PISCATAWAY, NJ – The Rutgers women’s basketball team will play its final exhibition game this Wednesday, Nov. 13, against the New York Gazelles AAU Team. Tipoff at the Louis Brown Athletic Center is 7:30 p.m.

The Scarlet Knights return six letterwinners and three starters from last year’s team, one which finished the season with a 9-20 overall record and a 5-11 slate in the BIG EAST Conference. RU is led by senior guard Mauri Horton (Minneapolis, MN), who averaged 13.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game last season, and sophomore point guard Cappie Pondexter (Chicago, IL), a second-team preseason all-BIG EAST selection.

In its first exhibition Nov. 6, RU lost to the Houston Jaguars AAU Team 72-62. Pondexter scored 24 points in her RU debut, connecting on eight of 18 field goals (.444) and seven of eight free throws (.875). She also added three assists and three rebounds. Sophomore Chelsea Newton (Monroe, LA) was the Scarlet Knights’ other double-digit scorer, contributing 15 points on 6-of-12 (.500) shooting, adding four rebounds and a team-high four steals. Classmate Rebecca Richman (Bronx, NY) led the Knights with six rebounds in 12 minutes.

Rutgers will begin the 2002-2003 season at No. 6/6 Stanford Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:00 p.m. PT. That game will be carried live on WRSU 88.7 FM.