Rutgers Women’s Basketball To Face Florida State in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

The Rutgers women’s basketball team will face the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee as part of the 2015 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Rutgers athletics announced in a press release. The game will take place on Thursday, Dec. 3.

C. Vivian Stringer and the Scarlet Knights had a strong showing in their first season in the Big Ten, finishing with a 23-10 record overall, including an 11-4 conference mark. They advanced to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, defeating Indiana before falling to the host team, Northwestern. The Scarlet Knights also qualified for the NCAA Tournament, besting in-state rival Seton Hall, and then being eliminated by the eventual national champions UConn.

Rutgers guard Tyler Scaife during last year’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge against North Carolina. This year the Scarlet Knights will face Florida State (AP Photo).

Florida State enjoyed a successful 2014-15 season. The Seminoles finished with a 32-5 record (14-2 in the ACC). They made a run in the conference tournament, reaching the championship game before falling to Notre Dame. In the NCAA Tournament, Florida State reached the Elite Eight, but were eliminated in a close loss to South Carolina.

Rutgers’ first experience in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge was a memorable one. Last December, the Scarlet Knights took North Carolina, then the sixth-ranked team in the nation, to the limit in a dramatic, 96-93 double-overtime loss at the RAC. Rutgers fell just short, but gained attention and proved they could compete with the best.

This December’s matchup could prove to be just as challenging for Rutgers, as Florida State finished this past season ranked seventh in the nation, while the Scarlet Knights fell just outside the Top 25. Plus, the Seminoles have played well at home lately, going undefeated (15-0) in the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center last season.