Rutgers Women’s Basketball Releases Schedule, And A Look At The New Additions

Tyler Scaife, No. 3 (Photo by John Jones – Double G Media)

On Monday, the Rutgers women’s basketball team released their 2016-17 schedule, which features numerous contests against top-notch teams across the country.

The Scarlet Knights will face 20 teams who reached either the Women’s NCAA Tournament or the WNIT Postseason Tournament last year to go along with their 16-game Big Ten Conference slate.

httpss://twitter.com/RutgersWBB/status/770341283202301953

The season will tip off with a doubleheader with the Rutgers men’s basketball team as the women host Chattanooga on Nov. 11.

Highlighting their nonconference schedule are in-state New Jersey rivals Seton Hall and Princeton. Rutgers fell 77-49 to “The Hall” in the second game of the season last year.

One of the more notable nonconference games on the slate is a rematch with the Virginia Cavaliers on Nov. 20. Virginia bested the Scarlet Knights 71-55 at the Rutgers Athletic Center back in March in the WNIT Second Round.

In the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Scarlet Knights welcome Duke to the RAC on Dec. 1.

Conference play gets underway on the road at Michigan on December 28, another team who made a run to the WNIT semis. Penn State comes to the RAC for the Big Ten home opener on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31).

The Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament will be held from March 1-5 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. In total, 11 Big Ten teams, including Rutgers, advanced to either the WNIT or WNCAA tournaments last season.

Rutgers lost a slew of talent to graduation after last season like perennial scorer Kahleah Copper, and shot-blocking machine Rachel Hollivay, who are both now playing in the WNBA. In order for C. Vivian Stringer’s squad to improve on their 19-15 (8-10) record from a year ago, they had to bring in some reinforcements.

In late June, Stringer announced the 2016 eight-member recruiting class. The newcomers feature two true freshmen, two junior college transfers, and four Division-I transfers.

Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer and Khadaizha Sanders. (Photo by John Jones – Double G Media)

“This class represents people that have the ability to score, play at a high level with a great deal of intensity, continue a reputation of an attacking offense team that pushes the ball and play great defense,” Stringer said in a statement. “I’m excited. I think this is a new chapter in a lot of respects. The staff and I appreciate the focus and intensity of our returning players and the same of which has been demonstrated by these incoming players.”

1. Kandiss Barber, 5-10 forward/guard, Chula Vista, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic/Southern Idaho
2. Stasha Carey, 6-2 forward, Cleveland, Oh./Bera-Midpark/Pittsburgh
3. Ciani Cryor, 5-5 guard, Neumann-Goretti/Georgia Tech
4. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, 5-9 guard, Drexel Hill, Pa./Academy De Notre Dame de Namuer/St. Joseph’s
5. Kate Hill, 5-7 guard, Torono, Ontario/Peddie School
6. Jazlynd Rollins, 5-7 guard, Gainsville, Fla./Buchholz/Daytona State
7. Jordan Wallace, 6-3 center, Somerdale, N.J./Sterling
8. DaChe Williams, 6-2 guard, Bloomfield, Ct./Watkinson School/Northeastern

The new additions join Second Team All-Big Ten honoree Tyler Scaife. The senior led the Scarlet Knights with 17.2 points-per-game in 2015-16 and looks to knock down a bevvy of mid-range jumpers in her final go-around “On the Banks”.

2016-17 Rutgers Women’s Basketball Schedule
Nov. 11 – Chattanooga
Nov. 14 – @Elon
Nov. 16 – @ Wake Forest
Nov. 20 – @ Virginia
Nov. 25 – @ Princeton
Nov. 27 – Bryant
Dec. 1 – Duke (ACC/B1G Challenge)
Dec. 3 – Bucknell
Dec. 5 – James Madison
Dec. 7 – @ St. John’s
Dec. 10 – @ Houston
Dec. 13 – Seton Hall
Dec. 17 – Temple
Dec. 28 – @ Michigan *
Dec. 31 – Penn State *
Jan. 4 – Wisconsin *
Jan. 7 – @ Illinois *
Jan. 10 – @ Nebraska *
Jan. 14 – Michigan State *
Jan. 17 – Iowa *
Jan. 22 – @ Maryland *
Jan. 29 – Northwestern *
Feb. 2 – @ Iowa *
Feb. 8 – Indiana *
Feb. 11 – @ Minnesota *
Feb. 15 – Purdue *
Feb. 18 – @ Wisconsin *
Feb. 23 – @ Northwestern *
Feb. 26 – Ohio State *

*Big Ten game