Rutgers Women’s Basketball Falls to No. 25 Washington in Play4Kay Game

Rutgers Women’s Basketball comes up short vs Washington

Rutgers Women’s Basketball | Peter Ackerman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rutgers women’s basketball returned to the court this afternoon for its annual Play4Kay game. Originally scheduled earlier in the week, a significant snowstorm forced the game to be rescheduled. That set the stage for a challenging afternoon against the No. 25 Washington Huskies.

With pink filling the arena in honor of breast cancer awareness, Rutgers hoped to channel the energy of the moment. However, Washington’s poise and depth proved difficult to overcome as the Huskies controlled the game from the opening tip.

Rutgers Scarlet Knight Shows Fight After Halftime

Washington's Elle Ladine opened the scoring with a three-pointer on the game’s first possession and followed it with a layup, giving the Huskies a quick 7–2 lead. Rutgers looked to generate offense through Imani Lester, Lauryn Swann, and Kaylah Ivey.

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The Huskies continued to stretch the lead as Avery Howell connected from beyond the arc and Hannah Stines added a pair of free throws to make it 12–4. A midrange jumper from Kaylah Ivey briefly slowed the momentum, but Washington responded immediately. Late baskets from Lester helped Rutgers close the gap slightly, yet the Scarlet Knights still trailed 20–12 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter became the defining stretch of the afternoon. Washington delivered a dominant 23–8 run, using its size in the paint and confident perimeter shooting to seize control. Brynn McGaughy established a strong interior presence. Meanwhile, Sayvia Sellers and Howell knocked down timely threes that widened the gap.

Rutgers struggled to finish inside and defend the baseline, allowing Washington to capitalize repeatedly. By halftime, the Huskies had pushed the lead to 43–20, firmly in command and dictating both pace and physicality.

Antonia Bates opened the second half with a second-chance layup, and Kaylah Ivey and Deja Young provided a spark that briefly energized the offense. The Scarlet Knights later put together a 7–0 run in the third quarter, highlighted by a Lauryn Swann three-pointer that forced Washington to call timeout.

McGaughy continued to score inside, and perimeter shots from Howell and Hannah Stines helped Washington re-establish control. Despite Rutgers’ effort and improved energy, the Huskies carried a comfortable advantage into the fourth quarter.

Let's Now Talk About the Key Performances and Numbers

Lester battled for second-chance points, and Swann drilled a deep three, but the deficit remained too large. Chloe Briggs capped Washington’s performance with a late three-pointer.

Washington was led by Brynn McGaughy, who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds. Avery Howell added 16 points, seven rebounds, and four three-pointers. Meanwhile, Yulia Grabovskaia dominated the glass with nine points and 17 rebounds. Sayvia Sellers contributed 11 points and six assists to keep the offense flowing.

For Rutgers, Imani Lester scored 14 points with five rebounds. On the other hand, Kaylah Ivey matched her with 14 points along with four assists and four rebounds. Lauryn Swann added 11 points, and Antonia Bates pulled down seven rebounds.

The absence of leading scorer Nene Ndiaye loomed large. Rutgers shot just 32 percent from the field, going 19-for-59, and struggled from long range with only four made three-pointers on 21 attempts. Washington controlled the boards 51–30, outscored Rutgers 36–14 in the paint, and turned second chances into a 20–7 advantage.

The Scarlet Knights return to Jersey Mike’s Arena on Wednesday night to host Oregon, with tip-off scheduled for 7 PM.

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