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As the Knights prepare to open 2018 at home, two pieces of news have broken, and both indicate a continuation of good things happening for women’s hoops.
First came the “also receiving votes” and now a ranking in the polls.
NEWS: @RutgersWBB makes a return to the @usatodaysports Coaches Poll. The Scarlet Knights check in this week at No. 25! pic.twitter.com/cOfCjopY10
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) January 2, 2018
On a nine game winning streak, Rutgers (14-2, 2-0) earned the No. 25 spot in the USA Today/WBCA poll with wins over Purdue (58-50 at home) and Michigan State (61-58 on the road) to close out 2017 and begin the Big Ten portion of the schedule.
Illinois (9-7, 0-2) comes to the RAC Wednesday night for a 7:00 pm tip. The Illini have lost three in row under first year coach Nancy Fahey.
Then there’s Tyler Scaife
For the third time this season, senior Tyler Scaife earned recognition on the Big Ten honor roll.
Tyler Scaife Lauded With Third B1G Honor Roll Accolade Of The Season https://t.co/jg6BqTh2g2
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) January 2, 2018
Scaife helped the scarlet to back-to-back Big Ten wins averaging 24.0 points per game. She now has eleven 20+ point games this season and has netted 20 or more points in seven-straight contests. She scored 10 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter of last Thursday's Big Ten opening victory over Purdue. Scaife followed with a game-high 25 points and a key block of the potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer in the 61-58 victory Michigan State.
Tyler Scaife now has 1,956 career points and needs 44 points to become the third Scarlet Knight to collect 2,000 career points and 256 more to move into second place on the all-time list past Cappie Pondexter (2002-2006).
Among active players, Tyler is No. 6 in Division 1.
1 Kelsey Mitchell , Ohio St. 2,940
2 Katelynn Flaherty , Michigan 2,361
3 Jasmine Nwajei , Syracuse 2,121
4 Victoria Vivians , Mississippi St. 2,051
5 A'Ja Wilson , South Carolina 1,961
6 Tyler Scaife, Rutgers 1,956
STRINGER MILESTONE NUMBERS
Rutgers head coach Stringer has a 991-392 career record in 47 seasons and is nine wins away from joining the elite 1,000 career victories club in women's basketball.
USA Today/WBCA Poll
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