PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — The Rutgers women’s basketball team overcame a sluggish offensive start to defeat Lafayette 54-45 on Saturday at Louis Brown Center. The Scarlet Knights trailed 11-4 after a first quarter where they shot 2 of 18 from the floor. They responded with an 18-point second quarter to take a 22-20 halftime lead and never trailed again, improving to 8-4. Faith Blackstone led Rutgers with 22 points, while Nene Ndiaye added 19. Teresa Kiewiet scored 18 points for Lafayette, which fell to 4-7. The Leopards committed 19 turnovers, leading to 22 Rutgers points. Rutgers dominated the glass with 24 offensive rebounds but shot just 27% from the field. Lafayette was held to 34% shooting.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant opening quarter and a persistent, grinding response, the Rutgers women’s basketball team overcame a frigid start to defeat Lafayette 54-45 on Saturday at Louis Brown Athletic Center. The Scarlet Knights, improving to 8-4, were carried by a combined 41 points from forwards Faith Blackstone and Nene Ndiaye, who powered a comeback after the team managed just four points in the first quarter. The Leopards fell to 4-7 despite a strong early lead and a game-high 18 points from guard Teresa Kiewiet. The most important part of the game was unquestionably the stark contrast between the first and second quarters, which set the trajectory for the remainder of the contest. Lafayette executed a near-flawless opening frame, jumping to an 11-4 lead. The Leopards opened the scoring with a Haylie Adamski 3-pointer and stifled the Rutgers offense, which missed 15 of its first 16 field goal attempts and committed five turnovers. The Scarlet Knights did not record a field goal until Kaylah Ivey’s layup with four seconds remaining in the period. That dynamic flipped completely in the second quarter. Rutgers erupted for 18 points, spearheaded by Blackstone, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native who scored nine in the period. The Scarlet Knights’ defense intensified, forcing eight Lafayette turnovers in the quarter and converting them into easy transition opportunities. A 14-2 run over a five-minute span turned a 13-9 deficit into a 23-15 lead, a margin Rutgers would not relinquish. The quarter encapsulated the game’s decisive factors: Rutgers’ overwhelming advantage in points off turnovers, which finished at 22-10, and its ability to generate second chances via 24 offensive rebounds. Lafayette’s early offensive rhythm vanished against Rutgers’ heightened pressure. The Leopards scored only nine points in the second quarter and seven in the third, shooting just 17 for 50 from the floor for the game. While Kiewiet and guard Sauda Ntaconayigize of Quebec City, Canada, who added 14 points, provided sparks, the team’s 19 turnovers and a mere six assists proved insurmountable against a Big Ten opponent. Rutgers, despite shooting only 20 for 74 from the field, leveraged its significant physical advantages. The Scarlet Knights outscored Lafayette 28-12 in the paint and outrebounded them 57-35. Blackstone finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Ndiaye, from Saly, Senegal, added 19 points and 11 rebounds. Center Imani Lester of Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed eight points and 10 rebounds. The Leopards showed resilience in the fourth quarter, mounting a 12-4 run to cut a 15-point deficit to 46-43 with just over four minutes to play, fueled by Kiewiet and Ntaconayigize. However, Blackstone answered with a critical 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, and Rutgers closed the game on an 8-2 run to secure the victory. The win extends Rutgers’ non-conference home success as it prepares to open Big Ten play on the road at Michigan State on Dec. 28. Lafayette, which has lost four of its last five, will break for the holidays before resuming its season at Colgate on Dec. 31 to begin Patriot League competition. The announced attendance was 1,761.

Preview: Lafayette Leopards at Rutgers Scarlet Knights PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — The Rutgers women’s basketball team looks to rebound from a tough stretch against high-level competition when it hosts the Lafayette Leopards at the Louis Brown Athletic Center on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights (7-4) have dropped two straight, including a 79-36 defeat to then-Iowa and an 81-63 loss at Princeton. Prior to that, Rutgers had won three consecutive games. Coach C. Vivian Stringer will look for a more consistent offensive performance from her squad, which was held to 46 points or fewer in both recent losses. A key to reigniting the offense will be junior guard Nene Ndiaye, who leads the team in scoring. Ndiaye was a bright spot in the Princeton loss, scoring 20 points, but was limited to just four points against Iowa’s stifling defense. She had 26 points in a win over Siena on Nov. 24. Lafayette (4-6) enters on a three-game skid, with all losses coming on the road. The Leopards fell 79-76 in overtime to Marist on Dec. 7, followed by losses at Fairleigh Dickinson and NJIT. First-year coach Katie Kellogg’s team has shown scoring ability but has struggled defensively during the losing streak, allowing an average of 73 points per game. The Leopards will lean heavily on senior guard Teresa Kiewiet, who has been on a scoring tear. Kiewiet is averaging 22.8 points per game over her last four contests, including a 25-point effort in 42 minutes against Marist. Support from Sauda Ntaconayigize and Talia Zurinskas, who had 13 points and 11 points with eight assists, respectively, against Marist, will be crucial. This nonconference matchup serves as a final tune-up for both teams before holiday breaks and the start of league play. Rutgers, a member of the expanded 18-team Big Ten, faces a daunting conference schedule beginning with a trip to Michigan State on Dec. 28. Lafayette opens Patriot League action at Colgate on Dec. 31. Historically, Rutgers has dominated the series and holds a significant athletic profile advantage. The Scarlet Knights are heavily favored, but will need to avoid a letdown against a Lafayette team featuring a potent scorer in Kiewiet. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. EST on Saturday.