Rutgers women’s basketball falls to Northwestern
On Saturday, Rutgers women’s basketball lost its 2023 finale to Northwestern 77-70 at Welsh Ryan Arena. After a dominating first quarter, the Scarlet Knights were unable to build on their momentum and collapsed in the fourth quarter.
In their first matchup of the season against the Wildcats, Rutgers had no answer for Calleigh Warren. The New Jersey native scored 22 points and added two rebounds to her resume. Warren also had some help in the form of Melanie Daley, who put 20 points on the board.
For Rutgers, Lisa Thompson led the way offensively with 17 points. Kassondra Brown also had a big night, scoring 17 points. It was the fifth straight game in which the Abington native scored double digits.
Second chance points >>>>
📺 @BigTenPlus
📷 https://t.co/gpboR89XVI #GoRU | #RUWBB pic.twitter.com/ZmV6dgZ8fg— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) December 30, 2023
Additionally, Rutgers was unable to take care of the basketball in their third straight loss. The Scarlet Knights committed 19 turnovers, which resulted in 24 points. They also made it hard to gain momentum by committing 19 fouls.
While Saturday did not go as planned for Rutgers, they nearly recorded their seventh win of the season. However, they were unable to contain Northwestern’s offense in the fourth quarter, in which they scored 21 points and held Rutgers to eight.
After a few days off, Rutgers will return to action on Tuesday against Purdue. Their matchup with the Boilermakers will provide a perfect opportunity for Rutgers to climb in the Big Ten standings.
