Rutgers Women’s Basketball Wraps Up Home Season with Competitive Battle vs Indiana

Rutgers Scarlet Knights shows fight in home finale against Indiana

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Women’s Basketball | Peter Ackerman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The final home game of the season at Jersey Mike’s Arena followed a script that has become all too familiar for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. There was early brilliance. And in the end, there was a late-game collapse that proved too much to overcome.

Fourth-Quarter Surge Seals It Away From Rutgers Scarlet Knights

In a Big Ten women’s basketball recap that came down to the wire, the Indiana Hoosiers used a massive fourth-quarter surge to defeat Rutgers 79-69. The contest was decided in the closing minutes after a back-and-forth struggle that had fans on edge deep into the second half.

Thank you to the fans for your support at Jersey Mike’s Arena this season #GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/WNyUKxH5ls

— Rutgers Women’s Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 26, 2026

With Indiana holding a narrow 66-65 lead heading into the final media timeout, the momentum shifted decisively. The Hoosiers ignited an 8-0 burst, punctuated by a clutch four-point play from Maya Makalusky. That sequence created a 74-65 cushion that Rutgers simply could not overcome.

Despite holding two separate double-digit leads earlier in the afternoon, the Scarlet Knights watched the victory slip away in the final frame. The loss extends the Rutgers losing streak to 10 consecutive games.

The team now sits at 9-19 overall and 1-16 in Big Ten play, having dropped 15 of its last 16 contests. Indiana improved to 16-13 overall and 5-12 in conference action by outscoring Rutgers 27-13 in the final ten minutes.

While the final score shows a ten-point margin, this was a volatile affair defined by dramatic momentum swings.

Rutgers controlled much of the first three quarters and played the role of aggressor for long stretches. Indiana led for less than one minute during the entire first half, a testament to how sharply the Scarlet Knights opened the game. The third quarter perfectly illustrated the deadlock, with both teams trading baskets in a 22-22 tie for the period.

But the fourth quarter told a different story.

Indiana’s 27-13 dominance in the final ten minutes erased all the work Rutgers had done across the previous thirty. Makalusky’s four-point play was both the emotional and mathematical turning point. It fueled the decisive run and pushed Indiana ahead 74-65, effectively ending the contest.

Rutgers opened on an 11-3 run, energized by four early points from Kaylah Ivey. The first quarter was an offensive clinic. The Scarlet Knights shot 10-of-19 from the field and forced eight Indiana turnovers.

The quarter ended spectacularly when Ivey drained a shot-clock-beating three-pointer to secure a 22-17 lead. Late in the first quarter, the Hoosiers went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 17-17. Every single point during that stretch came from beyond the arc.

Balanced Scoring Effort Not Enough

The second quarter brought a shift in rhythm. More than five minutes into the period, Rutgers had managed just four points and had not converted a single field goal. The offense stalled, yet the game remained tied at 26-26 midway through the frame.

Rutgers finished the quarter shooting 4-of-13 and lost it 13-12. Still, thanks to the electric first quarter, the Scarlet Knights headed to the locker room with a 34-30 halftime lead. Shay Ciezki led with 11 first-half points, while Ivey added 10.

A notable rotation decision also shaped the flow. Junior forward Nene NDiaye, the team’s leading scorer at 15.0 points per game, did not enter until the second quarter. Once she did, she became a focal point and helped maintain offensive balance through the middle stretches.

Rutgers came out of halftime with renewed energy, launching a 6-0 run to build its largest lead of the day at 40-30. Indiana answered quickly with a 7-0 burst in just over a minute. The third quarter evolved into a shootout, ending in that 22-22 tie and sending Rutgers into the fourth with a 56-52 advantage.

Scoring balance was the bright spot. Lauryn Swann, Zachara Perkins, Imani Lester, and NDiaye each scored four or more points in the third quarter alone. By the final buzzer, five Scarlet Knights finished in double figures: Perkins, Swann, NDiaye, Ivey, and Lester.

Coach Washington stayed committed to her core starting unit for the finale. The lineup featured Lauryn Swann at guard, Kaylah Ivey at guard, Zachara Perkins at guard and forward, Antonia Bates at guard and forward, and Imani Lester at forward.

With the home schedule complete, Rutgers has one final opportunity to regroup before postseason play. The Scarlet Knights will travel to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the regular season finale on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will air on Big Ten Plus and 88.7 WRSU-FM.

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