No. 24 Rutgers Women's Basketball shrugs off slow start to thump Penn State
No. 24 Rutgers women's basketball overcame a slow start to beat Penn State by double-digits, 74-56, on Tuesday evening at the RAC in Piscataway.
The win is Rutgers' eighth in a row since coming back from its five-week pause and it is now 13-3 overall and 9-3 within the Big Ten.
The Scarlet Knights fell down 0-11 as PSU hit 4-of-6 3-pointers and Rutgers was struggling to shoot it, but after making just three out of its first 10 shots, Rutgers turned it around and ended up shooting 50% for the game including 60% in the third and fourth quarters (15-of-25).
Penn State led 21-12 at the end of the first quarter, but an 11-0 by the Scarlet Knights put the home team up 23-21 as they started heating up.
Rutgers outscored Penn State 52-35 over the final three frames.
Four players scored in double figures for Rutgers led by Arella Guirantes' 21 points. Mael Gilles again found some offense and scored 15 points, Diamond Johnson netted 14, and Tekia Mack had 12 with 12 rebounds for a double-double.
SIGN UP FOR PREMIUM FOR FREE UNTIL EASTER — CLICK HERE FOR MORE
For the full stats, click here.
RUTGERS PLAYER OF THE GAME: Arella Guirantes
Just two days after she didn't get much going, Guirantes found her form, tallying 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting. She made all six of her free throws and dished out seven assists with two blocks and two steals.
RHOOPS PLAY OF THE GAME: Tekia Mack grabs a rebound and throws it long down the court to a wide-open Guirantes
KEY STAT(S): Rutgers was a perfect 12-of-12 from the foul line, it out-rebounded PSU 38-28, had nine blocks, and scored 30 points in the paint to Penn State's 18.
UP NEXT: The Scarlet Knights wrap up the regular season with No. 22 Ohio State at home at 8:00 p.m. on Friday on ESPN.
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisWasky.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
•Talk about it inside The Round Table Message Board
•Talk about it on the Rutgers Women's Hoops Free Message Board