Rutgers Women’s Basketball Set for Big Ten Showdown at Illinois
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The Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball team is ready to close out its current Big Ten road trip. You wonder how? They are going to do it with a high-stakes visit to Champaign, Illinois. On Tuesday, Feb. 17, the Scarlet Knights will face the Illinois Fighting Illini women's basketball team. The squad is fighting for postseason positioning.
Rutgers Women’s Basketball Showcasing Competitive Growth
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at State Farm Center. For fans following from afar, the game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network, with radio coverage available via FOX Sports New Jersey. The entire 2025-26 season is presented by Prudential Financial. And as the campaign enters its final stretch, this matchup offers Rutgers a vital opportunity to translate recent individual brilliance into a collective conference win.
Rutgers will finish out the second leg of its B1G road trip at RV Illinois on Tuesday night 👏
— Rutgers Women’s Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 16, 2026
📰: https://t.co/r28sKnkoTn#GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/WGAWN5rLVU
While the Scarlet Knights are coming off a 72-57 setback against the Purdue Boilermakers women's basketball team at Mackey Arena, the final score doesn't tell the full story of the team's competitive trajectory. Rutgers showed grit on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 32-30, led by Janae Walker’s seven boards.
The headline belonged to Nene Ndiaye. The forward netted 25 points for the second consecutive game while knocking down four three-pointers. Her offensive rhythm arrives at a critical time against a disciplined Illinois defense.
Faith Blackstone’s 1,000-Point Club entry came on Dec. 20 against the Lafayette Leopards women's basketball team. Blackstone also became the 45th Scarlet Knight to reach 1,000 Division I career points. She currently sits at 1,117, continuing to climb the program’s scoring charts.
Kaylah Ivey’s Elite Distribution milestone arrived at Michigan State Spartans women's basketball on Dec. 28. Ivey surpassed 500 career assists and now holds 543 helpers, ranking 15th nationally among active players. Coach Washington’s 250th win was secured on Dec. 20, as head coach Coquese Washington reached another major career benchmark.
The Scarlet Knights Against the Top 25
As of Feb. 16, Rutgers has faced eight opponents ranked in either the AP or WBCA USA Today polls, with several more receiving votes. It has been a gauntlet.
Ranked opponents include the UCLA Bruins women's basketball, Michigan Wolverines women's basketball, Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball, and Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball. With that came Maryland Terrapins women's basketball, Minnesota Golden Gophers women's basketball, and Princeton Tigers women's basketball.
Receiving votes, opponents include the Rhode Island Rams women's basketball team, the Washington Huskies women's basketball team, and the Illinois and Nebraska Cornhuskers women's basketball teams. Coach Washington added four new members to her staff this offseason.
Shannon LeBeauf arrives after 14 seasons at UCLA Bruins women's basketball, where she helped guide the Bruins to 321 wins and nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight berth in 2018 and a Final Four run in 2024-25. She also played a key role in compiling 14 Top-25 recruiting classes, including two No. 1-ranked classes in 2014-15 and 2021-22.
Sean LeBeauf spent four seasons at UC Riverside Highlanders women's basketball. She helped the program to 55 wins and a 2024 Big West Tournament Championship appearance that led to a WNIT berth.
Danielle Edwards arrives from the SMU Mustangs women's basketball team. That's where she helped guide the Mustangs to 50-plus wins and consecutive WNIT appearances. James Spinelli joins after two seasons at Northeastern Huskies women's basketball. And five at Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball as video coordinator, overseeing scouting and analytics.
Jeanine Wasielewski enters her third season and now serves as offensive coordinator. Rutgers returns Antonia Bates, Deja Young, Zachara Perkins, Kennedy Brandt, and Janae Walker. Six transfers bolster the lineup and bring high-level experience.
Lauryn Swann arrives from Arizona after earning Big 12 All-Freshman honors, posting 12 double-digit games and 50 made threes. Kaylah Ivey and Nene Ndiaye both come from Boston College, adding playmaking and scoring punch.
Faith Blackstone joins from Stephen F. Austin. That's also where she helped the program win the Southland Tournament Championship and reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament while averaging 14.8 points. Imani Lester contributed to Kansas State’s 28-8 record and Sweet Sixteen run. Yacine Ndiaye helped UNCG win the SoCon Tournament Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Freshmen Precious Gem Wheeler and Makylah Moore round out the class. Moore averaged 21.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in her senior season and won a NYSPHSAA Championship.
Rutgers will make six appearances on the Big Ten Network or Fox Sports 1 this season. This will give fans multiple chances to see this evolving team compete on a national stage.
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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.