Rutgers Shows Fight, But Falls to Minnesota Despite Ndiaye’s Career Night
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - For three quarters, Rutgers women’s basketball went toe-to-toe with one of the Big Ten’s top teams. But in the end, the Scarlet Knights couldn’t keep pace in the final stretch, falling 63-52 to Minnesota at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Don’t let the final score fool you - this one was a battle. Seven lead changes.
Five ties. And a Rutgers squad that, despite a tough season record, came out swinging against a Minnesota team receiving votes in both national polls.
The star of the afternoon? Nene Ndiaye - and she didn’t just show up, she lit up the arena.
The junior guard matched her career high with 26 points, knocking down a personal-best five three-pointers and hitting 10 field goals overall. Ndiaye was locked in from the jump, scoring 18 of her 26 in the first half and keeping Rutgers in the fight every step of the way.
First Half: Ndiaye Ignites Early Spark
Rutgers opened the game with energy, getting quick buckets from Janae Walker and Ndiaye to take an early 5-1 lead. After a brief run from Minnesota, the Scarlet Knights answered with a 5-0 spurt of their own to stay in front, 10-5.
The first quarter ended in a 12-12 deadlock, setting the tone for a back-and-forth affair. In the second, Ndiaye started heating up - and once she found her rhythm from deep, Minnesota had no choice but to take notice. She buried three triples in the quarter, including back-to-back daggers that gave Rutgers a 25-19 lead and forced a Gophers timeout.
Minnesota responded with a three of their own just before halftime, trimming Rutgers’ lead to 25-22 heading into the break.
Second Half: Gophers Pull Away Late
Coming out of the locker room, both teams traded buckets to start the third, but Minnesota slowly began to find its footing. After edging ahead 31-29, Rutgers answered with a tough layup from Zachara Perkins to tie it back up.
That sequence encapsulated much of the third quarter - Rutgers hanging tough, answering every Minnesota punch with one of their own. But the Gophers started to find success from beyond the arc, hitting back-to-back threes to create some separation. A late layup pushed their lead to 41-35, and they closed the quarter up 45-37.
Still, Rutgers didn’t fold.
Perkins, who had her best offensive game of the season, drained a three early in the fourth to cut the deficit to seven. Ndiaye followed with her fifth triple of the game, pulling the Knights within five with under five minutes to play.
But that’s when Minnesota clamped down. The Gophers hit four straight free throws out of the media timeout, stretching their lead to 59-50. Rutgers got a layup from Perkins to keep hope alive, but Minnesota kept answering at the line and added a late layup to seal the win.
Knights Notes
- Nene Ndiaye continues to shine as Rutgers’ go-to scorer. Her 26-point outing marked the 17th time this season she’s hit double figures, and her five made threes and 10 field goals were both career highs.
- Zachara Perkins also delivered a standout performance, finishing with a season-best 18 points and a team-high five assists.
She’s now scored in double digits in five straight games.
- Antonia Bates and Janae Walker each pulled down six rebounds to pace the Scarlet Knights on the glass. Bates has now led the team in rebounding in five straight games.
- Rutgers edged Minnesota in the second quarter, 13-10 - a small but telling sign of how competitive this game was for most of the afternoon.
What’s Next
The Scarlet Knights (9-15, 1-12 B1G) now shift their focus to the road, with a Valentine’s Day matchup at Purdue followed by a trip to face Illinois on Feb. 17. With Ndiaye and Perkins both finding their rhythm, Rutgers will look to build on the positives from Sunday’s effort and turn that into momentum down the stretch.
This team may be young and still finding its footing in a loaded Big Ten, but performances like this one - gritty, competitive, and full of heart - show there’s more to come.