The Rutgers women’s basketball program is no stranger to success, but this season was the best start in decades.
C. Vivian Stringer’s team started 11-1 this season, the best starting record for the Rutgers women’s basketball program since 1990.
Those kinds of accolades don’t do anything for Tekia Mack and Arella Guirantes, two of the team’s leading scorers. Mack, also the team’s defensive catalyst, averages just under 13 points per game on close to 50 percent shooting from the field. Guirantes is leading the Big Ten conference in scoring at just under 20 points per game.
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I’m trying to dissect anything and prepare for anybody that’s trying to stop me. I don’t want to be stopped at all.
– Arella on her approach as a scorer.
This week Guirantes became the 39th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone for her career. Guirantes, a redshirt junior, transferred to Rutgers in 2017 after one year at Texas Tech.
I want people to know that when you come from high school to college it’s a whole different ball game. Like this is big girl basketball.
– Tekia on her expectations for the next generation of female hoopers.
The Scarlet Knights are 15-3 with a 5-2 conference record. Their strength has come from their defense, holding opponents to a conference-best 53 points per game on 33 percent shooting.
I spoke with Arella and Tekia about what makes this team potentially special, being part of the Rutgers legacy, playing for Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, and more.
Watch the full interview below on the Basketball Society Instagram TV channel.
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