Feb 26, 2005 4 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Rutgers’ biggest problem was getting to the arena. Pittsburgh had far more problems with the Scarlet Knights’ quickness on defense. Rutgers turned to a full-court press – its 55 defense – led by Michelle Campbell and Matee Ajavon to overcome a terrible first half and the No. 9 Scarlet Knights used a 15-1 run to overtake Pittsburgh 63-42 Friday night.

Campbell scored 17 points and Ajavon and Chelsea Newton had 14 each as Rutgers (22-5, 13-2 Big East) won its seventh in a row and 17th in 20 games to move within one victory of the Big East regular season title. The Scarlet Knights began the night tied with Connecticut for the conference lead, but own the tiebreaker. The Huskies play at Boston College on Saturday.

Rutgers, which has never been seeded No. 1 in a Big East tournament dominated of late by UConn and Notre Dame, closes the regular season Tuesday at Villanova.

Scarlet Knights coach C. Vivian Stringer probably isn’t looking forward to another road trip so soon. Her team flew to Pittsburgh in the middle of a snowstorm Thursday, then was delayed by an hour Friday getting to the Petersen Events Center by a bus driver who got lost.

“At least we got a good look at the city,” Stringer said, sighing. “I don’t know when I’ve been as tired as I am.”

Stringer thinks the slow start resulted from the Scarlet Knights rushing through their warmups because of the late arrival, then sitting for 20-plus minutes during Pitt’s senior night ceremony.

“The press wasn’t in our plans,” Stringer said. “But I thought we needed a spark. If it’s working there aren’t many teams – if any – that can handle it.”

Pittsburgh (12-14, 4-11) was outscored by an average of 31 points in five previous games against ranked teams, only to seize a surprising 18-15 halftime lead by limiting Rutgers to 7-of-32 shooting (21.9 percent). The slow start was nothing new for Rutgers, which trailed 7-1 at home Tuesday before beating Boston College 54-36.

“We seemed to be a step slow. If we didn’t step it up, we were going to lose the game,” Stringer said.

Rutgers went to a full-court pressure defense in the second half – with immediate results. Pitt was outscored 48-24 after the break.

The pressure defense had Pittsburgh coach Agnus Berenato talking to herself.

“Oh my God, let’s not let them run away with it,” she said. “But that’s just Rutgers. They didn’t pull the press off, but I didn’t want them to take it easy on us.”

With Pitt’s guards unable to handle the 5-foot-8 Ajavon’s quickness or the rangy 6-2 Campbell’s ability to deflect passes, Rutgers forced 26 turnovers – 15 in the second half. The result was a 23-21 deficit that quickly became a 36-24 Rutgers lead.

“The 55 is our bread and butter,” said Newton, who had 10 points in the second half as Rutgers shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29). “Defense is where our energy comes from.”

Ajavon’s steal and layup gave Rutgers the lead for good at 24-23 with 15 minutes remaining, and Campbell’s followup made 26-23. Pitt’s bench then was called for a technical foul with the Panthers about to inbounds the ball, and Newton made both free throws.

Newton’s steal and driving layup finished off the run with 11:46 remaining, and the Scarlet Knights followed almost immediately with a 9-2 run.

“We jump started some things with the pressure,” Stringer said.

Ajavon, a freshman, scored 38 points in two games against Pitt. She had 24 in a 68-41 victory on Jan. 11.

Amy Kunich scored 15 points in her final home game for Pitt, which made only 9-of-24 free throws to Rutgers’ 16-of-22. It didn’t help that the Panthers’ best player, physical 6-foot-3 freshman Marcedes Walker, left with a shoulder injury after getting six points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes.

Rutgers has won 10 in a row against Pittsburgh, which finished 2-8 at home and 1-7 there in Big East play. The Panthers hardly had a home-court advantage, with as many red-shirted Rutgers fans in the crowd of 945 as there were Pitt fans.