Rutgers Women's Basketball Prepares to Take on No.24 Michigan State to Resume Conference Play
Rutgers women's basketball is set to resume conference play this Sunday as they are gearing up to travel out to East Lansing, Michigan, to take on the No. 24-ranked Spartans. The Scarlet Knights' only other game against a conference opponent this season came against No.12 Iowa earlier in the month. Rutgers failed to get anything positive going in that game until late in the fourth quarter, as they were crushed by the Hawkeyes 79-36.
Michigan State has proven itself to be one of the best teams in college women's basketball, as it has started off the season 11-1 with wins over ranked opponents. Their biggest win this season so far has come against No.15 Ole Miss, as the Spartans dispatched the Rebels 66-49. They have scored 90 or more points in eight of their games this season.
Guard Kennedy Blair and Forward Grace VanStoolen have set themselves apart as true stars on their team. VanStoolen leads the team in average points per game, with 14.5, and blocks per game with 1. She is also second on the team in rebounds with 5.2 and third on the team in steals with 2.3. Blair leads the team in both rebounds per game (7.1) and assists per game (5.8). She is also second on the team in points per game with 12.6.
In the case of Rutgers, their top two contributors are Nene Ndiaye and Imani Lester. Ndiaye is averaging 16.3 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game and has proven herself to be the engine of Rutgers offense. Lester leads the team in rebounds per game (6.2) and blocks per game (1.2) while proving herself to be one of the best defenders on the team.
Young & Dangerous 👌#GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/cK9ZaF6KNF
— Rutgers Women’s Basketball (@RutgersWBB) December 21, 2025
No matter how this game is framed, it will be an uphill battle for the Knights. Michigan State as a whole averages 92.2 points per game. Rutgers, in comparison is averaging 60.5 points per game, a total of 31.7 fewer points per game than the Spartans. While the Knights have played and beaten some quality mid-major programs on their way to their 8-4 record, they have also lost to non-ranked high major teams like Auburn, in addition to having a stunning loss to low-major Stony Brook. The Knights' only game against a ranked opponent this season was that Iowa game, where they were routed.
Rutgers tip off time against Michigan State on Sunday is set for noon inside the Breslin Center. Broadcasts for the game are yet to be announced.
