Rutgers Women’s Basketball Ready for Big Ten Battle with Indiana
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On Feb. 25 at 7 p.m., the Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball team hosts the Indiana Hoosiers in the final home game of the 2025–26 regular season. It is the annual "Thank You Fans" celebration. This will be presented by Horizon, complete with giveaways, in-game activations, and surprises to honor the supporters. The one that stood by the program all season long, a season presented by Prudential.
For fans who cannot make it to Piscataway, the game will stream on B1G+, with a live radio broadcast available on FOX Sports New Jersey. Whether in the arena or tuning in from afar, this one carries meaning.
Big Ten Stakes as the Regular Season Winds Down for the Rutgers
As February turns toward postseason play, both teams are searching for sharper execution and a strong closing statement. Rutgers enters at 9-18 overall and 1-15 in Big Ten play, determined to defend its home court one last time. Indiana arrives at 15-13 and 4-12 in conference action, fresh off a 72-65 win over Oregon that snapped a two-game skid.
Thank you Fans‼️
— Rutgers Women’s Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 24, 2026
Rutgers will host its final home game of the 2025-26 season against Indiana Wednesday night 🏀
📰: https://t.co/yOjsvSkmbp#GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/1YdRlsXaYz
Rutgers comes into Wednesday’s showdown after an 87-78 loss to Penn State. However, the performance revealed plenty about the team’s offensive depth and fight.
Imani Lester led the charge with 17 points. With that, Nene Ndiaye added 16. Zachara Perkins scored 15, Faith Blackstone chipped in 13, and Kaylah Ivey contributed 11. Five players in double figures is no small feat in conference play.
Perkins also recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, a milestone moment that underscores the growth happening across the roster. This season has been filled with individual achievements under head coach Coquese Washington.
Blackstone surpassed 1,000 Division I career points on Dec. 20 against Lafayette, becoming the 45th Scarlet Knight to reach the milestone. She now sits at 1,143 career points. Ivey reached 500 career assists on Dec. 28 at Michigan State. With 554 total assists, she ranks 15th among active players nationally. Washington secured her 250th career victory on Dec. 20.
Rutgers brought back five Scarlet Knights this season: Antonia Bates, Deja Young, Perkins, Kennedy Brandt, and Janae Walker. That continuity matters in a league as demanding as the Big Ten. Coach Washington and her staff also welcomed six transfers who have made an immediate impact.
Lauryn Swann arrived from Arizona after earning a spot on the 2025 Big 12 All-Freshman Team. She collected Big 12 All-State Bench Performance of the Week honors and was a two-time Big 12 Freshman of the Week selection.
Swann posted 12 double-digit outings last season. It includes a career-high 22 points against Utah on Dec. 31, knocking down six three-pointers while shooting 85 percent from the field. She connected on 50 of 128 three-point attempts during the 2024-25 season.
Kaylah Ivey transferred from Boston College, where she led the ACC and ranked third nationally with a 3.3 assist-to-turnover ratio during her senior season. She dished out 160 assists against just 49 turnovers and recorded 16 assists with zero turnovers against Miami on Jan. 16, the most by a player in a single ACC game since 2002. She finished eighth in Boston College program history with 455 assists.
Freshman Foundation for the Future
Rutgers also added two freshmen who represent the future of the program. Precious Gem Wheeler, a Franklin High School product, averaged 9.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks during her sophomore season. She guided her team to the Somerset County Tournament semifinals.
Makylah Moore led Nazareth High School to a NYSPHSAA Championship, scoring 18 points with 10 rebounds in the title game. As a senior, she averaged 21.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest. She scored in double figures in all 29 games, reached 20-plus points 11 times, hit 30-plus five times, and recorded five double-doubles.
The offseason also brought new faces to the coaching staff, including Senior Associate Head Coach Shannon LeBeauf and assistant coaches Sean LeBeauf, Danielle Edwards, and James Spinelli.
Indiana enters with confidence after defeating Oregon. Shay Ciezki leads the Hoosiers with 23.1 points per game, while Zania Socka-Nguemen anchors the glass with 8.7 rebounds per contest. Rutgers will need discipline on both ends of the floor to contain Indiana’s scoring threats and control the boards.
After the "Thank You Fans" celebration, Rutgers will close the regular season on the road at Nebraska on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.