Rutgers University
Virginia Tech
Women's Basketball Travels to Virginia Tech for First Road Contest
Nov 18 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women's basketball team (4-0) will hit the road for the first team this season, traveling to Virginia Tech on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The contest will start at 6 p.m. and be available to stream on ACCNX. You will also be able to listen live on Fox Sports NJ.
The entire 2024-25 Rutgers women's basketball season is presented by Prudential.
Last Time Out
The Scarlet Knights remain unbeaten, following a 81-53 victory over Iona (0-3) on Friday morning at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Destiny Adams paced the team once again with her 11th career double-double, recording 28 points and 11 rebounds. Kiyomi McMiller (14), Lisa Thompson (12) and JoJo Lacey (10) also reached double figures.
Destiny Adams, B1G Player of the Week, talks post game with the Rutgers StudentU crew after the @RutgersWBB win vs. the Iona Gaels, moving Rutgers to 4-0 to start the season 🏀 pic.twitter.com/tpQ1WrDFJc
— B1G+ (@BigTenPlus) November 15, 2024
The Scarlet Knights dominated from the tip, holding the Gaels to just nine points in the first quarter. The team would go onto keep the lead and get it to as high as 30 points in the fourth quarter.
It Is Her Destiny
Destiny Adams continues to amaze through the first portion of the 2024-25 campaign.
A Big Ten Player of the week (Nov. 11), USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Players of the Week and AP Player of the Week Honorable Mention, Adams has led Rutgers to a 4-0 start.
She is currently averaging 27.0 points to lead the nation in addition to 14 rebounds per game to rank third. She has netted three consecutive double-doubles, all 28+ points.
The start of the season was highlighted by her historic performance over NHIJ, (Nov. 10) when she recorded a career best 36 points and 22-rebound double-double. Besides her 2024 Big Ten Tournament performance (33 points, 24 rebounds), she is the first player in program history with 30+ points and 20+ rebounds in a regular season game in over 12 seasons.
Adams' 36 points ties a Jersey Mike's Arena record that was previously set by Guirantes in 2020. She is also tied for 8th for the most points in a single game in program history, along with Guirantes and Caroline DeRoose (1994).
The massive performance marks her 10th career double-double and second in three games.
She also had 30 points and 15 boards in the game prior versus the Big Red, to make her the first Scarlet Knight since Sue Wicks (1988) to net back-to-back 30+ point games.
Dating back to last season, Adams has reached double digit points in 21 consecutive contests.
Successful Alumni
Rutgers women's basketball celebrated two of its most distinguished alums during the offseason as Kahleah Copper earned a gold medal in the 2024 Olympic Games with Team USA and Benijah Laney-Hamilton was crowned the 2024 WNBA Champion with the New York Liberty
Copper helped Team USA to its eighth straight gold medal and her first, with a 67-66 win over France on August 11. Copper came up huge off the bench in the gold medal game with 12 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter to help secure the victory.
Laney-Hamilton also made history with the Liberty, bringing the first WNBA Championship to New York. She played a huge role in game two of the series, netting 20 points in addition to two rebounds and two assists to give the Liberty its first victory of the series. In addition, she scored at least two points in the other four games.
Also on Nov. 15, it was announced that Rutgers legend Cappie Pondexter would be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class. She will join fellow Scarlet Knights Theresa Grentz (2001), C. Vivian Stringer (2001) and Sue Wicks (2013).
The Scarlet Knights Against the Top-25
Once again, Rutgers will face a loaded schedule, featuring a tough Big Ten slate. As of Nov. 14, RU has six opponents on its schedule ranked in both the AP and WBCA USA Today poll. IIn addition, four teams are receiving votes between the two polls.
- No. 3/3 USC
- No. 5/6 UCLA
- No. 12/12 Ohio State
- No. 11/14 Maryland
- No. 21/20 Nebraska
- No. 23/24 Illinois
- No. --/RV Indiana
- RV/RV Iowa
- RV/RV Michigan State
- --/RV Michigan
Home Sweet Home
The Scarlet Knights will play 11 home games at Jersey Mike's Arena in the first two months of the regular season.
The team kicks off the 2024-25 campaign with four consecutive home games before going on their first road trip to Virginia Tech Tuesday, Nov. 19.
RU will remain home for the next seven of eight contests, including the Battle of the Banks Tournament, in partnership with J5 Inc., from Friday, Nov. 29-30.
