After a tough last-second loss to Wisconsin on Sunday, Rutgers Women's Basketball needed a game to overcome the frustrations and get back in the win column.
Mission accomplished.
The Scarlet Knights defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 83-58 at Jersey Mike's Arena to get back in the win column with an efficient offensive night.
Freshman guard Kiyomi McMiller continued her breakout campaign with her second double-double in a career performance. She set career highs in both scoring and rebounding, putting up 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, becoming the second Scarlet Knight to notch a 30-point double-double this season.
Two other Scarlet Knights scored in double-figures, as Destiny Adams scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Chyna Cornwell notched her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
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As they have for much of the nonconference slate, the Scarlet Knights flexed their frontcourt muscle early on against the Knights' guard-heavy rotation, scoring 16 points in the paint in the first half.
Rutgers got more on offense than just scoring at the rim, however, as the perimeter game flashed its potential, particularly in the second quarter. The Scarlet Knights went into halftime shooting 5-for-10 from beyond the arc, with multiple assists. McMiller started the game with a couple of threes herself, scoring the game's first points on a pull-up three from the corner, before spotting up from near the Jersey Mike's Arena logo on another when FDU opted not to send a defender her way.
The second half saw more of a switchup from the Scarlet Knights' offense, as they missed all five three-point attempts but scored 28 points in the paint to drive up the score and put the game out of reach.
Much of that was thanks to the efforts of Adams and Cornwell, as the two continued to find their footing as the game went on. Cornwell scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the second half alone, looking nearly automatic putting shots back up after each of her eight offensive boards throughout the game.
The entire team attacked the glass as welll, outrebounding the Knights 51-37. The edge was very apparent on the offensive glass, as the Scarlet Knights' 22 offensive rebounds led to 20 second-chance points, compared to just 8 for FDU on 10 offensive rebounds.
Rutgers' defense looked much improved as well, in terms of guarding the perimeter and eliminating chances at the rim. Against the Knights' perimeter-heavy offensive attack, the Scarlet Knights' defense was able to run FDU off the three-point line and force bad shots, leading the Knights to shoot just 4-for-21 from beyond the arc.
They were able to stifle a perimeter attack that has averaged seven made three-pointers per game at a 32% clip and hold them to just 19% thanks to stronger rotations and contests on the outside.
All around, the defense looked strong against an overmatched opponent, holding the Knights to just 30% from the floor for the game, including 7-for-25 in the second half. They went without a field goal for the final six and a half minutes, marking the third game in a row the Scarlet Knights' defense has locked down an opponent from the floor for several minutes.
Rutgers did not get out of the game unscathed however, as sophomore guard Lisa Thompson left the game with an apparent knee injury after appearing to land awkwardly contesting a shot. She had scored 8 points in one of her better offensive stretches in the season.
Head coach Coquese Washington said after the game Thompson sustained a leg injury but did not have any other updates at that time.
The Scarlet Knights had a bounce-back performance when they needed it most following two tough last-minute losses in three games, and got the usual star performances needed from the two key pieces in McMiller and Adams, and will continue in the nonconference slate for the next two games.
RHOOPS PLAY OF THE DAY
Kiyomi McMiller hits Mya Petticord with the behind-the-back pass to set up an open three.
UP NEXT?
The Scarlet Knights will be back in action on Sunday as they host Wagner at Jersey Mike's Arena.
The game will tip off at 2 pm EST and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus, with radio broadcasts available on Fox Sports NJ and WRSU-FM.
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