PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The Rutgers women's basketball team (5-5, 0-0 B1G) defeated Lafayette (4-4, 0-0 Patriot League), 69-48, on Friday night at Jersey Mike's Arena. Antonia Bates had a strong performance in the win, facilitating both ends of the floor with career-bests ten rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
"We talked to Antonia before the season even started about her being a defensive stallworth for us," said head coach Coquese Washington. "She is really embracing that. She just does so many things that just don't necessarily show up on the stat sheet, but what she brings to the team in terms of helping us operate is huge and can't be talked about enough."
Chyna Cornwell led the way in scoring for the Scarlet Knights with a season-high 16 points. The senior center also grabbed nine rebounds.
Destiny Adams and Kaylene Smikle were the other scorers in double figures for RU with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Kassondra Brown secured her first double-digit rebounding performance of the season with 10, including eight on the defensive end. The graduate student also tacked on seven points for the Scarlet Knights.
The Leopards struck first with a 5-0 lead a minute into the game, but it didn't last long. The Scarlet Knights answered quickly with a 10-5 to jump in front, and held onto that lead for the remainder of the contest, stretching their advantage to as many as 26.
As a team, RU grabbed 48 boards, dished out 14 assists and secured 12 steals.
The win also marked the first game this season that all available players recorded a point in the game, as freshman Kennedy Brandt recorded the first points of her collegiate career with a made free throw with 54 seconds remaining in the contest.
How it Happened
- Lafayette opened the game's scoring, jumping out to a 5-0 lead early in the contest. Smikle got Rutgers on the board at the 7:14 mark with two makes from the charity stripe.
- Back-to-back layups from Brown and Cornwell put RU in front, 6-5, midway through the first. Cornwell tacked on another field goal to extend the Scarlet Knights' edge to three heading into a 3:29 media timeout.
- Out of the break, Rutgers extended its run to 10-0 on two made free throws from Brown, but the Leopards broke the stretch with a made three-pointer. Lisa Thompson returned the favor for the Scarlet Knights, making the game 13-8.
- Adams completed a transition layup off a full-court pass from Bates to end the first quarter, as RU held a 15-8 lead after 10 minutes of play.
- The Leopards closed their deficit to four at the start of the second quarter, but that did not last long, as the Scarlet Knights used a 11-0 run to push their lead back out to 15.
- The two teams traded baskets for the final four minutes of the half. A Lafayette free throw closed out the quarter's scoring, but the Scarlet Knights held the 16-point edge after 20 minutes of play, 33-17.
- Rutgers came out of the break hot, as Smikle immediately started the second half with a block, leading to a layup from Cornwell on the other end of the floor.
- The teams traded back-and-forth points for the following four minutes, but Rutgers kept its edge, 45-25 midway through the quarter.
- Following a media timeout at the 4:20 mark, Adams and Smikles added four points for RU. Lafayette responded with five points to close out the quarter, but still faced a 51-30 deficit heading into the final quarter of the contest.
- Rutgers and Lafayette went back-and-forth with baskets throughout the start of the fourth quarter. Heading into the game's final media timeout at the 4:01 mark, RU held a 17-point lead on points from Smikle (4), Jillian Huerter (3), and Erica Lafayette (2).
- Cornwell recorded three-straight field goals out of the timeout to secure a double-digit scoring performance.
- With 54 seconds remaining in the contest, Brandt recorded the first points of her collegiate career with a made free throw.
- Rutgers went on to earn the win, 69-48.
Gallery: (12-1-2023) Rutgers WBB vs. Lafayette
Knights Notes
- Bates grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds, surpassing her previous mark of six set against Seton Hall earlier this season. The sophomore also recorded a new career mark in steals with three swipes in the win.
- Bates contributed seven helpers in the win. She is averaging 3.5 assists per game to lead RU.
- Cornwell's 16 points marked a season-high for the senior.
- Adams' 14 points marks her seventh game of the season that the junior has reached double figures.
- Smikle's 13 points marks her 33rd career outing in double figures.
- Brandt's made free throw marked the first point of her college career.
- RU out-rebounded Lafayette, 48-26, marking the seventh time the team has edged their opponent off the glass this campaign. The Scarlet Knights also dominated on the offensive boards, 20-8.
- The Scarlet Knights scored more second chance (16-5), bench (16-2), and fast break (20-13) points than the Leopards. RU also dominited the paint, outscoring Lafayette 44-18 down low.
- Rutgers held Lafayette to just eight and nine points in the first and second quarters, respectily. The opposition did not score more than 18 points throughout the contest.
- RU is now 2-0 all-time against Lafayette, outscoring the opposition.
Volume Up
Next Up
The Scarlet Knights are set to face La Salle at Jersey Mike's Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. The game will be available to stream on B1G+.
Rutgers will then bring in Indiana for its Big Ten opener on Saturday, Dec. 9 (4 p.m.). Against the Hoosiers, RU will also celebrate Community Day and its Blackout Game. There will also be postgame autographs.
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