PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The Rutgers women's basketball team (6-7, 0-1 B1G) fell short at Princeton (8-3, 0-0 IVY), 66-55, on Wednesday night.
Kaylene Smikle and Kassondra Brown both led scoring efforts with 14 points a piece, while Antonia Bates and Destiny Adams followed closely behind with 10 points each.
Smikle also added four assists, four rebounds and three steals in the outing.
Chyna Cornwell paced the team off the glass, bringing in 10 rebounds while Brown finished second on the team with seven.
How it Happened
- Princeton got out to a quick 6-0 lead ot start the contest, forcing Rutgers to use its first timeout at the 8:47 mark. The Tigers continued to build on their lead, scoring 13 unanswered points just before the quarter's halfway point.
- Kassondra Brown broke the scoring drought for the Scarlet Knights with a jumper at 5:39. Smikle also added a three-pointer and two shots from the line to make the score 19-7 with 3:30 to play in the first.
- With under 30 seconds to go in the opening period, Brown added a make of her own from deep to end with a score of 22-10.
- Princeton once agains started off the second quarter with seven consecutive points to exend its edge, 29-10, at the midpoint of the second quarter.
- Just before the 4:31 media timeout, Lisa Thompson cashed in for her first points of the game to lessen the gap.
- Princeton responded with six points but Adams and Bates added field goals for RU to make the score 38-17 at the end of the half.
- To start the third, the Tigers continued too find success on offense, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 7-3. Smikle added her second three of the contest for RU in the span.
- After Rutgers' second timeout at 7:15, the team rebounded stringing together a five-point run with more scores from Smikle and Adams.
- Both teams added buckets before the 4:24 media break, to keep the difference at 47-27.
- Out of the stop, the teams were evenly matched, trading points back and fourth. Bates secured a three-point play during the span to energize her team.
- Just before the end of the third, Thompson and Brown combined for three points to keep the difference, 53-33.
- Princeton started the fourth quarter off with four points but Huerter got the Scarlet Knights on the board with her first three of the game shortly following. Kassondra Brown also added a pair of free throws between more production from the Tigers' offense.
- Through the five-minute mark, both teams continued to find the basket, but the gap continued to remain the same, 64-43, at the 4:36 media timeout.
- Brown (4), Bates (3) and Adams (1) all recorded points to generate some momentum on offense and keep Princeton to just three points and force a shot clock violation.
- Smikle kept it going with a layup at the 1:48 mark, making the score 66-53 and forcing a Tigers' timeout.
- Brown found the basketb one more time with 28 seconds to play, but Princeton still came out on top, 66-55.
Gallery: (12-13-2023) Rutgers WBB at Princeton
Knights Notes
- Four Scarlet Knights ended the contest in double figures including Smikle (14), Brown (14), Adams (10) and Bates (10).
- After her 11-point performance in her last time out against Indiana, Bates has now reached 10+ points in back-to-back games for the first time in her career.
- Bates' two blocks adds to her total of 23 through 13 games, which leads the team and is third in the Big Ten.
- The performance was Destiny Adams 10th double figure scoring game since coming "On The Banks."
- Smikle's scoring performance marks her 36th outing in double figures. The sophomore is second in the Big Ten with 218 total points through 13 games.
- With three steals, Smikle also secured her sixth games this season with 3+ grabs and 18 during her career. She has paced RU in steals 21 times throughout the past two seasons.
- After scoring 12 points against La Salle, 10 against Indiana and 14 at Princeton, Brown has now recorded 10+ points in three consecutive outings. The graduate student has reached double figures in four outings this campaign.
- With 10 rebounds on Wednesday night, Cornwell has secured double-digit boards in five games this slate. She has accomplished the task 17 times during her career and led her team off the glass in 25 games during her career.
- Rutgers won the second half, outscoring Princeton by 10 points, including 22-13 in the final 10 minutes.
Next Up
Rutgers will then return to Jersey Mike's Arena to host No. 16/14 Virginia Tech on Sunday, Dec. 17. Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. and the contest will be broadcast nationally on FS1.
Follow Along
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