Rutgers Gets Closer to the Big East Title

Rutgers’ women’s team turned to a pressure defense to overcome a poor first half and the No. 9 Scarlet Knights used a 15-1 run to overpower Pittsburgh, 63-42, Friday night at Pittsburgh.

Rutgers, 22-5 overall, 13-2 in the Big East, won its seventh in a row to move to within one victory of the regular-season conference title.

The Scarlet Knights began the night tied with No. 11 Connecticut for the conference lead but own the tiebreaker.

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Tennessee team officials announced that freshman point guard Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood needed surgery on her left knee and would sit out the rest of the season. She will undergo surgery on March 21.

Wiley-Gatewood, from Lynwood High where she was a Parade All-American, played in 13 games for the Lady Vols and averaged 3.9 points.

MEN’S GAME

Texas El Paso 89, Louisiana Tech 69 -- Omar Thomas has 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Miners (22-7, 12-4) past the Bulldogs (13-12, 8-7) at El Paso. The Miners are second in the Western Athletic Conference, 1 1/2 games behind Nevada.