After a lackluster performance in their game against Dartmouth on Sunday, the Scarlet Knights put it all together last evening. Playing a Texas Christian team missing its leading scorer and rebounder, Natasha Lacy, who left the team last week to deal with an undisclosed personal matter, Rutgers shot 55% from the field (65% in the first half) and formed a near impenetrable wall the Horned Frogs could not breach with any regularity.
Cappie Pondexter led RU with 24 and Matee Ajavon, despite picking up two very quick personal fouls in the first five minutes, added 18 points and 13 assists. Three other Knights also reached double figures in scoring.
Coach Vivian Stringer notched her 750th win in her 1000 game in a career spanning 34 years. She is currently No. 3 on the all-time list behind Pat Summitt of Tennessee and Texas coach Jody Conradt.
Rutgers trailed 8-2 in the early going but went on a 26-8 tear that left the TCU squad in the dust. Pondexter scored 11 of those points including consecutive 3-point shots. After the break, with RU leading 41-22, Rutgers opened the gap to 56-27 in the first 6 minutes. Pondexter alone outscored TCU 10-5 during that span.
No. 3 seed Rutgers, now in the Sweet Sixteen, moves on to Cleveland to play Tennessee on Sunday. The Vols defeated Rutgers last year’s region finals in Philadelphia by 10 points.
(Game story and stats here.
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