Thursday, November 30
Piscataway, N.J.
6:00 PM
Rutgers University
vs
NC STATE
Women's Basketball Hosts NC State in B1G/ACC Challenge
Nov 28 | Women's Basketball
Scarlet Knights & Wolfpack Tipoff at 6 p.m. on Thursday
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's basketball team makes its fourth appearance in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Thursday when the Scarlet Knights welcome NC State on 6 p.m. The game will air on BTN with Jason Horowitz and Shelley Till on the call with coverage also available on the Rutgers IMG Radio Network with Ralph Bednarczyk and Mark Peterson.
PROMOTIONS
- Raffle: New Brunswick Date Night with Dinner to Steakhouse 85 & Tickets to Stress Factory
- Seniors Eat Free
- Bingo
- Concession Offer: Buy One Meal, Get One Free
- Free Admission with MBB vs. Florida State Ticket Stub
- Halftime: Speed Dating
EIGHT-GAME HOMESTAND BEGINS
After playing six of its first seven games on the road, the Rutgers women's basketball team returns home for an eight-game homestand beginning with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup against NC State.
The Scarlet Knights went 1-2 over Thanksgiving weekend at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
RU opened with No. 3/2 South Carolina, pulling within three points of the defending national champions with 4:24 left to play before falling, 78-68. Rutgers returned to the win column the following day in a 75-64 victory over Western Michigan overcoming a 14-point second quarter deficit. The Scarlet Knight fell in game three as Washington State. The Cougars overcame its own 14-point second quarter deficit and a last chance 3-point shot by redshirt sophomore guard Ciani Cryor to push the game into overtime was just short in the 63-60 loss.
During tournament play, redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife averaged 20.3 points, including tying her career-high with 29 points against Western Michigan. Junior forward Caitlin Jenkins posted two double-doubles and ended the three-game stretch averaging 11.7 points and 11.0 rebounds.
ABOUT NC STATE
The Wolfpack enters the RAC at 6-1 on the year coming off its only loss of the 2017-18 season on Friday with a 75-67 setback to South Dakota State in Puerto Rico Clasico held in Fort Lauderdale.
NC State is led by senior forward Chelsea Nelson at 15.1 points per game along with a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game.
Also in double figures are senior center Akela Maize at 12.6 points per game and redshirt junior guard Kiara Leslie at 10.0 points per game along with a team-leading 6.9 rebounds per contest.
After opening the season with five-straight victories, the Wolfpack entered the USA Today Coaches Poll last week in a tie for No. 23, but dropped out this week after the setback to the Jackrabbits.
CHALLENGE HISTORY
The Scarlet Knights are looking for their first win in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge after joining the Big Ten in the summer of 2014.
RU's first challenge appearance in 2014 with North Carolina proved to be one of the most exciting matchups of the year. The Tar Heels needed double overtime to get past the Scarlet Knights as former Rutgers forward and second round WNBA draftee Betnijah Laney scored not only her 1,000th career point, but set the RAC rebounding record (men and women) with 24 boards.
The Scarlet Knights, who had the nation's longest active win streak entering the game with the Tar Heels with 12-straight wins dating back to the 2014 WNIT Championship run, fell 96-93.
In 2015, Rutgers snapped a four-game win-streak with a 65-43 loss at No. 13/14 Florida State. In the loss, Tyler Scaife led RU with 10 points, while former Scarlet Knight Ariel Butts was just short of a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
Last year, the Scarlet Knights retired Cappie Pondexter's No. 25 jersey at halftime in the 68-32 setback to Duke.
GETTING THE POINTS
Rutgers is enjoying one of its highest scoring averages under C. Vivian Stringer's 23-year tenure "On the Banks"
Top RU Scoring Averages Under C. Vivian Stringer
1. 72.1 (7 games) 2017-18 - 5-2 - Current Season
2. 70.0 (35 games) 1998-99 – 29-6 – Elite Eight
3t. 68.7 (32 games) 2014-15 - 23-10 - 2nd Round
3t. 68.7 (32 games) 1997-98 – 22-10 – Sweet 16
5. 67.3 (29 games) 2002-03 – 21-8 – 2nd Round
6. 66.2 (37 games) 2013-14 – WNIT Champions
7. 65.6 (31 games) 2000-01 – 23-8 – 2nd Round
PROTECTING HOMECOURT
Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 180-43 (.807) at the RAC.
