Basketball is often a game of runs, and no game represented that theory more than Rutgers Women's Basketball's 69-65 overtime loss to Illinois at Jersey Mike's Arena.
The Scarlet Knights (9-13, 1-10) started the game hot, then allowed the Illini to get back into it before taking a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Illini (17-5, 7-4) fought back and forced overtime before closing the game out in the final seconds.
Destiny Adams imposed her will on a depleted Illinois lineup in the second half, finishing the game with 19 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes. She picked up two fouls in the opening three minutes of the game, but played mostly clean the rest of the way and dominated.
Adams continued to wreck the passing lanes as well, finishing the game with five steals. She came into the game leading the Big Ten in total steals (51) and certainly built that lead further with five more.
Kiyomi McMiller lit up the scoreboard once again amidst some scoring struggles, leading the team with 22 points on 8-for-22 shooting. She helped spark the first-quarter run with 10 points in the opening period. She also finished with a team-high seven rebounds and dished out four assists.
In Rutgers' first overtime game in two calendar years, it was not able to execute but fought hard against a talented Illinois attack.
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A top-heavy Illinois lineup - only six players played at least two minutes - used their experience and resilience to come away with the victory, led by Genesis Bryant's 28 points, her second-best scoring performance of the season, while playing all 45 minutes. Four other Illini scored in double-figures as Adalia McKenzie scored 11 points, while Kendall Bostic and Brynn Shoup-Hill each scored 10. Bostic notched her fourth straight double-double with 11 rebounds while battling foul trouble in a season-high 44 minutes.
The game started out mostly even, with each team trading buckets in the opening four minutes. Rutgers eventually broke through and went on an 11-0 run to take a 20-9 lead, but Illinois put together three straight scoring possessions to cut the lead to a manageable margin after a quarter.
The Illini kept up their momentum into the second, going on an extended 20-2 run to take a 29-22 lead. Adams' absence loomed large as Illinois forward Kendall Bostic had a strong half with 8 points and three rebounds.
Rutgers eventually smoothed out some of the issues on both ends of the floor and went into halftime trailing 34-32, an impressive mark given Adams' three minutes played in the half.
The third quarter was the Scarlet Knights' best, outscoring the Illini 17-8 and holding them to a 4-for-16 mark from the floor. Rutgers utilized another big run to gain an edge, ending the quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 49-42 lead into the final 10 minutes. Adams dominated the third, scoring 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor while playing the entire quarter without picking up a foul. McMiller found herself in a shooting slump with an 0-for-6 quarter, but Adams carried the burden offensively after spending nearly the entire first half on the bench.
Illinois battled back in the fourth quarter on the back of Bryant, who scored 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting in the quarter alone. Rutgers was unable to generate as much offense from Adams - who shot 2-for-7 - and McMiller.
Adams hit a layup with 20 seconds left to take a one-point lead, but Bryant drew a foul on the other end and hit one of two free throws to tie the game. McMiller got whistled for a charge on a floater attempt with four seconds remaining in regulation, but Illinois' three-point attempt at the buzzer was blocked to send the game to overtime, Rutgers' first since an overtime win over Penn State on January 26th, 2023.
McMiller started the extra period with a made jumper, but on the ensuing possession Bryant drew a controversial shooting foul on a three-pointer, giving the Illini three free throws and a momentum boost.
Illinois used another 7-0 run to take a two-possession lead, but Rutgers brought it back to within three points with possession in the final seconds. With 20 seconds on the clock, McMiller drew it down to four seconds before her three-point attempt was blocked by McKenzie, as Shoup-Hill came down with the rebound and iced the game at the free throw line.
"We had a couple different options and different actions," Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington said on the final sequence. "They made a good defensive play and got the block on Kiyomi's shot."
The Scarlet Knights fought hard against a thin-but-talented Illinois team that had beaten Northwestern and Purdue by a combined 61 points in its previous two games. The team continued to fight without Adams in the first half and came close to taking down the Illini in overtime, had the late-game execution been more polished.
One aspect Rutgers continues to improve is the turnover margin, as the Scarlet Knights only committed 10 turnovers while forcing 17 on defense. They dwarfed the Illini in steals and blocks, finishing with nine each, compared to two steals and three blocks for Illinois.
As the team continues to improve on both ends of the floor, the scoreboard reflects it. Next up is a tall task at Assembly Hall against an Indiana team that has not played to its top-ten peak of recent years, but still has plenty of talent and strong coaching.
Rutgers may not be experienced this season in many late and close-game situations, but the schedule lines up for plenty more in the near future with the regular season entering its final month.
RHOOPS PLAY OF THE GAME
Kiyomi McMiller opens the scoring with a logo triple.
UP NEXT?
Rutgers will have a full week off after tonight's game, next playing on Thursday, February 6th, as the Scarlet Knights travel to Bloomington to face off in a road matchup against Indiana.
The game will tip off at 6:00pm EST and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
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