Rutgers women's basketball to close out 4-game homestand against Iona
The Rutgers women's basketball team is back in action on Friday as it takes on Iona for some morning breakfast and basketball at Jersey Mike's Arena on Livingston campus. The Scarlet Knights (3-0, 0-0) look to continue racking up wins in non-conference play and reach 4-0 for the first time under head coach Coquese Washington.
The Gaels (0-2, 0-0) come into Friday's contest looking for their first win of the young season after losses to Central Florida and Navy. Last season was less than ideal for Iona, sporting an 11-19 overall record and only winning six conference games. The Gaels were the ninth seed in the MAAC tournament, ultimately losing to Rider in the first round.
Iona must prepare defensively for Rutgers, which is averaging 83.7 points per game this season. Senior guard and forward Destiny Adams is a main contributor to its offensive efficiency early this season.
Adams is coming off a week with back-to-back 30-point games against Cornell and NJIT, with a career-high 36 points in her previous outing. After two outstanding performances last week, Adams was named the women's basketball Big Ten Player of the Week. It is the first time in her career that she has received the honor and the first time a Knight has since 2024 Olympian Arella Guirantes did so back in 2020.
Through three games, Adams leads Rutgers in points per game, rebounds per game, steals per game and blocks per game.
The Gaels have struggled offensively this season, averaging 48.5 points per game through their opening two contests. Shooting approximately 31 percent from the field and 20 percent from beyond the arc, Iona has yet to find its groove.
An early positive from the Gaels' offense has been Mya Zaccagnini, who leads her team with 11 points per game. Defensively, Iona is anchored by center Ally Carman, who stands at 6-foot-5 and is a tough match for anyone trying to drive into the paint. The Knights have shown their ability to drive to the rim and draw contact, but the game plan could look much different with Carman patrolling the paint.
Rutgers has shown a fast-paced offense early this season, spurred by the play of freshman guard Kiyomi McMiller. In McMiller's last game, the young guard tallied a career-high 25 points, shooting 11 of 22 from the field and draining two shots from beyond the arc. McMiller's speed and unpredictable nature on the court can cause havoc for defenders and bring a different look to the Knights' offense.
Friday's contest is the last of four straight home games for Rutgers, as it will travel out to Blacksburg, Virginia, to take on Virginia Tech before returning home for a three-game homestand. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Jersey Mike's Arena and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus and 88.7 WRSU-FM.
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