Golden Eagles Fall at Home to No. 7 Rutgers

Feb. 23, 2006

MILWAUKEE - Christina Quaye was the lone Marquette player in double figures, with 14 points, as the Golden Eagles dropped a 71-50 decision to #7/8 Rutgers at the Al McGuire Center tonight. The junior forward was 5-for-11 from the floor, connecting on 2-of-4 from the perimeter. She also had three rebounds.

"When you are playing the seventh ranked team in the nation, you are going to have to do something special to win." said head coach Terri Mitchell. "In the end, they knocked their shots down and we didn't. We were with them on rebounds and assists. They hit their shots and we didn't. A 10 point game quickly turns into a 20 point game because of it. We are committed to playing with the best in the nation."

Rutgers won the tip and scored the first basket just six seconds into the game, en route to an early six point lead (9-3). The Scarlet Knights quickly pushed the lead to 10, at 15-5, with just over six minutes into the first half. The Scarlet Knights maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the first half before the Golden Eagles cut it to six - 23-17 - after Quaye scored down low in the paint.

Rutgers responded with a 6-0 run to take a 12 point edge, 29-17, with less than five minutes remaining in the first and took a 33-24 lead into the locker room at the break.

MU shot just 35.7% (10-28) in the first 20:00 of action, countered to Rutgers' 51.7% (15-29).

"We were screening extremely well, but we were shooting rushed. We were wide open, but we were still rushed." Mitchell explained. "I don't know why we were shooting hurried shots, because they only had three blocks, but we did. That is a testament about the way they play and the defense they play. Rutgers is a Final Four-caliber team."

RU's 11-0 run midway through the second half extended their lead to 23, 55-32, with 8:57 left in the game. Erin Monfre ended the run by connecting on her second trifecta of the game 30 seconds later.

The Scarlet Knights led by as many as 26 points - 63-37 with 6:25 to go - en route to its 10th consecutive win and 14th straight win in BIG EAST play this season.

Rutgers All-American guard Cappie Pondexter led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, while Matee Ajavon added 18 points and nine assists, and Essence Carson contributed 12 points for the Scarlet Knights.

"We closed down on Cappie, we knew where she was. But All-American players go from having four points in the first to having 20 by the end of the game." Mitchell stated. "She is going to be the number one draft pick in the WNBA, and rightfully so."

Svetlana Kovalenko added eight points while also grabbing a team-high nine rebounds, as Marquette held a 31-30 rebounding advantage. Mitchell was pleased with the play of her sophomore super sub.

"Svetlana played so physical tonight. She is doing great, maturing with every game." said Mitchell. "She had the passion tonight. When she didn't get a rebound, she was keeping someone else from getting a rebound."

Krystal Ellis added eight points, while Erin Monfre and Marissa Thrower each had six. Jasmine McCullough recorded a team-best five assists. The Golden Eagles registered 19 assists on their 20 field goals during the game.

The road does not get any easier for Marquette, as they travel to Storrs, Conn. to take on #6 Connecticut. While all the focus this week has been on one of the top teams in the nation in Rutgers, it now shifts to another team near the top of the national polls.

"We haven't allowed ourselves to talk about Connecticut until this game is over." Mitchell said. "We are going to go there and give them a fight. It is a great opportunity to see where we fit and an opportunity to walk out of there with something to hold onto. It is their Senior Night, it will be an emotional game for them and I am sure it will be sold out. We have to match their intensity."

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CST and the game can be heard live via Yahoo! Sports. Kyle Dlabay and Lesley Juedes will call the action.

Marquette closes out the regular season at home on Tuesday, when they host former Conference USA rival Cincinnati at 7 p.m. at the Al. It will mark the final home regular season appearance for seniors Carolyn Kieger, Tierra Shirley, and Amber Johnson.