked back from there, holding the advantage throughout the rest of the contest.
Rutgers put its defensive skills on display, grabbing 11 steals in addition to 30 defensive rebounds, adding to its total 53 boards.
How it Happened
- Mya Petticord scored the first six points of the 2023-24 campaign for the Scarlet Knights to give the team a 6-5 lead midway through the first quarter. Kassondra Brown tacked on a layup to put RU up three heading into a media timeout with 4:13 to play.
- Destiny Adams recorded the first points of her Rutgers career with a pair of free throw at the 3:41 mark. Lisa Thompson followed the transfer up with her first career-points, as well, netting a layup to add to RU's lead.
- Adams and Petticord combined for four points to put Rutgers up 16-6, before Monmouth sank a field-goal at the buzzer to keep itself within eight at the end of the first.
- The two teams traded baskets to start the second quarter, but the Hawks used a pair of makes from the charity stripe to close in on RU's lead, making the game 19-15 heading into a 4:46 media timeout.
- Out of the break, Adams responded to a 4-0 Monmouth run, returning the favor with her own four-point run. Chyna Cornwell added to the stretch with a layup, to push the Scarlet Knight's lead back to eight.
- The Hawks added another three points before the end of the half, as RU headed into the locker room with a 25-20 lead.
- Adams opened the second-half scoring with an early layup, but Monmouth quickly responded with a three-pointer. The teams recorded back-and-forth baskets, before Adams completed a three-point play, giving RU a 36-29 lead with six to go in the third.
- Rutgers outscored Monmouth, 9-4, to close out the third quarter, taking a 10-point lead into the game's final frame.
- At the start of the fourth, Cornwell gave Rutgers its biggest lead of the contest with a layup, putting her team up 45-33. However, Monmouth fought back, recording back-to-back layups to close the gap to seven.
- Petticord and Cornwell combined to go on another big 5-0 run for RU, but the stretch was quickly halted with a Hawks' three-pointer. The teams went into a 4:27 media timeout with Rutgers holding on to a 51-42 lead.
- The Hawks brought the Scarlet Knights' advantage down to four with 1:06 to play, but a free throw from Petticord with three seconds to play closed out the game, giving Rutgers the 56-51 victory.
Gallery: (11-6-2023) Rutgers Women's Basketball vs. Monmouth
Knights Notes
- Petticord recorded a new career-high of 17 points, eclipsing her previous mark set during her freshman campaign at Texas A&M of 10 points.
- Adams recorded her first career double-double in her debut as a Scarlet Knight, scoring 13 points and grabbing a career-high 17 boards.
- After recording eight double-doubles a season ago, Cornwell opened the new campaign with her tenth career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
- Monday's performance marks the first time since last season against Seton Hall (Nov. 11) that two players have recorded double-doubles in the same outing. Against the pirates both Awa Sidibe (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Cornwell (10 points, 10 rebounds) accomplshied the feat.
- Freshmen Lisa Thompson and Jillian Huerter recorded their collegiate debuts in the win. Thompson also recorded her first collegiate points with seven total.
- With the win, Rutgers has now won the opening game in 10 of its last 12 seasons, dating back to the 2012-13 slate. Washington is also now undefeated in season openers since arriving "On The Banks."
- The Scarlet Knights are now a perfect 8-0 all-time against the Hawks.
- RU's 11 team steals surpasses its season average from 2022-23 of 7.5 per game.
- The Scarlet Knight edged the Hawks in rebounds (53-39), points in the paint (26-22), and steals (11-5).
- Rutgers outscored Monmouth in the game's first (16-8) and third (18-13) quarters.
Next Up
Rutgers takes on Wagner on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (7 p.m.) at Jersey Mike's Arena. The contest will be available to stream on B1G+. The Scarlet Knights will then welcome Auburn on Sunday, Nov. 12 (5 p.m.) for their first game of the season on the Big Ten Network.
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.