DOUBLE DOWN
Caitlin Jenkins has performed two-straight double-doubles matching the total number of double-doubles the Scarlet Knights had all of last season.
The Shreveport, Louisiana native posted 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Western Michigan on Saturday and followed with 10 points and 13 boards against Washington State on Sunday.
Jenkins has totaled 16 career double-doubles in her career, which also include 14 double-digit scoring and rebounding performances as a freshman at Southern Mississippi in 2015-16.
Last season, Khadaizha Sanders registered 10 assists and 17 points against Seton Hall and Desiree Keeling followed with 10 points and 14 rebounds against Temple in the next game.
INTO THE DEEP END
All 14 members of the available roster have appeared in six of the first seven games of the 2017-18 season.
Through seven games, the Scarlet Knight bench is averaging 39.6 points per contest.
Prior to this season, the last time Rutgers had 14 Scarlet Knights on the court was in a 65-26 win over Savannah State on Dec. 13, 2015.
In games against Charlotte and in the home opener with Wake Forest, 12 of the 14 members of the squad scored.
WELCOME BACK T-SCAIFE
Redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife returned to the hardwood after sitting out the 2016-17 season due to a medical redshirt to pour in 26 points in Rutgers' 76-63 season opening win at James Madison on Nov. 10.
Her 26 points were the most scored by the Little Rock, Arkansas native since netting 26 against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament on March 4, 2016.
More recently, the Little Rock, Arkansas native dropped in a carer-high tying 29 points in RU's 75-64 win over Western Michigan the Gulf Coast Showcase. Scaife went 10-of-16 from the floor and a perfect 8-of-8 from the line in 28 minutes.
Scaife also had 29 points in the double overtime victory over Seton Hall in the third round of the WNIT in 2014. Against the Pirates, she went 12-of-24 from the field and 5-of-5 from the stripe in 48 minutes of action.
HELPING HANDS
After committing 25 turnovers against James Madison in the season opener on Nov. 10, the Scarlet Knights have significantly cut down the number of miscues.
In the following games, Rutgers committed only 12 turnovers at Temple on Nov. 13 night and 13 turnovers on Nov. 16 at Charlotte.
Conversely, Rutgers opponents have committed 20 or miscues in six of seven games. Only defending national champion South Carolina has turned the ball over less than 20 times. The No. 3/2 Gamecocks committed 18 turnovers.
MILESTONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER
Rutgers head coach Stringer has compiled a 982-392 career record in 47 seasons and is 18 wins away from joining Stanford's Tara VanDerveer and former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit with 1,000 career victories in women's basketball.
In 2013, Stringer became just the seventh coach - men's or women's - to reach the 900-win mark.
Stringer's 34 20-win seasons are second-best in women's basketball history. Former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit leads all coaches with 36 20-win seasons.
Stringer is the fourth active winningest Division I coach and sixth all-time in career wins in NCAA women's basketball history.
In the Dec. 3 win over Bucknell last season, the Rutgers women's basketball team played its 1300th game in history since beginning the program in 1974.
RU has gone 908-421 with the Scarlet Knights earning its 900th program victory in the 53-45 win over in-state rival Seton Hall on Dec. 13, 2016.
Other Big Ten programs with 900 or more wins include Penn State, who also reached the milestone during the 2016-17 season, Ohio State and Maryland.
With her 20 points against No. 2/3 and defending national champion South Carolina, Tyler Scaife become the eighth Scarlet Knight in history to score over 1,700 career points.
Scaife is currently eighth on the Rutgers all-time scoring leaders list with 1,745 points. She needs 18 more points to move past Caroline DeRoose (1990-94) to move into seventh place.
NEED A HOLIDAY GIFT
Give the gift of Rutgers basketball this season and help beat the January winter blues with holiday ticket packages available from the Rutgers Athletics Ticket Office.
The "Stringer's Stocking Stuffers" includes two tickets to women's basketball contests with Illinois on Jan. 3, Penn State on Jan. 6 and Minnesota on Jan. 13, all in section 110, along with two food vouchers per game and two ugly holiday sweater t-shirts. The package is $80 and available from the ticket office until December 18. To purchase call 866-445-GORU (4678) or click here.
