Rutgers Women's Basketball falls at Buffalo in WNIT Great 8 after Bulls' fourth-quarter surge

The Scarlet Knights (13-20, 3-15 Big Ten) fell to Buffalo 71-64 in the WNIT's Great 8 after a fourth quarter that saw the Bulls (28-7, 13-5 MAC) race ahead and never look back.

After leading by three points to end the third quarter, Rutgers was outscored 29-19 in the final ten minutes as Buffalo amped up the pace and intensity on both ends of the floor.

Destiny Adams closed her college career with her 18th double-double of the season, scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Buffalo's Chellia Watson led all scorers with 28 points, including 11-for-12 from the free throw line.

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"We just had more breakdowns on both ends in the fourth quarter than we did in the rest of the game," head coach Coquese Washington said after the game.

JoJo Lacey was the lone other Scarlet Knight in double figures in her final collegiate game, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds before fouling out with 20 seconds left, including two three-pointers to keep Rutgers alive in the final minute.

Both teams spent much of the first half getting up and down the floor in a hurry, combining for 34 shots in the opening quarter. The game's pace was a key flipping point, especially between two teams that play more uptempo.

"I thought they did a better job than we did in transition defense," Washington added. "They did a good job of sprinting back and taking away our easy looks in transition, and conversely they probably got more transition baskets than we did."

The Bulls outscored the Scarlet Knights 27-7 in fast-break points.

"That's kind of the tale of the tape," said Washington.

Rutgers' other two seniors had solid performances in their final games, as Awa Sidibe finished with 8 points, six rebounds, and six assists while Chyna Cornwell finished with 6 points and nine rebounds.

Adams was a dominant force as the hub of Rutgers’ offense, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the first half. The Bulls struggled to contain her one-on-one and started doubling late in the first half, opening up opportunities for other pieces.

The game's runs also dictated the pace and flow of the game, with each team firing counter-punches after one would pull ahead. The Scarlet Knights closed the first quarter on a 9-3 run late to take the lead, then opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run to take a game-high 10-point lead.

While the Bulls traded baskets throughout the second, Rutgers kept its momentum and went into halftime up 34-27.

The Scarlet Knights dominated the glass early in the game and it became a catalyst for its early lead, scoring the first 11 second-chance points of the game, finishing the game outscoring Buffalo 23-8 in that department and outrebounding the Bulls 44-37 (17-10 in offensive rebounds).

The third quarter saw Buffalo cut into the lead, getting within a possession multiple times, but Rutgers was able to hold off and keep the lead for the entire quarter. It led by as many as eight points midway through the frame, but the Bulls ended the third on a 7-2 run to draw within three points to start the fourth quarter.

From there, the floodgates opened.

Buffalo came out of the gate hot, ripping off a 9-2 run to take its first lead since midway through the first quarter. JoJo Lacey scored back-to-back buckets to tie the game at 51, but the Bulls made it to the free throw line on four trips over the next two minutes, going on a 7-0 run from the stripe.

A three-pointer from Sidibe cut the deficit back to four points, but Rutgers would never get closer for the rest of the game as Buffalo responded with another 7-0 run. It closed the game at the free throw line even after a last-minute run from the Scarlet Knights.

"I told them that I was really proud of their ability to rally themselves and come into this tournament and compete," Washington said. "You listen to some other coaches, and how they feel about postseason play sometimes, it's maybe not as appreciative of the opportunity. I thought our team and coaches were really appreciative of the opportunity to continue to play."

Washington also touched on the impact of the four seniors as they close the book on their collegiate careers.

"I'm appreciative of their leadership," she said. "They brought an immense amount of leadership to this postseason tournament."

With one starter already set to enter the transfer portal and the seniors leaving, the Scarlet Knights face a pivotal offseason ahead to continue the program's rebuild. The portal has been open since Tuesday, meaning the recruiting efforts must start immediately.

"Recruiting is year-round," Washington said. "We have to get in the portal like everybody else in the country, and deal with our roster management."

Through three years, Washington holds a 33-64 record at Rutgers - including 10-44 in the Big Ten - ahead of an offseason that sees five of the top six points per game leaders departing the program.

The portal stays open until April 23rd, needing multiple impact pieces with one high-school recruit joining next season.

In today's quick-fix era of college sports, the Scarlet Knights have their work cut out for them to get back into the Big Ten's elite.