Rutgers Women’s Basketball Turns Tight Game Into Statement Win Over Saint Peter's

Rutgers Women’s Basketball Goes to 7-2 After Beating Saint Peter's

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

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights women’s basketball team wrapped up a demanding Thanksgiving week stretch. They did it with a 57-39 victory over in-state foe Saint Peter’s on Sunday afternoon. Even though the final 18-point margin makes it look like an easy afternoon, the game was much closer than the score suggests.

Rutgers Women's Basketball Stalled Offence Creates Early Frustration

Rutgers found themselves in a tight, stubborn battle. Especially for three quarters, as Saint Peter’s continued to claw back and keep the Knights uncomfortable.

RUTGERS RUNS THE DAY🔥@Prudential #GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/1ExArvNVpS

— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) November 30, 2025

Every time Rutgers pushed ahead, the Peacocks refused to let the game slip away. They repeatedly chipped into the lead throughout the second and third quarters. They even managed to cut the deficit down to five points early in the fourth, creating a tense atmosphere heading into the final stretch.

Imani Lester built on her strong prior outing, and Rutgers started quickly, scoring points in the first 1:16 to take a 15-3 lead before ending the quarter on top 16-7. But the spark didn’t last long. The second quarter saw the offense stall completely. Rutgers went without a field goal until Nene Ndiaye drilled a deep shot at the 6:45 mark. That scoring drought gave Saint Peter’s the opening they needed, slicing the lead down to 17-15.

Luckily for the Scarlet Knights, the Peacocks’ offense froze for the last five and a half minutes of the half. They finished the period shooting 5-24 from the field and 1-12 from three, giving Rutgers some breathing room. Rutgers capitalized with a key 7-0 run that pushed the lead to 26-17 heading into halftime.

The third quarter offered more of the same gritty resistance from Saint Peter’s, who outscored Rutgers 15-13. Their persistent pressure kept slicing away at the cushion. That left Rutgers with only a 39-32 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Fourth-Quarter Breakthrough That Changed Everything

The moment Rutgers needed finally arrived midway through the fourth quarter. After Saint Peter’s dragged the deficit down to five, the Scarlet Knights found their rhythm against the Peacocks’ zone defense.

A strong layup from Zachara Perkins and a timely three-pointer from Kaylah Ivey sparked the surge Rutgers had been searching for all game. That spark turned into a full takeover as Rutgers unleashed an 11-0 run, quickly jumping ahead 50-34. From that point on, the Knights controlled every possession, sealing a 57-39 win and turning a tight matchup into a statement victory.

Three Scarlet Knights reached double figures: Ndiaye, Lester, and Ivey all scored 12 points. Perkins delivered a versatile performance with eight points, six rebounds, and four assists. Meanwhile, Antonia Bates added six points off the bench on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting night. Saint Peter’s was led by De’Naya Rippey, who scored 11 points. Layla Laws added six, and Nikola Zdenkova and Carys Roy chipped in five each.

Even with the win, some concerns linger. Saint Peter’s finished shooting just 27% from the field and 20% from deep, while Rutgers shot 45% overall but struggled from three at 4-15 (27%) and from the free-throw line at 7-15 (47%). With the Big Ten opener against Iowa arriving Saturday at 6 PM, Rutgers will need to clean up the long scoring droughts.