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  Wednesday, Dec. 6 7:30pm ET
Tech beaten in Big East debut
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Tasha Pointer got Rutgers (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 AP) back on track after a loss Sunday to No. 6 Georgia.

Pointer, a 5-foot-6 point guard, had 21 points and eight rebounds Wednesday night as the Scarlet Knights beat Virginia Tech 61-53 in the Big East opener for both teams.

Sarah Hicks
Hokies guard Sarah Hicks (30) and Rutgers' Kourtney Walton vie for a second-half rebound.

"We're trying to pick up our confidence," Pointer said. "Sometimes it's hard to bounce back from a loss like that. We know we have to pick up the intensity on both ends of the court."

Pointer hit a twisting layup to stop a 12-0 Virginia Tech run that cut Rutgers' 17-point lead to five.

With four minutes left, Pointer took an inbounds pass with five seconds on the shot clock, dribbled twice and hit a 3-pointer that put Rutgers (4-1) ahead 52-42.

Rutgers hit 4-of-8 foul shots down the stretch while Virginia Tech (5-2) tried to cut the gap with three 3-point baskets.

"They (Virginia Tech) are a good team," said forward Linda Miles, back in Rutgers' lineup after sitting out the Georgia game in Orlando, Fla., for an unspecified team violation.

"I just wanted to get out there and give my team whatever I could. I missed the opportunity to go to Florida, and it was painful watching the game on TV."

Miles had nine rebounds and just two points. But she was happy with her defensive play as she forced numerous Virginia Tech miscues with her long reach.

Sarah Hicks scored 18 points for the Hokies, playing their first game ever in the Big East after moving from the Atlantic 10.
 


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