Rutgers Women’s Basketball Drops Home Game to Stony Brook

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights women’s basketball team saw its unbeaten start come to an end. It was on Sunday afternoon when the team fell 71–54 to the Stony Brook Seawolves (2–1) at Jersey Mike’s Arena. What began as a tightly contested matchup quickly turned into a late-game surge for the visitors. It was because Stony Brook used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away and hand Rutgers its first loss of the season.

Nene Ndiaye and Imani Lester Shine for Rutgers

Even in defeat, Rutgers saw standout performances from its top contributors. Junior forward Nene Ndiaye once again led the team offensively, finishing with a team-high 16 points. This marked her third straight game as the Scarlet Knights’ leading scorer. Her season average remains steady at 16.3 points per game, the highest on the roster.

Final #GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/SyDAKFJyXh
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) November 9, 2025

Center Imani Lester added consistent support with 11 points, giving her two double-figure scoring games already this season. On the glass, forward Janae Walker pulled down six rebounds. That led the team and continued to prove her reliability in her second consecutive start. Despite their efforts, Rutgers couldn’t contain a Stony Brook squad that found its rhythm late and closed out strong.

The opening minutes saw both teams trade momentum. Stony Brook jumped out to an early 4–1 lead after converting a layup and two free throws. However, Rutgers responded quickly. Behind a 10–2 run highlighted by a Kaylah Ivey three-pointer. They got a strong three-point play from Ndiaye, and the Scarlet Knights briefly took control.

The Seawolves, however, answered with five straight points before Lester buried a three-pointer to keep Rutgers within one. A late Stony Brook basket gave the visitors a narrow 15–14 lead after the first quarter.

In the second frame, Stony Brook extended its edge slightly, going up 20–17 midway through the quarter. Lester continued to keep Rutgers close, knocking down two consecutive shots to bring the game back to 22–21.

Still, Stony Brook’s timely free throws helped them maintain a slim advantage heading into halftime. The game remained close through three quarters, with the Seawolves clinging to a 50–45 lead before breaking things open in the fourth.

What’s Next for the Scarlet Knights After The Loss

The final period proved decisive. Both sides traded early baskets, but Stony Brook quickly took command with a 7–0 run, forcing a Rutgers timeout as the score stretched to 59–47. Out of the break, the Seawolves piled on another seven unanswered points to extend their lead to 66–47 with just three minutes left.

Ndiaye hit two free throws and added a late layup to try to spark a response, but the deficit was too much to overcome. At the end, Stony Brook sealed a 71–54 victory and silenced the home crowd.

Guard Kaylah Ivey continued to be a reliable perimeter threat, connecting on three three-pointers for the second straight game. She now leads the team with eight made threes through three contests.

Off the bench, Antonia Bates provided a bright spot, scoring all eight of Rutgers’ bench points. Her two three-pointers and two free throws marked her first points in 363 days, an emotional moment as she made her return from injury.

Rutgers will look to bounce back quickly as it continues its homestand at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The Scarlet Knights host Rhode Island on Thursday, November 13, at 11 a.m. ET for Recess Day.

More from Rutgers on SI

Stay up to date on the Scarlet Knights by bookmarking Rutgers On SI.