Rutgers women’s basketball delivered one of its strongest first-half efforts of Big Ten play Wednesday night and carried a halftime lead in its home finale, but Indiana seized control after the break to hand the Scarlet Knights a 72–65 loss at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
Rutgers led for much of the opening half and matched Indiana’s physicality and tempo early, but the Hoosiers’ third-quarter surge and late execution ultimately flipped the game.
Rutgers opened with purpose on both ends, moving the ball effectively
and attacking downhill to generate clean looks. The Scarlet Knights opened on an 11-3 run, built a multi-possession cushion midway through the period, and controlled tempo with active defense and rebounding. The Knights closed the quarter ahead 22–17, one of their sharper offensive starts in conference play this season.
Indiana settled into its half-court offense in the second and began to chip away, but Rutgers answered key Hoosier pushes with timely baskets and second-chance opportunities. The period turned more physical and defensive, with Indiana edging it 13–12. Rutgers maintained composure and carried a 34–30 halftime lead into the break.
The game turned around after halftime. Indiana tightened defensively and found rhythm offensively, matching Rutgers 22–22 in the quarter but generating sustained pressure that erased the deficit and shifted momentum entering the fourth.
Indiana’s execution and shot-making proved decisive in the final period. The Hoosiers outscored Rutgers 20–9 in the fourth, capitalizing on turnovers and second-chance opportunities to extend the margin down the stretch.
Rutgers continued to compete but struggled to produce consistent offense against Indiana’s pressure, preventing any late comeback push.
For Rutgers, the loss followed a familiar late-season script: a competitive opening stretch against a Big Ten opponent but difficulty sustaining scoring and defensive consistency over 40 minutes. Yet, the Scarlet Knights’ first-half performance in their home finale showed the connectivity and energy the program has sought as the season winds down.
The Hoosiers were led by 21 points from Shay Ciezki, who made 4-8 triples and set the tone for IU. Maya Makalusky added 19, including 4-9 from distance, while Navaeh Caffey had 14 points and Lenee Beaumont added 12 points for Indiana. It was a balanced scoring effort for the Hoosiers, despite only playing seven players and relying on their starting five for the vast majority of their points.
For the Scarlet Knights, Zachara Perkins led the way with 15 points, while Lauryn Swann had 14. The starting lineup produced, with Kaylah Ivey and Imani Lester reaching double figures, while Antonia Bates had four points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Meanwhile, Nene Ndiaye led the Knights off the bench with 14 points and four boards, including going 7-7 at the free-throw line.
Although Indiana had a narrow advantage in field goal percentage of 49% to Rutgers’ 44%, the Hoosiers buried 11-26 (42%) of their three-pointers. In contrast, the Knights made just 5-21 from downtown for a paltry 24%, although they went 14-15 from the charity stripe while IU went 16-19. The Hoosiers also outrebounded Rutgers 33-24 and overcame a turnover deficit of 18-12 with strong shooting and second-half resolve.
In the end, it was not enough, as IU overcame a ten-point deficit early in the third quarter and several other deficits after to get an important victory for Big Ten Tournament implications. This loss will officially do it for Rutgers’ conference tournament hopes, as the Knights sit with just one Big Ten win while Penn State and Purdue both have four as of today.
The Scarlet Knights will conclude their regular season at Nebraska on Saturday, February 28th. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 PM, with live coverage on Big Ten Plus at 2 PM.
To support me and my work, please follow @arnavsarkar100 on X!
