It is not often that teams play each other more than once in less than a week's span. That, however, will be the case when the Rutgers women's basketball team takes on Seton Hall tomorrow in the first round of the Big East Tournament in Hartford, Conn. with a slated tip-off of 6 p.m.
The Scarlet Knights will enter the tournament with a regular season record of 18-10, winning eight of their last 11 games to finish the season.
"They are going to try to take it to us, we'd better be ready," Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer said. "I'm a bit superstitious about playing a team two times like this."
This rematch was set up due to the Knights' 54-44 victory over the Pirates just three days ago that ensured RU the seventh seed and Seton Hall the 10th seed. In that contest, the Knights managed to shoot only 36 percent from the field prior to halftime, and held only a one-point lead on a SHU team that has now dropped five straight.
The second half proved to be better for RU, with the team shooting 45 percent and cruising to the eventual 10-point victory. During the second stanza, the turning point in the game occurred on a play that personified the season thus far for the team. With two of the team's leaders fighting to grab a board - junior guards Cappie Pondexter and Chelsea Newton - each collided with one another and both laid on their backs for quite some time.
Newton had to leave the game and did not return, but should be able to play this weekend. Pondexter got up and walked around a bit dazed, noticeably shaken up by the play. From that point on, however, the Chicago native took over and registered seven of her team-high 18 points in the final six minutes of the game.
"When Chelsea went out we were in a situation where we knew the score was too close for comfort," Pondexter said. "I knew that I had to take over."
Pondexter did indeed take over the game when it mattered most, but again saw the supporting cast rise to the occasion. Junior guard Nikki Jett scored nine points on a trio of three-pointers and only turned the ball over one time in 24 minutes of action. Sophomore forward Michelle Campbell continued her high level of play as well. Despite only scoring five points, the Princeton native pulled down ten rebounds.
Although the Knights have been playing better as of late, they know that the postseason is a completely new season.
"In the Big East Tournament it doesn't matter what seed you are and how good you are playing," Jett said. "We just got to go out there and play our game."
The Pirates will enter the game trying to play the role of spoilers. With a record of 14-13, Seton Hall's only chance to make the NCAAs is to win the Big East. The Pirates, however, feel that they will have the advantage going into this match-up against the Knights.
"We know each other pretty well and have a few things that we can do better to get a win," SHU head coach Phyllis Mangina said. "Down the stretch, they made some timely plays and we didn't."
One area that the Knights will have to improve upon in order to prevent a possible upset from occurring is to do a better job on the boards. The Pirates held a 42-31 advantage on the boards, but were only able to score 13 second-chance points. The Knights will have to find a way to keep junior forward Ashley Bush away from the boards because - despite a horrid shooting performance - the Maryland native was able to grab 12 rebounds, nine coming on the offensive end.
This season began with many picking Rutgers to contend for the Big East Championship and to advance far in the NCAAs. Due to injuries and other misfortunes, the team has had an up-and-down season. A good showing this weekend can make up for a season that hasn't gone how the Knights have planned.
"Everybody has a record of 0-0," Jett said. "We have to continue to improve as a team and show everyone what we are made of.
"It's a whole new ball game now."
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