PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women’s basketball will host its second game of the week, welcoming La Salle to Jersey Mike’s Arena on Wednesday night.
Game Details
Rutgers (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. La Salle (0-0, 0-0 A10)
7 p.m. ET | Wednesday, Nov. 4
Jersey Mike’s Arena | Piscataway, N.J.
TV/Stream: B1G+
Radio: Fox Sports NJ/WRSU
Last Time Out
The Scarlet Knights opened the 2026-27 campaign Monday night, earning an 83-52 victory over LIU (0-1) at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The Scarlet Knights used a strong defensive effort and balanced scoring attack to secure the season-opening win and the first for head coach Gary Redus II “On The Banks.”
Mia Pauldo recorded a full stat line in her first game “On The Banks,” leading all scorers with 21 points, while also adding seven rebounds, five assists and six steals.
Zachara Perkins reached double figures with 11 points and six rebounds, while
Imani Lester contributed 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting.
Freshman
Chikae Desdunes came off the bench to add eight points, knocking down two three-pointers, and
Tara Daye also finished with eight points.
RU finished with 18 steals and forced 33 LIU turnovers, turning those opportunities into 42 points. The Scarlet Knights also held advantages in points in the paint (34-18), second-chance points (22-5) and fast-break points (21-14). Rutgers outrebounded LIU, 47-39, and won the battle off the offensive glass, 28-10.
A New Era “On The Banks”
Gary Redus II was named the fourth full-time head coach in program history this past March. The honor comes after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at LSU where he helped the team to a 2023 National Championship win and earned the reputation as one of the best recruiters in the country.
Before his time in Baton Rouge, Redus also spent time on the sidelines at SMU, Vanderbilt and Delta State.
Before entering coaching, Redus played four seasons of professional basketball overseas with stops in China, South America and the Middle East. He later served as a graduate assistant at West Georgia, where he earned a master’s degree in special education.
A former standout at South Alabama, Redus averaged nearly 10 points per game during his career and was a two-time Sun Belt Conference All-Academic Team selection. He earned his bachelor’s degree in health education from South Alabama in 2011.
Redus comes from a family with a strong sports background. His father, Gary Redus, played 13 seasons of Major League Baseball.
Staff Updates
Redus has assembled an experienced coaching staff as he begins his first season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights.
Daphne Mitchell joins Rutgers after spending five seasons at LSU, including four alongside Redus. A highly regarded post-player coach, Mitchell helped develop standout frontcourt players Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow and played an important role in LSU’s 2023 national championship run.
Manisha Redus brings more than 15 years of coaching and playing experience to “The Banks.” She most recently served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida Atlantic after spending seven seasons as the head coach at Palm Beach Atlantic. A former standout at Alabama, she brings extensive experience in recruiting, player development and program leadership.
Preston Beverly joins the Scarlet Knights with 19 years of coaching experience, most recently serving as an assistant coach at Missouri. His background also includes head coaching experience at Evangel and Richard Bland College, along with stops at Hofstra and several other collegiate programs. He also worked extensively on the grassroots circuit with teams such as the Nike Girls Missouri Phenom EYBL, Nike Girls Exodus NYC EYBL middle school programs and Exodus 17U EYBL.
LaDazhia Williams begins her coaching career at Rutgers after a successful playing career highlighted by a national championship at LSU in 2023. Williams started all 34 games during the Tigers’ championship season and was selected 17th overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She also played professionally overseas following her collegiate career.
Lauren Hansen rounds out the assistant coaching staff, bringing valuable Big Ten experience to Piscataway. Hansen concluded her collegiate playing career at Michigan in 2023-24 after three seasons at Missouri. A former All-Big Ten honorable mention, she also brings professional playing experience overseas.
Matthew Brune joins the program as general manager, overseeing recruiting strategy, player analysis and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) initiatives. Alejandro Ramirez also returns as director of basketball operations, continuing his work overseeing the day-to-day operations of the program.
