No. 6 Rutgers 73, Bethune-Cookman 48

11/29/2005 11:42 PM

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) - Even with a 25-point victory, Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer wasn't happy with her team's performance.

The sixth-ranked Scarlet Knights used a 25-2 run in the second half to beat Bethune-Cookman 73-48 on Tuesday night.

``We're really quite far behind,'' Stringer said. ``We have just not done `it' yet. And that's the way it is.''

Stringer has not been pleased with her team's performance in its first three games, including two at the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas. The fact that Bethune-Cookman gave Rutgers trouble in the first half, breaking the Knights' press and firing from 3-point range with some accuracy.

``We have a lot to work on,'' said Cappie Pondexter, who had 16 points in Tuesday's win.

Michelle Campbell led the Scarlet Knights (3-0) with 18 points, but it was the Rutgers defense that eventually stopped Bethune-Cookman cold.

Rutgers shot 70 percent (14-of-20) from the floor in the first half, but Bethune-Cookman stayed close as Keturah Newkirk hit four 3-point field goals in the half. Rutgers went into the intermission with a 35-26 lead.

``It wasn't up to par,'' Pondexter said of the team's first-half struggle. ``We were sluggish. It was terrible, actually.''

Bethune-Cookman (1-1) narrowed the gap to 37-30 in the first three minutes of the second half, but then Rutgers' full-court pressure defense took its toll. The Scarlet Knights went on a 25-2 run over 15 minutes to put the game away.

Pondexter hit an assortment of drives and jumpers and Campbell went 7-for-8 on mostly short jumpers in the lane to pace the Scarlet Knights.

Newkirk had 15 points and Katie Clark added 12 for Bethune-Cookman.