(Conor Alwell / Staff Photographer / File Photo)
At the beginning of the season, Rutgers women’s basketball head coach C. Vivian Stringer rotated all of her players consistently.
But during the last few games, that rotation began to disappear. She junked a 10-player rotation in which every player sees significant time in favor of a more focused strategy.
But which players she focuses on changes nearly every game.
Freshmen Briyona Canty and Shakena Richardson ended up on the wrong end of the change in rotation Saturday at Villanova.
Canty, a former No. 6 overall recruit out of Trenton Catholic (N.J.) according to ESPN Hoopgurlz, saw plenty of playing time. She played more than 20 minutes in four consecutive games.
The young guard earned the most playing time while senior point guard Khadijah Rushdan was out with a concussion.
But against West Virginia on Feb. 15, the Willingboro, N.J., native saw only 10 minutes.
When the Scarlet Knights traveled to Villanova, Pa., she did not see the court at all.
Although Stringer said she favored a more defensive lineup, the fact that Canty went a combined 0-for-11 in the previous three games as part of a struggling offense could have also impacted the decision.
“The name of this game was defense,” Stringer said. “I went with who I thought could best defend [Villanova].”
Richardson also did not see the floor in the Knights’ 61-52 against the Wildcats.
But unlike Canty, Richardson did not play in the previous game, either.
The Neptune, N.J., native has not played more than 12 minutes since she was on the court for 22 of them Jan. 10 against Pittsburgh.
Freshman guard Syessence Davis saw more playing time in place of Canty. Stringer attributes it to Davis’ speed.
Stringer said early on she would rotate players and give them all a feel for playing and solidify the lineup once it gets closer to tournament time.
But Stringer is no closer to that plan now than she was before the season began.
Of the freshmen, who sees the most playing time changes from game to game.
While Davis led the underclassmen in minutes at Villanova, she did not play at all Wednesday at West Virginia.
Only freshman forward Betnijah Laney has seen double-digit minutes in all but one game this season.
— Joey Gregory