Follow Rutgers women's basketball at www.ScarletKnights.com and (@RutgersWBB) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest news and updates.
-RU-
PROMOTIONS
- Raffle: New Brunswick Date Night with Dinner to Steakhouse 85 & Tickets to Stress Factory
- Seniors Eat Free
- Bingo
- Concession Offer: Buy One Meal, Get One Free
- Free Admission with MBB vs. Florida State Ticket Stub
- Halftime: Speed Dating
EIGHT-GAME HOMESTAND BEGINS
After playing six of its first seven games on the road, the Rutgers women's basketball team returns home for an eight-game homestand beginning with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup against NC State.
The Scarlet Knights went 1-2 over Thanksgiving weekend at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
RU opened with No. 3/2 South Carolina, pulling within three points of the defending national champions with 4:24 left to play before falling, 78-68. Rutgers returned to the win column the following day in a 75-64 victory over Western Michigan overcoming a 14-point second quarter deficit. The Scarlet Knight fell in game three as Washington State. The Cougars overcame its own 14-point second quarter deficit and a last chance 3-point shot by redshirt sophomore guard Ciani Cryor to push the game into overtime was just short in the 63-60 loss.
During tournament play, redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife averaged 20.3 points, including tying her career-high with 29 points against Western Michigan. Junior forward Caitlin Jenkins posted two double-doubles and ended the three-game stretch averaging 11.7 points and 11.0 rebounds.
ABOUT NC STATE
The Wolfpack enters the RAC at 6-1 on the year coming off its only loss of the 2017-18 season on Friday with a 75-67 setback to South Dakota State in Puerto Rico Clasico held in Fort Lauderdale.
NC State is led by senior forward Chelsea Nelson at 15.1 points per game along with a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game.
Also in double figures are senior center Akela Maize at 12.6 points per game and redshirt junior guard Kiara Leslie at 10.0 points per game along with a team-leading 6.9 rebounds per contest.
After opening the season with five-straight victories, the Wolfpack entered the USA Today Coaches Poll last week in a tie for No. 23, but dropped out this week after the setback to the Jackrabbits.
CHALLENGE HISTORY
The Scarlet Knights are looking for their first win in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge after joining the Big Ten in the summer of 2014.
RU's first challenge appearance in 2014 with North Carolina proved to be one of the most exciting matchups of the year. The Tar Heels needed double overtime to get past the Scarlet Knights as former Rutgers forward and second round WNBA draftee Betnijah Laney scored not only her 1,000th career point, but set the RAC rebounding record (men and women) with 24 boards.
The Scarlet Knights, who had the nation's longest active win streak entering the game with the Tar Heels with 12-straight wins dating back to the 2014 WNIT Championship run, fell 96-93.
In 2015, Rutgers snapped a four-game win-streak with a 65-43 loss at No. 13/14 Florida State. In the loss, Tyler Scaife led RU with 10 points, while former Scarlet Knight Ariel Butts was just short of a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
Last year, the Scarlet Knights retired Cappie Pondexter's No. 25 jersey at halftime in the 68-32 setback to Duke.
GETTING THE POINTS
Rutgers is enjoying one of its highest scoring averages under C. Vivian Stringer's 23-year tenure "On the Banks"
Top RU Scoring Averages Under C. Vivian Stringer
1. 72.1 (7 games) 2017-18 - 5-2 - Current Season
2. 70.0 (35 games) 1998-99 – 29-6 – Elite Eight
3t. 68.7 (32 games) 2014-15 - 23-10 - 2nd Round
3t. 68.7 (32 games) 1997-98 – 22-10 – Sweet 16
5. 67.3 (29 games) 2002-03 – 21-8 – 2nd Round
6. 66.2 (37 games) 2013-14 – WNIT Champions
7. 65.6 (31 games) 2000-01 – 23-8 – 2nd Round
PROTECTING HOMECOURT
Since the 2002-03 season, the Scarlet Knights have gone 180-43 (.807) at the RAC.
DOUBLE DOWN
Caitlin Jenkins has performed two-straight double-doubles matching the total number of double-doubles the Scarlet Knights had all of last season.
