Not much changed in Rutgers head women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer’s philosophy through the first four games of the season.
That philosophy was especially apparent Tuesday night in a 68-40 victory against visiting Lehigh, which had a completely different game plan in mind. The Scarlet Knights continued to do what they had done all season long: pound the ball inside, substitute constantly and press every chance they get.
“A smart team knows how to win,” Stringer said. “We have to get the points that we need, which takes the pressure off of everybody else.”
But Lehigh head coach Sue Troyan had her team working on a different strategy.
Rather than try to out-muscle and overplay the Knights, the Mountain Hawks were content to fire up 3-point attempts, going the first half without making a single field goal inside the arc.
Lehigh did not see its first two-point field goal until nearly midway through the second half.
The Mountain Hawks finished the game 7-of-24 from long range.
“We knocked down some 3s, but not enough to stay in the game,” said Lehigh head coach Sue Troyan. “We struggled to put the ball in the basket.”
This came as no surprise to the Knights, who fully expected the style of play Lehigh showed.
“We knew coming in from watching film that they were a 3-point shooting team,” said senior forward April Sykes. “They took like 30 3-pointers in one game.”
Rutgers was the polar opposite, missing each of its two attempts from downtown in the first half, then shooting 1-for-6 in the second. Since the long-range shots were not falling, Rutgers abandoned the outside looks more often than not.
“We went 1-for-8 [on 3-point field goals], so why would you shoot any more?” Stringer said. “What were we trying to do?”
The Knights’ starting lineup, however, did undergo some minor changes.
Junior Erica Wheeler and freshman Briyona Canty earned their first starts of the season in place of senior Nikki Speed and freshman Bentnijah Laney.
“I want to give all of them an opportunity to start and to hear their name called,” Stringer said. “We don’t really settle into who our starting lineup is going to be until January.”
The change was not a big factor for Rutgers, thought. Stringer kept up her usual style, bringing in her first sub little more than two minutes into the game.
Senior Jaymee Tucker and junior Brittany Lapidus saw their first action of the season, as well, playing the final minutes for the Knights, who used every player for the first time this season. Meanwhile, Lehigh had two players on the court for more than 30 minutes apiece and had only two subs play more than 10 minutes.
Senior Khadijah Rushdan led the Knights in scoring for the second consecutive game, finishing with 16 points. But Rushdan’s role did not stop at points.
She also pulled down four rebounds, recorded two steals and had two blocks. Rushdan rotated between guard and forward, looking equally at home on both positions.
The second half saw more of the typical fast-paced, aggressive style of play for the Knights.
At times they were too aggressive, committing 12 fouls, double their first half total. The foul calls did not win over the crowd, which offered a a sarcastic ovation when a foul on junior Monique Oliver sent her to the line with eight minutes left in the game.
Still, the up-tempo play and depth of Rutgers proved too much for Lehigh.
Stringer continued to take advantage of that depth the entire game, sporting a lineup of all five freshmen with seven minutes to go in the game, keeping them in for three-and-a-half minutes.
“They’re learning,” Stringer said. “We learn every day. We’re very grateful for where we are right now.”
The Knights executed the same game plan with the freshmen as with the more experienced players, continuing to put pressure on the Mountain Hawks and work the ball into the post.
The upperclassmen on the bench continued to provide motivation for the younger players, celebrating every chance they got.
“It’s great to see them play like that because they work so hard,” Rushdan said. “To see them out there having fun, doing well and executing all at the same time, it’s great.”
It was especially rewarding to Stringer, who appreciates the value of the underclassmen as a part of the team.
“We are only going to be as good as our 12 players are going to be together,” Stringer said.
— Joey Gregory
