– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
Follow @Koiki_Sport
COLLEGE PARK, MD — Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer is seeing her 2018-19 squad turning a corner in becoming the team she hopes it can be. On Monday, one of the few remaining undefeated teams was on the receiving end the Scarlet Knights’ improvement.
Forward Stasha Carey scored 18 points while guard Ciani Cryor put up 12 points and 11 assists as the Scarlet Knights defeated previously-unbeaten and fourth-ranked Maryland 73-65 at the Xfinity Center. The win marked Rutgers’ first victory over a Top-10 team since 2009.
“We have really been practicing with the full complement of players for about two weeks,” Stringer said after the game. “You could see different lights, different things that would happen, and think, ‘Man, if we can get all these people on the floor at the same time.’ So we’ve all come together at this special spot to make something special happen.”
The game became a special one for the Scarlet Knights in large part to the domination it showed on the board, outrebounding the Terrapins 38-28. Half of Rutgers’ rebounds came on the offensive glass, which led to 15 second-chance points.
Coming into the game, Maryland ranked second in D1 in rebounding margin at plus-17.
“When I watch it on film, anyone can beat anyone,” said Maryland head coach Brenda Frese. “This is a perfect example. A team that is unranked, but the rosters are full of talent. So you can’t out-talent people anymore.”
