Rutgers Women's Basketball Loses to Penn State, Hurting March Outlook

Scarlet Knights' losing streak extends to nine games, making postseason bid unlikely

Feb. 22, 2026 at 12:40am

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Rutgers Women's Basketball fell to Penn State 87-78 on Saturday, extending their losing streak to nine games and severely damaging their chances of making the postseason. The Scarlet Knights needed multiple outcomes to go their way this week, but instead lost both games, putting them in last place in the Big Ten standings with only two games remaining.

Why it matters

Rutgers' loss to Penn State, combined with their earlier defeat against Illinois, has put the Scarlet Knights in a precarious position to miss the postseason altogether. With the Big Ten Tournament only accepting the top 15 teams in the standings, Rutgers currently sits in last place and would need to finish ahead of Northwestern and potentially Indiana to have any chance of making the tournament.

The details

Rutgers had five players score in double figures, led by Imani Lester's 17 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome Penn State's dynamic duo of Kiyomi McMiller and Gracie Merkle. McMiller, a former Rutgers guard, tied her career-high with 37 points, while Merkle added 26. The Scarlet Knights' offense finally woke up, surpassing 70 points for the first time since their last matchup with Penn State a month ago, but their defense couldn't slow down the Lady Lions.

  • Rutgers fell to Penn State 87-78 on Saturday, February 22, 2026.
  • The loss extended Rutgers' losing streak to nine games.

The players

Kiyomi McMiller

A former Rutgers guard who recorded her fifth consecutive game with 30 or more points, tying a career-high with 37 points, while dishing out eight assists and picking up five steals.

Gracie Merkle

Penn State's star forward who scored 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting.

Imani Lester

Rutgers' leading scorer with 17 points, 15 of which came in the first nine minutes of the game.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

Rutgers Women's Basketball plays its penultimate game of the season at home on Wednesday night against Indiana. That game will tip off at 7 pm at Jersey Mike's Arena, and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

The takeaway

Rutgers' loss to Penn State has put the Scarlet Knights in a precarious position to miss the postseason, as they currently sit in last place in the Big Ten standings. With only two games remaining, Rutgers will need to win out and get help from other teams to have any chance of making the Big Ten Tournament, which only accepts the top 15 teams in the conference.