PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers players don't need a new poll to tell them
how good they are after beating three Top 10 teams in eight days, including No.
1 LSU.
"It doesn't matter what they think," Rutgers senior guard Nikki Jett said
following No. 14 Rutgers' stunning 51-49 overtime victory against LSU on
Wednesday night. "We believe in our hearts that we are No. 1.
"That's what we believe and that's the way we are going to take it to each
and every team every night," Jett said after the Scarlet Knights (9-2) rallied
from a 13-point, second-half deficit to beat LSU (13-1).
The victory capped a remarkable week for coach C. Vivian Stringer and her
team. Rutgers beat then-No. 8 Tennessee 65-51 at home last Wednesday and then
snapped No. 4 Texas' 41-game home winning streak on Sunday, rallying from an
18-point second-half deficit for a 51-47 win.
Cappie Pondexter, who sat out the first eight games of the season for
personal reasons, scored a season-high 16 points to lead Rutgers. The Scarlet
Knights held LSU to 19 points in the final 25 minutes.
Michelle Campbell added 12 points, and Jett had 11 for Rutgers, which forced
21 turnovers including eight by usually steady LSU point guard Temeka Johnson.
"To tell you the truth, I hope we are voted down to 15, because we function
real bad when we're mad," Stringer said. "I'm serious, we don't do well when
someone sets you up there."
Seimone Augustus had 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Tigers, but
she missed a potential game-winning 15-foot shot at the end of regulation and
two free throws in overtime, when LSU missed four from the line.
The win over a No. 1 team was the fourth in Rutgers' history. The Scarlet
Knights beat Penn State 84-70 on Jan. 12, 1991, Tennessee 87-77 on Jan. 17,
1994, and eventual national champion Notre Dame 54-53 on Feb. 17, 2001.
"I always knew they were a good team," said Augustus, the only LSU player
to score in double figures. "I think they'll be talking about Rutgers now.
They are a talented team with a lot of good freshmen."
After Wendlyn Jones missed two free throws early in overtime, Chelsea Newton
hit a jumper to give Rutgers a 49-47 lead with 3:29 to go.
Pondexter stretched the lead to four points with two free throws with 2:11
to go. Augustus made one of two free throws with 1:52 left and again with 1:06
to play, cutting it to 51-49.
After Essence Carson missed a layup for Rutgers, Tillie Willis of LSU missed
in the lane with 10 seconds to play.
Pondexter missed the front end of a one-and-one with 4.9 seconds to play,
but Newton stole the pass upcourt to send the crowd of 7,214 into a delirious
roar.
"When you hold someone to 51 points in 45 minutes you need to win," LSU
coach Pokey Chatman said. "We didn't. We'll work on it."
Rutgers, which was having a woeful game shooting, made eight of nine shots
to wipe out an 11-point, second-half deficit.
A driving layup by Pondexter with 3:20 to play gave the Scarlet Knights a
43-42 lead.
A rebound follow by Augustus, a layup by Johnson and a free throw by Sylvia
Fowles put LSU ahead 47-43 with 1:39 to go.
Pondexter drove the right side of the lane for a layup with 1:17 to go to
get Rutgers to 47-45.
After Jones was called for an offensive foul, Pondexter fed Campbell for an
overtime-forcing layup with 40.9 seconds to play.