The Rutgers women’s basketball team is set to return home to Jersey Mike’s Arena on Monday, November 24, for a game against Siena at 7 p.m. The event will feature a “Knightflix Movie Night” theme. Fans can watch the game via B1G+ or listen on Fox Sports Radio.
This season is presented by Prudential and marks the Scarlet Knights’ seventh game of the year, following a narrow loss to Auburn with a score of 51-46. In that matchup, Zachara Perkins led Rutgers with 15 points while Nene Ndiaye contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. The contest included five lead changes and three ties, with Rutgers narrowing Auburn’s late third-quarter lead from 16 points down to three in the final seconds.
Rutgers’ schedule this season includes seven opponents ranked in the top 25 across both the AP poll and WBCA USA Today poll, such as UCLA, Michigan, Maryland, USC, Iowa, Michigan State, and Washington. The team will play ten home games within the first two months of the campaign.
Head coach Coquese Washington made several coaching staff additions during the offseason: Shannon LeBeauf joins as Senior Associate Head Coach after spending fourteen seasons at UCLA; Sean LeBeauf arrives from UC Riverside; Danielle Edwards comes from SMU; and James Spinelli joins after working at Northeastern and Notre Dame. Jeanine Wasielewski continues into her third season as an assistant coach and now serves as Offensive Coordinator.
Other staff updates include Nneka Enemkpali transitioning from assistant coach to Chief of Staff—overseeing administrative operations—and Alejandro Ramirez being promoted to Director of Basketball Operations full time.
Five players return for Rutgers this season: Antonia Bates, Deja Young, Zachara Perkins, Kennedy Brandt, and Janae Walker. Six transfers have joined: Lauryn Swann (Arizona), Kaylah Ivey (Boston College), Nene Ndiaye (Boston College), Faith Blackstone (Stephen F. Austin), Imani Lester (Kansas State), and Yacine Ndiaye (UNCG). Additionally, freshmen Precious Gem Wheeler and Makylah Moore are new additions.
Lauryn Swann was recognized on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team last year at Arizona. Kaylah Ivey finished her Boston College career eighth all-time in assists for the program. Faith Blackstone helped Stephen F. Austin win their conference tournament last season while earning First-Team All-Conference honors.
Rutgers will make six televised appearances during this campaign on either Big Ten Network or Fox Sports 1.
Siena enters Monday’s matchup winless through five games this season. Francesca Schiro leads Siena in scoring with an average of 15.2 points per game while Kaiya Rain Tucker averages five rebounds per contest. Rutgers holds a 1-0 record over Siena in their all-time series; their previous meeting was in 2017 when Rutgers won by twelve points.
Following Monday’s game against Siena, Rutgers will host Northeastern on November 28 and Saint Peter’s on November 30.
