(Guru's note: This is a companion piece to the game story for print editions which also appears Thursday morning in the Inquirer section of Philly.com)
By Mel Greenberg
PRINCETON, N.J. - In keeping with what has become another tradition around the holidays, sixth-ranked Rutgers (8-2) heads to the break for some repair work and the Big East wars that get under way early next month.
The Scarlet Knights could easily be No. 3 and unbeaten but for narrow losses in the season opener to Stanford and last week at Duke.
But things could also be worse in the won-loss column given closing minutes triumphs over unranked foes St. Joseph's and Wednesday night's 53-48 escape here over Princeton in Jadwin Gym.
There have also been struggles against Creighton and, to a less extent, Army, last Saturday.
``We're just out of rhythm right now,'' Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said of the Scarlet Knights inability to take quick control of games.
Missing from the action against the Tigers was Essence Carson, who is suffering from a sore foot and needs much rest for it to heal, according to Stringer.
Fortunately, for Rutgers, the next game that counts on the record is not until Dec. 30 when Temple visits in what should be quite the physical game, given the Owls' recent effort against Maryland.
In fact, Terrapin players afterwards compared Temple to Rutgers in terms of style of play.
There will be an exhibition game next Thursday night.
Stringer, it seems, is beginning to see a pattern in recent seasons, so there is some reason for optimism once she gets a chance to make a few adjustments over the break.
``We will find our rhythm,'' Stringer said. ``By the time we get back from Christmas, it's just going to roll the way it needs to (feedng the inside game). If it's there, it's there. If it's not, it's not. I know we're conscientious of the post movement.''
She was asked whether the early phase of the schedule with all the highly ranked opponents might have taken some toll in the last two weeks.
``It may have,'' Stringer said. ``I gave some thought to that. I did think they (her players) were trying. It's been a monsterous schedule. There's been a lot of pressure for me and my coaching staff. We've had the toughest recruiting year, ever.
``We tend to play better all the time as a second-half team, anyway. We're probably, according to schedule, doing what a Rutgers team always does. I know what we need to work on. And they know, also.
``In this case, I'll accept that. Princeton (3-8) took advantage of the things they can do. They can shoot well from the outside. They screen for each other. (Meaghan) Cowher did her thing like we knew she would. They weren't nearly as generous in giving us second and third opportunities in getting to the boards. These guys worked hard.''
Stringer again went without her regular starters, except for Heather Zurich, at the outset. Her new idea is for the substitutes, which she calls ``the pacesetters,'' to establish the tempo and then let the regulars take over.
Rutgers, however, didn't take control until late in the game after Princeton had the Scarlet Knights deadlocked at 45-45.
Epiphanny Prince then hit two shots, including a three-pointer, to help Rutgers pull away at the finish.
A year ago, Stringer looked forward to the break to attempt to instill her defensive strategies, which the Scarlet Knights woefully lacked due to inexperience and injury.
As for fine tuning, this time, ``I don't know. There are times they return to a Final Four form. And if you don't have it, you don't have it. But quite honestly, we have won games over Top 10 teams, but our play has been a whole lot less than stellar or anything I want to talk about in a great sense.
``I don't like the way we're playing. But I have to find a way to fix it. It's my fault, I don;'t think it's theirs. Maybe our thing is just we get better with concentrated days and hours of basketball focus.
``I just need to know what we know.''
The schedule will become a little kinder and next major threats won't loom until February in a back-to-back set of games with Big East favorite Connecticut and Tennessee, both of whom are on a track, as is Rutgers, to earn No. 1 seeds when the NCAA field is announced in March.
-- Mel
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