Providence Providence/Rutgers Rutgers Women's College Basketball recap on ESPN

STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Third-seeded Rutgers advanced to its fourth consecutive Big East tournament semifinal game with a 69-58 victory over Providence on Sunday.

So why wasn't C. Vivian Stringer smiling?

The coach of the Scarlet Knights watched her team squander most of a 20-point lead in second half with ice-cold shooting and 10 turnovers.

The Scarlet Knights (22-6: No. 11 ESPN/USA Today; No. 9 Associated Press) play Connecticut on Monday. UConn advanced with a 93-56 victory over Boston College earlier Sunday.

"We just have a real bad habit of dragging everything on," Stringer said. "Maybe we were looking forward to playing Connecticut. Maybe we were trying not to expend a lot of energy."

Tasha Pointer had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead Rutgers. She also hit four of four from the line in the final minute to keep the Friars at bay.

Rutgers combined full-court pressure and 53 percent shooting for a 45-33 lead at the break, and would need that cushion in the second half.

The Friars (11-17) used a 15-3 run to rally from a 20-point deficit with 12:33 left in the second half. Monika Roberts, Chrissy Vozab and Brooke Freeburg hit consecutive 3-pointer in the run to cut the lead to eight, 59-51. Providence would get no closer.

"I wish we had played that aggressively in the first half," said BC coach Jim Jabir. "Right now, this is a rebuilding program and we showed a lot of guts in this game."

Vozab led Providence with 16 points. Jenese Wilcox added 13 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

Stringer said she knows it will be a different story against defending champ Connecticut and her team can't afford any letdowns. UConn dominated Rutgers 70-45 on Feb. 24.

"They know how to blow you out," Stringer said. "They don't win. They blow you out."

Send this story to a friend

ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard

Providence Clubhouse

Rutgers Clubhouse

Freshman Taurasi scores 22 in UConn's rout vs. BC

Riley, Irish easily advance to semis with rout of Hoyas

Starling comes off bench, leads Hokies past Villanova

Big East Conference tournament schedule