The Breaks of the Game
The Scarlet Knights women’s basketball team, propelled by players like Arella Guirantes (pictured), made its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, its 17th under head coach C. Vivian Stringer, who completed her 50th year as a college head coach. But No. 6 seed Rutgers was upset in the first round by No. 11 seed Brigham Young University, 69–66. The team, which went 14-5 overall, overcame adversity during the regular season, forced to suspend play for five weeks because of COVID-19 while still assembling its longest conference winning streak in 17 years. Entering the Big Ten Tournament, the Scarlet Knights had won nine straight games while finishing third in the Big Ten (10-3), matching its best showing since joining the conference in 2014–15. No. 3 seed Rutgers, which had received a double bye, lost to No. 6 seed Iowa, 73–62, in the quarterfinals.