Returning to The Banks
RU returns seven Scarlet Knights to the squad in Destiny Adams, Lisa Thompson, Mya Petticord, Antonia Bates, Awa Sidibe, Kennedy Brandt and Chyna Cornwell.
During the 2023-24 campaign, this group combined for 125 games started, 1,267 points and 721 rebounds.
Welcoming the Newcomers
Head coach Coquese Washington added two transfers, a pair of freshmen and one walk-on in the offseason.
Graduate student JoJo Lacey joined the team from Boston College and sophomore Janae Walker from Kentucky.
As a senior, Lacey averaged 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. She reached 10+ points in nine outings including two games with 20+ and a career-high 23-point performance against North Carolina (Feb. 29).
During her rookie season with the Wildcats, Walker played in 28 games and made one start. She netted a season-high six points and three field goals at No. 18/18 Louisville (Dec. 10), while also grabbing four rebounds three times. Walker led UK in blocks four times during the season.
Rookies Kiyomi McMiller and Zachara Perkins came "On The Banks" over the summer and walk-on junior Deja Young this fall.
A five-star recruit, McMiller was ranked No. 22 in her recruiting class by espnW. She played the last two seasons of her high school career at Life Center Academy in Burlington, New Jersey, averaging 30.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.8 steals per game during her senior campaign.
McMiller leaves high school with an impressive resume over a three-year span, scoring 2,015 points, 437 rebounds, 363 assists and 231 steals in 70 games.
During Perkins' 2022-23 season at Summercreek High School in Houston, Texas, she led her team to both an Area and a Bi-District Championship in addition to the Region 3 Finals. A consistent double-double type player, she averaged 18.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game through her junior season.
Perkins was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) All-State and All-Region teams. In addition, she was selected as the Newcomer of the Year and to the All-Academic Team.
Prior to Young arriving "On The Banks" she served as a walk-on for the Hampton women's basketball team from the fall of 2022 to the spring of 2023. During the campaign she helped the Pirates to a total of 12 wins including nine in conference play. At Teaneck high school, she helped guide her team in the first round of the 2021-22 NJSIAA Tournament with a season-high 26 points, five assists and five takeaways. In addition, she also aided her squad in reaching the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 Quarterfinals.
Staff Additions
In addition to the five newcomers on the court, coach Washington also made some adds on the sideline. Johnetta Hayes was brought on as an assistant coach as well as Will McIntire as the director of Director of Scouting & Technology and Alejandro Ramirez as the interim director of basketball operations.
Hayes spent the last four seasons as the head coach at UMBC. In the 2022-23 season, Hayes led the Retrievers to an 11-win improvement, one of the best in the nation. Hayes also led the team to a 10-6 mark in America East play, their second-best record in program history.
McIntire comes to Piscataway after serving as a student manager and graduate assistant at Iowa over the past four years. Ramirez also served as a student manager with the Scarlet Knights over recent seasons before being promoted to his current role.
Scarlet Knights on the Big Screen
Rutgers will make six appearances on the big screen during the campaign between the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports 1.
- Friday, Nov. 29 vs. Marquette – 2 p.m. (BTN)
- Sunday, Jan. 5 vs. USC – 8 p.m. (BTN)
- Saturday, Jan. 18 at Michigan – 12 p.m. (BTN)
- Thursday, Jan. 23 vs. UCLA – 7 p.m. (FS1)
- Thursday, Feb. 6 at Indiana – 6 p.m. (BTN)
- Monday, Feb. 17 vs. Northwestern – 8 p.m. (BTN)
Scouting the Hokies
After winning its season opener over UNCW (99-57) and then falling to Iowa (71-52), Virginia Tech has picked up victories in its last two outings against UNC Ashville (85-62) and Coppin State (86-51).
Carleigh Wenzel leads a group of four Hokies averaging double-digit points with 16.3 per game. Rose Micheaux paces the team off the boards with 6.8 rebounds per game.
Looking Ahead
Rutgers will return home to Jersey Mike's Arena to face in-state rival Princeton on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m.
The Scarlet Knights will be hosting a Toy Drive at the game, encouraging fans to bring new and unwrapped donations with a value of $20 or more for drop off outside the Arena. Those who donate will receive a $10 concessions voucher to be used at Sunday's game.
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.