Gold Medal Summer
Rutgers women’s basketball enjoyed a successful summer, leading Team USA to a gold medal at the 2026 FISU America Games in Lima, Peru. The Scarlet Knights went a perfect 5-0 throughout the tournament, defeating Argentina, 80-38, in the gold medal game on July 27. Rutgers averaged 88.2 points per contest while winning its five games by an average margin of 46.2 points. Mya Pauldo was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 12.2 points per game and knocking down 11 three-pointers. The experience provided the Scarlet Knights with an early opportunity to build chemistry and establish momentum heading into the 2026-27 season.
Back For More
Redus returned a key group of Scarlet Knights to the 2026-27 roster, including two of the top three scorers from last season in Zachara Perkins (11.4 ppg) and Imani Lester (10.8 ppg).
Lauryn Swann, Kennedy Brandt, Precious Gem Wheeler and Deja Young also came back for another season “On The Banks.”
New Faces
Rutgers welcomes a talented group of newcomers to the Banks for the 2026-27 season, adding experience, versatility and scoring ability across the roster.
The “Twin Backcourt” of Mia and Mya Pauldo returned home to New Jersey in the offseason after spending their freshman campaigns at Tennessee. Mia Pauldo enjoyed a standout debut slate with the Lady Vols, averaging 10.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. She scored in double figures 13 times, including three 20-point performances and earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors. Mya Pauldo appeared in 27 contests, averaging 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds while showcasing her ability as a perimeter threat. The Paterson natives previously starred together at Morris Catholic, combining for more than 3,700 career points and helping lead the Crusaders to three consecutive state championships.
Forward Zennia Thomas joins RU as a graduate transfer after two seasons at Howard and an earlier stop at Kentucky. Thomas is coming off a career year with the Bison, earning MEAC Player of the Year honors after leading the conference in scoring at 15.2 points per game and adding 7.9 rebounds per contest. She recorded nine double-doubles and helped Howard capture both the MEAC regular-season and tournament championships before making an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Guard Hope Masonius brings additional New Jersey ties to the roster after spending two seasons at Bucknell. A Spring Lake native and Manasquan High School product, Masonius appeared in 23 games last season, making seven starts. She averaged 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds while contributing 31 assists and 19 steals. At Manasquan, Masonius scored more than 1,000 career points and helped lead her team to state championships in 2022 and 2024.
Rounding out the transfer class is sophomore guard Jaylah Lampley, who arrives in Piscataway after a productive freshman season at Mississippi State. The 6-foot-1 wing averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds across 30 appearances, including six starts. Lampley reached double figures in 12 contests and recorded her first collegiate double-double with a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds against Samford. She also knocked down 27 three-pointers and earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors during her debut campaign.
In addition to finding talent in the transfer portal, Redus also added freshman guard Chikae Desdunes, one of the top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. The 5-foot-9 guard from New Orleans, Louisiana, was rated a four-star recruit and ranked No. 51 nationally by ESPNW. Desdunes arrives at Rutgers from DME Academy, bringing athleticism and playmaking ability to the Scarlet Knight backcourt as she begins her collegiate career.
Redus also made a late addition in junior forward Natassja Kolff Martini. A 6-foot-2 native of Neuquén, Argentina, Kolff joins the Scarlet Knights after competing with Obras Sanitarias in Argentina’s Liga Femenina, where she averaged 7.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She also represented Argentina at the 2023 Pan American Games, helping the national team earn a bronze medal, and was part of the country’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2023 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Scarlet Knights on the Big Screen
Rutgers will make five appearances on the Big Ten Network this season, including three contests at Jersey Mike’s Arena.
Saturday, Dec. 5 vs. Ohio State – 12 p.m. (BTN)
Tuesday, Dec. 8 vs. Seton Hall – 6 p.m. (BTN
Monday, Jan. 11 vs. USC – 7 p.m. (BTN)
Sunday, Jan. 17 vs. Michigan – 4 p.m. (BTN)
Sunday, Feb. 28 at Maryland – 12 p.m. (BTN)
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