On Saturday night, February’s portion of Rutgers women’s basketball season came to an end in disappointing fashion. The Scarlet Knights took on the Michigan State Spartans and were unable to get many stops in a 93-57 loss.
As Michigan State improved to 20-7, they got contributions through the roster. They were led by Moira Joiner, who added 22 points and three rebounds to her resume. She got help from Julia Ayrault and Abbey Kimball, who scored 17 points.
With the loss, Rutgers is now 8-22 (2-15 Big Ten).
KJ DOES IT AGAIN ‼️
📺 @BigTenPlus
📊 https://t.co/CfkJLNHvAR#GoRU | #RUWBB pic.twitter.com/dgSFZvPl5e— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 24, 2024
While the Spartans were able to score at will, they were particularly good close to the basket. They outscored Rutgers in the paint 42-18. That allowed Michigan State to build a lead early that they would not relinquish.
Although Saturday night did not go as planned for Rutgers, there were a few bright spots. That includes Erica Lafayette, who had one of her best games of the season. The Baton Rouge native scored 20 points and added two rebounds to her resume. The only other Rutgers players to score double figures were Destiny Adams and Jillian Huerter.
With their 30th game of the season in the books, Rutgers will shift their focus to their season finale against Northwestern on March 3. The Scarlet Knights will have an excellent opportunity to end their season with a win, as Northwestern is 8-19.