Rutgers Women’s Basketball Secures First Big Ten Win with Victory Over Penn State
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On Sunday afternoon at Rec Hall, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights earned their first Big Ten victory of the 2025–26 season. They did it by holding off Penn State for a hard-fought 76–72 win. The result lifts Rutgers to 9–9 overall and 1–6 in conference play. Meanwhile, Penn State drops to 7–12 overall and 0–8 in the Big Ten.
Rutgers Women's Basketball Team Showed Power on Offense
Nene Ndiaye was unstoppable, leading the Scarlet Knights with 20 points. It was her 16th double-figure scoring game of the season and the fifth time she crossed the 20-point mark.
B1G WIN 👏
— Rutgers Women’s Basketball (@RutgersWBB) January 18, 2026
@Prudential #GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/cVMmMLY7nV
Inside, Imani Lester provided the muscle. She finished with 19 points and a team-high eight rebounds. She also controlled the paint on both ends and delivered several key baskets down the stretch. Together, Ndiaye and Lester gave Rutgers a reliable one-two punch when the game tightened.
The supporting cast stepped up as well. Kaylah Ivey scored 12 points and dished out six assists, keeping the offense flowing. Faith Blackstone added 12 points, while Lauryn Swann chipped in 10 off the bench, scoring in double figures for the second straight game. In total, five Scarlet Knights reached double digits, a testament to Rutgers’ depth.
Rutgers jumped out early, taking an 8–3 lead behind three-pointers from Ivey and Ndiaye. The Scarlet Knights controlled much of the first quarter. They closed the period ahead 22–17 thanks to steady perimeter shooting and confident ball movement.
By halftime, Rutgers clung to a slim 35–33 advantage. The third quarter tilted in Penn State’s favor. The Nittany Lions matched Rutgers basket for basket and closed the period with a 5–2 run, taking a 55–52 lead into the final ten minutes and putting pressure squarely on the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers Delivers in the Fourth Quarter
Faith Blackstone opened the fourth quarter by calmly knocking down four free throws, and Lester followed with a layup to reclaim the lead. From there, the teams traded scores until Rutgers pieced together a decisive four-point run with just over three minutes remaining to go ahead 69–64.
Lester then delivered the defining moments, converting two clutch layups in the final minutes to push the lead to eight. Penn State made one last push behind McMiller, but Kaylah Ivey sealed the outcome at the line, sinking the final free throw to secure the 76–72 win.
Statistically, Rutgers won the battle on the glass with a 39–36 rebounding edge and shot efficiently enough from deep to stay in control late. It was the seventh time this season that four or more Scarlet Knights scored in double figures, and Ivey recorded her 12th game with at least three assists. Historically, the win improves Rutgers’ record against Penn State to 36–21 and marks a third straight victory over the Nittany Lions.
Rutgers now returns home with momentum in hand. The Scarlet Knights will host No. 8/7 Michigan on Thursday, January 22, at 6:00 p.m. ET, with the game airing on the Big Ten Network.
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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.