PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Junior guard Kenyata Hendrix led the Savannah State University women's basketball team (2-5) with 14 points as the Lady Tigers fell to Big Ten opponent Rutgers University (8-3) 65-26 Sunday in Rutgers Athletic Center.
 
Hendrix went 3-for-4 beyond the 3-point line for 12 points during the third quarter as SSU outscored RU 13-10 in the final six minutes during the rest of the quarter.
 
Sophomore forward Shanikwa Buie added five points and six rebounds, while junior center Tiyonda Davis added six rebounds and three blocks.
 
Rutgers scored the first 11 points of the game before Buie's jumper got SSU on board and cut RU's lead to 11-2 with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter.  The Scarlet Knights outscored SSU 10-0 during the rest of the quarter for a 21-2 lead after one quarter.  Davis led the team with three blocks during the opening quarter.
 
The Scarlet Knights scored the first seven points of the second quarter to grab a 28-2 lead with 6:31 remaining in the quarter, but a three-point play by Buie cut the lead to 28-5 with 6:09 left in the half.  RU outscored SSU 9-2 during the rest of the quarter to take a 37-7 halftime lead.  Buie led the team with five points through the first half.
 
RU scored the first eight points of the third quarter to grab a 45-7 lead with 6:02 remaining in the quarter, but Hendrix's first 3-point of the third quarter cut the lead to 45-10 with 5:37 remaining.  After a Rutger jumper and a layup for a 49-7 lead with 3:53 left, Hendrix hit another 3-pointer and a sophomore guard Deyja Brown cut the lead to 49-14 with 3:12 left.  After a Rutger layup, Hendrix hit her third 3-pointer of the quarter to cut the lead to 51-17 with 1:13 left in the quarter.  RU added a jumper for a 53-17 lead with 34 seconds, but Hendrix hit her fourth 3-pointer of the quarter at the buzz to cut the lead to 53-20 after three quarters of play.   
 
Two free throws by junior guard Taylor-Ashley Shaw cut the lead to 53-22 with 9:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.  The first basket by either team didn't come until the 7:28 mark, which was a jumper by Rutgers to extend their lead 55-22.  Both teams scored a layup to keep the margin at 33, 57-24, with 7:01 remaining.  RU outscored SSU 8-2 during the rest of the quarter for the 39-point RU win. 
 
Rutgers were led by Tyler Scaife with 20 points and four steals and Kahleah Copper with 19 points and 10 rebounds.  The Scarlet Knight next leading scorer was Briyona Canty with six points and four rebounds.
 
The Lady Tigers continue their six-game roadstand with a trip to Jacksonville, Ala., to face Jacksonville State Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
Newspaper Box Score
Savannah State vs Rutgers
12/13/15 4:00 p.m. at Piscataway, N.J.
At Piscataway, N.J.
RUTGERS 65, SAVANNAH STATE 26
SAVANNAH STATE (2-5)
HENDRIX,Kenyata 5-14 0-0 14; BUIE,Shanikwa 2-7 1-2 5; EDWARDS,Jeremica 1-4
0-0 2; FRAZIER, Chelsea 1-1 0-0 2; SHAW,Taylor-Ashley 0-3 2-2 2; BROWN,Deyja
0-3 1-2 1; RICHARDSON,Tanease 0-1 0-0 0; BUSH,Destini 0-0 0-0 0;
DAVIS,Tiyonda 0-1 0-0 0; WARREN,Rhianna 0-2 0-0 0; FIELDS,Lauryn 0-4 0-0 0;
ANDERSON,Jacqueline 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 9-42 4-6 26.
RUTGERS (8-3)
Scaife, Tyler 7-11 5-6 20; Copper, Kahleah 7-12 4-4 19; Parker, Shrita 1-4
4-4 6; Hernandez, Cynthia 2-6 0-0 5; Harris, Victoria 2-3 0-0 4; Hollivay,
Rachel 1-1 1-2 3; Keeling, Desiree 1-2 0-0 2; Alfano, Alex 1-1 0-0 2;
Sanders, Khadaizha 1-4 0-0 2; Canty, Briyona 0-3 2-2 2; Butts, Ariel 0-1 0-0
0; Jeune, Ashli 0-2 0-0 0; Jeune, Aliyah 0-1 0-0 0; Ferruggiaro, Alana 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 23-51 16-18 65.
Savannah State................    2    5   13    6  -   26
Rutgers.......................   21   16   16   12  -   65
3-point goals--Savannah State 4-11 (HENDRIX,Kenyata 4-8; BROWN,Deyja 0-2;
ANDERSON,Jacqueline 0-1), Rutgers 3-14 (Hernandez, Cynthia 1-4; Copper,
Kahleah 1-2; Scaife, Tyler 1-3; Sanders, Khadaizha 0-1; Canty, Briyona 0-1;
Jeune, Ashli 0-1; Jeune, Aliyah 0-1; Parker, Shrita 0-1). Fouled
out--Savannah State-None, Rutgers-None. Rebounds--Savannah State 28
(DAVIS,Tiyonda 6; BUIE,Shanikwa 6), Rutgers 35 (Copper, Kahleah 10).
Assists--Savannah State 6 (FIELDS,Lauryn 2; SHAW,Taylor-Ashley 2), Rutgers
16 (Sanders, Khadaizha 4; Scaife, Tyler 4). Total fouls--Savannah State 13,
Rutgers 12. Technical fouls--Savannah State-None, Rutgers-None. A-1645
 
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