Rutgers women's basketball falls flat in loss to Seton Hall
The Rutgers women's basketball team fell to Seton Hall by a score of 82-63 at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights (2-2, 0-0) couldn't gain any momentum or defend well enough to earn a come-from-behind win over the Pirates (3-1, 0-0).
The three-ball hurt Rutgers in the first quarter. With approximately 5 minutes left to play, the Knights were down 15-6 as Seton Hall had already hit 3 shots from beyond the arc, 2 of which were from Azana Baines.
With Rutgers inching closer to overtaking its deficit, Micah Gray hit her second three-point shot for the Pirates. The Knights headed into the second quarter down 24-16 as offensive fouls plagued them and poor zone defense allowed for open shots.
Early in the second quarter, Rutgers was within 3 points, but fouls put Seton Hall at the charity stripe multiple times and helped the team take a 40-28 lead into the half. Once again, the Knights struggled to rebound and defend.
The Pirates were able to control the third quarter as the same problems haunted Rutgers. Seton Hall led the Knights 24-18 in third quarter points for a 64-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter, Rutgers couldn't come back from its deficit and suffered a 19-point defeat at the hands of its in-state rival.
Overall, the Knights shot better from the field than the Pirates. Rutgers shot 44.2 percent from the field, while Seton Hall shot 43.9 percent from the field.
It was their efficiency behind the arc that propelled the Pirates to victory. They shot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, while the Knights shot a dismal 16.7 percent from three-point land. Rutgers' 21 total turnovers didn't help, as Seton Hall scored 30 points off the Knights' giveaways.
Baines led the Pirates with 25 points, while Gray followed close behind with 18 points. A'Jah Davis controlled the boards with 10 rebounds for Seton Hall.
On the other side, junior guard and forward Destiny Adams scored 27 points and hit 11 of her 15 shots. Sophomore guard Kaylene Smikle was Rutgers' second-leading scorer with 13 points.
The Knights will return home for a game against Saint Francis on Saturday. The noon tip-off will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus and 88.7 WRSU-FM.
For more updates on the Rutgers women's basketball team, follow @TargumSports on X.
To view more of Josh Meyers' work, follow @JoshCMeyers on X.
