Robert Morris-Rutgers Preview

3/18/2008 2:51 PM

Rutgers endured major controversy in the aftermath of its run to the national title game last year. This season, the problem facing the Scarlet Knights is solely an on-court one.

Second-seeded Rutgers begins its push for a return trip to the championship game Saturday when it meets No. 15 Robert Morris in the Greensboro Regional at Des Moines, Iowa.

Rutgers (24-6), which is 5-0 in first-round games on a neutral court, had its best NCAA tournament run in school history last season, when it lost to Tennessee in the national title game. That accomplishment, however, was overshadowed by the ensuing sexist and racist remarks by radio host Don Imus, who referred to the Rutgers players as "nappy headed hos."

The furor put the Scarlet Knights in the national spotlight, a controversy that eventually led to Imus' firing.

Going into last season's tournament, the biggest issue facing Rutgers was its draw. Coach C. Vivian Stringer wasn't happy with the one her team received last year, and the Scarlet Knights are in a similar situation this time around.

Last season, No. 4 seed Rutgers had to play No. 5 Michigan State on the Spartans' home court in the second round. The Scarlet Knights won 70-57.

Rutgers could face a similar fate if it advances to the second round this year. It would take on Iowa State or Georgia Tech, and the Cyclones would have a partisan crowd, as they would play just 35 miles from campus.

In five of its last six NCAA tournament appearances, Rutgers has had to either play a team on its home court or in the state where the opposing school is located.

"I don't think we even know what it's like to travel on the long and winding road unless we've had some bumps along the way," Stringer said. "I think that unless there are some obstacles and some things we would not know how to just put on our boots and journey along the way. So this is probably more consistent for us."

Stringer may have been more upset that her team could face top-ranked Connecticut in the regional final.

"I didn't think there was any way on God's earth that this would happen," Stringer said. "I am just stunned and shocked. This is a mindblower. I just assumed that they would ask us to go through North Carolina. They have a very similar style to our play and we didn't see them this year. If I were a betting woman, I would have lost all my money."

Rutgers features a deep and experienced team, led by Epiphanny Prince, who averages 13.7 points. The Scarlet Knights, however, are coming off back-to-back losses - to UConn in the regular-season finale March 3 and to Louisville in the Big East tournament March 9.

The Knights will have played just twice in a 20-day span before Saturday, and aren't looking past Robert Morris (23-9).

"If we don't play 40 minutes, it will be our last game and we won't have to worry about the second round," Rutgers guard Essence Carson said.

The Colonials have won a school-record 17 straight games and captured the Northeast Conference title for the second straight season. They lost in their first NCAA appearance last season, 84-52 to North Carolina State.

Robert Morris is led by guard Sade Logan, who's second in the nation in scoring at 25.2 points per game. She also tops the country with a school-record 124 3-pointers.