Cagers Club - Rutgers Women's Basketball Fan Club

Rutgers Women’s Basketball handed out awards at a special banquet celebrating the 2022-2023 season. Here are the recipients:

Scarlett Knight Academic Achievement Award – Kai Carter

Daily Laney Unsung Hero Award – Abby Streeter

Coyle Newton Spirit Award – Erica Lafayette

Olkowski Pointer Courage & Leadership Award – Kassondra Brown & Jill Huerter

Hanson Copper Most Improved Player – Chyna Cornwell & Antonia Bates

Picott Carson Defensive Player of the Year – Awa Sidibe

Wicks Pondexter Most Outstanding Player – Kaylene Smikle

Congratulations to all those people who helped the team all season, including the male practice players and the team managers. We can't wait until the new season begins in November. See you then!

The 2022-2023 season ended for Rutgers in Minneapolis, where the team lost in the second round of the B1G 10 Tournament to Illinois 81-55 on March 2. For the 20th time this season, freshman Kaylene Smikle led the team in scoring with 22 points, followed by Chyna Cornwell with 14. The team finishes its season with a 12-19 record, going 6-13 in B1G Conference play. Playing with just 8 players all season, the team managed to survive a challenging year and built the foundation for future success. Thank you, Rutgers Women's Basketball, for your consistent effort and enthusiasm. 

Rutgers survives and advances in the B1G 10 Tournament with a 63-59 victory over Northwestern. Chyna Cornwell had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Kaylene Smikle scored 26 points, including 4 3-pointers. Kaylene now owns the freshman scoring record at RU with more than 500 points on the season. Both Awa Sidibe and Kai Carter had 11 points in the win. RU next faces Illinois in a game set for Thursday evening at 9 PM. The team stands at 12-19 on the season. 

After losing on the road to Michigan on Thursday, February 23, RU returned to Jersey Mike's Arena on Sunday to face a ranked Illinois team and lost 75-53 on Senior Night. Kaylene Smikle led three players in double figures, scoring 18 points. Chyna Cornwell had 11 points and Kassondra Brown scored 10. Rutgers enters the B1G 10 Tournament on Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis with a game against Northwestern. RU compiled a record of 11-19 overall and 5-13 in Conference play. Here is the link to the game recap, box score and post-game press conference. 

https://scarletknights.com/news/2023/2/26/womens-basketball-falls-short-to-no-25-rv-illinois-in-regular-season-finale.aspx

Rutgers lost to a hot-shooting Wisconsin team on the road on February 20 by a score of 88-66. Kaylene Smikle led the scoring with 19 points and had a team-leading 7 rebounds. Chyna Cornell added 14 points. Rutgers falls to 11-17 overall and 5-11 in B1G 10 play. The team remains on the road for a Thursday night game at Michigan at 8:30. Let's go, RU!

Rutgers saved its best for last, outscoring Northwestern 20-6 in the 4th quarter to come away with a 14-point win, 62-48. Kaylene Smikle overcame a scoreless first quarter and ended with 21 points to lead RU while Chyna Cornwell had a massive game on the boards, pulling down 17 rebounds and falling just two points shy of another double-double. Awa Sidibe also just missed a double-double, ending with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Kassondra Brown scored 12 points for the Scarlet. The RU defense grabbed 16 steals and 46 rebounds and forced Northwestern into 28 turnovers. RU is now 11-16 overall on the season and 5-10 in the B1G 10. The team travels to Wisconsin for a game with the Badgers on Monday at 7 PM. Let's go, RU!

In case you missed it, Rutgers lost to Iowa on Super Bowl Sunday 111-57. Iowa set a program record for points in a B1G game. Kaylene Smikle got back to big-time scoring with 28 points. Rutgers stands at 10-16 overall and 4-10 in the B1G. RU returns to JMA for a Wednesday night game against Northwestern. Only two remaining home games are on the schedule, so come out and support RUWBB.

Purdue led Rutgers nearly wire-to-wire in defeating RU 68-54 on Thursday at JMA. Former Rutgers player Lasha Petree led Purdue with 17 points. Awa Sidibe scored 16 for RU. Chyna Cornwell, Kaylene Smikle and Kai Carter had 9 points each. Rutgers now stands at 10-15 overall and 4-9 in B1G play. The team hits the road for a Sunday game in Iowa at 3 pm.

Rutgers celebrated Play4Kay Day at Jersey Mike's Arena with a 73-67 victory over Wisconsin. The win improves RU to 10-14 on the season and 4-8 in BIG 10 Conference play. The team had four players in double figures, led by Chyna Cornwell with 16 points and 11 rebounds for her 8th double-double on the season. Awa Sidibe had 15 points and 8 assists, and Kassondra Brown hit for 14 points. Freshman Kaylene Smikle finished with 13 points, including 8 in the fourth quarter. RU remains at home for a match with Purdue on Thursday at 7 PM.

Rutgers lost to #6 Indiana 91-68 on Jan 29 in Bloomington to drop to 9-14 overall and 3-8 in B1G 10 play. Kaylene Smikle led the scoring for Rutgers with 25 points. The team gets a week off before next Sunday's game at home against Wisconsin. There is a Cagers Huddle at noon prior to the 2 pm game.