The Shreveport, Louisiana native posted 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Western Michigan on Saturday and followed with 10 points and 13 boards against Washington State on Sunday.
Jenkins has totaled 16 career double-doubles in her career, which also include 14 double-digit scoring and rebounding performances as a freshman at Southern Mississippi in 2015-16.
Last season, Khadaizha Sanders registered 10 assists and 17 points against Seton Hall and Desiree Keeling followed with 10 points and 14 rebounds against Temple in the next game.
INTO THE DEEP END
All 14 members of the available roster have appeared in six of the first seven games of the 2017-18 season.
Through seven games, the Scarlet Knight bench is averaging 39.6 points per contest.
Prior to this season, the last time Rutgers had 14 Scarlet Knights on the court was in a 65-26 win over Savannah State on Dec. 13, 2015.
In games against Charlotte and in the home opener with Wake Forest, 12 of the 14 members of the squad scored.
WELCOME BACK T-SCAIFE
Redshirt senior guard Tyler Scaife returned to the hardwood after sitting out the 2016-17 season due to a medical redshirt to pour in 26 points in Rutgers' 76-63 season opening win at James Madison on Nov. 10.
Her 26 points were the most scored by the Little Rock, Arkansas native since netting 26 against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament on March 4, 2016.
More recently, the Little Rock, Arkansas native dropped in a carer-high tying 29 points in RU's 75-64 win over Western Michigan the Gulf Coast Showcase. Scaife went 10-of-16 from the floor and a perfect 8-of-8 from the line in 28 minutes.
Scaife also had 29 points in the double overtime victory over Seton Hall in the third round of the WNIT in 2014. Against the Pirates, she went 12-of-24 from the field and 5-of-5 from the stripe in 48 minutes of action.
HELPING HANDS
After committing 25 turnovers against James Madison in the season opener on Nov. 10, the Scarlet Knights have significantly cut down the number of miscues.
In the following games, Rutgers committed only 12 turnovers at Temple on Nov. 13 night and 13 turnovers on Nov. 16 at Charlotte.
Conversely, Rutgers opponents have committed 20 or miscues in six of seven games. Only defending national champion South Carolina has turned the ball over less than 20 times. The No. 3/2 Gamecocks committed 18 turnovers.
MILESTONE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER
Rutgers head coach Stringer has compiled a 982-392 career record in 47 seasons and is 18 wins away from joining Stanford's Tara VanDerveer and former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit with 1,000 career victories in women's basketball.
In 2013, Stringer became just the seventh coach - men's or women's - to reach the 900-win mark.
Stringer's 34 20-win seasons are second-best in women's basketball history. Former Tennessee head coach Pat Summit leads all coaches with 36 20-win seasons.
Stringer is the fourth active winningest Division I coach and sixth all-time in career wins in NCAA women's basketball history.
In the Dec. 3 win over Bucknell last season, the Rutgers women's basketball team played its 1300th game in history since beginning the program in 1974.
RU has gone 908-421 with the Scarlet Knights earning its 900th program victory in the 53-45 win over in-state rival Seton Hall on Dec. 13, 2016.
Other Big Ten programs with 900 or more wins include Penn State, who also reached the milestone during the 2016-17 season, Ohio State and Maryland.
With her 20 points against No. 2/3 and defending national champion South Carolina, Tyler Scaife become the eighth Scarlet Knight in history to score over 1,700 career points.
Scaife is currently eighth on the Rutgers all-time scoring leaders list with 1,745 points. She needs 18 more points to move past Caroline DeRoose (1990-94) to move into seventh place.
NEED A HOLIDAY GIFT
Give the gift of Rutgers basketball this season and help beat the January winter blues with holiday ticket packages available from the Rutgers Athletics Ticket Office.
The "Stringer's Stocking Stuffers" includes two tickets to women's basketball contests with Illinois on Jan. 3, Penn State on Jan. 6 and Minnesota on Jan. 13, all in section 110, along with two food vouchers per game and two ugly holiday sweater t-shirts. The package is $80 and available from the ticket office until December 18. To purchase call 866-445-GORU (4678) or click here.
Follow Rutgers women's basketball at www.ScarletKnights.com and (@RutgersWBB) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all of the latest news and updates.
-RU-
Players Mentioned
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