 "Photo:")
HARTFORD, Conn. - Watching the Rutgers women's team receive their runner-up trophy and stand to the side while Boston College received their trophy just didn't seem real. This tournament seemed as though it belonged to Rutgers. Overcoming all the adversity, the injuries and still managing to make it to the championship, it seemed that nothing could stop them.
That, however, was not the case as the Eagles were able to put on an offensive showcase and defeat Rutgers, 75-57.
The cards have been stacked against the Rutgers women's basketball team all season long. Why would it have been any different for the Scarlet Knights when they entered the Big East Championship game last evening at the Hartford Civic Center?
Suiting up two student managers is something that is unheard of in Division I college basketball. However, due to the injuries sustained by senior guard Dawn McCullouch and the absence of junior guard Chelsea Newton, Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer had to do just that.
"It takes a toll on you," Stringer said. "It wears you down. The adrenaline rush got us through the first, but it just couldn't carry us to the victory."
Playing in their fourth game in as many nights, the effects seemed to finally show for RU. Unable to find a way to stop the Eagles' offense, the Knights never really were in this game and trailed the entire game after registering the first bucket of the contest
"The kids worked so hard for this," Stringer said. "They deserved this and it hurts."
Although junior guard Cappie Pondexter had an outstanding performance in which she recorded 27 points on 11-of 23 shooting, the inability of guards Nikki Jett and Courtney Locke - who scored only two points combined - to step up and take over the scoring burden that McCullouch's absence caused, proved to be the Knights ultimate downfall.
Despite a strong start by sophomore forward Michelle Campbell - who scored six of her 14 points in the first six minutes - RU found themselves trailing early. BC picked up right where they had left off against Connecticut with their torrid shooting and came out strong. They hit 8-of-9 to start the game and held a 17-10 lead with 13:33 remaining in the first.
After setting a record for field goal percentage for an entire game, the Eagles shot 68 percent in the first versus 48 percent by RU.
The Eagles continued their hot shooting and extended the lead to double figures at 27-17 with 7:30 remaining until the half. BC did not stop there, however. Led by a balanced attack, they continued to build their lead on the Knights.
After a three pointer by BC guard Amber Jacobs - who scored 22 points - with 2:03 before the break, RU found themselves behind 39-22 and eventually, 41-22 at the break.
A strong first half performance by Pondexter, in which she scored 12 points, seemed to mean very little due to the fact that only three other players were able to register points in the first 20 minutes.
The rout continued into the second and thanks to another three pointer by junior guard Jessalyn Deveny - who scored 20 points - BC extended its lead to 20 with 16 minutes remaining with the score 46-26.
RU did go on a small 6-0 run that ended when Pondexter drove to the hoop and got hit hard, but was called for the offensive foul. At that point the score was 57-41 in favor of BC. Rutgers then strung together a few more baskets and cut the lead to 11 points. The Eagles, however, continually had the answer in Jacobs or Deveny.
"No matter what, we weren't going to give up," Pondexter said. "I just wanted to give my best effort for the team."
From that point on, it seemed as if the air had been deflated from Rutgers and the Eagles began to lay it on strong to finish off the game.
Unable to lock up the automatic bid, RU will now have to wait until Sunday to find out where and who they will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
"We are encouraged as we prepare for the NCAA's," Stringer said. "We are one player away from what we want to do."
KNIGHT NOTES: This year's championship marks the second time in league history that one of the top three seeds have not won the championship game, the other came in 1985 when No. 5 Syracuse defeated No. 2 Villanova...The Knights have now been unsuccessful in each of the team's three trips to the Big East title games; with the last being a loss to Connecticut in 2000...Dawn McCullouch and Cappie Pondexter both were honored as members of the All-Tournament Team.
Be the first to comment on this article!