PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — The Rutgers women’s basketball team used a dominant first half and a relentless defensive effort to cruise past the visiting Northeastern Huskies 79 to 56 in a non-conference matchup Friday at a sparsely attended Louis Brown Athletic Center.

A crowd of 1,537 watched the Scarlet Knights improve to 6-2 on the season, while the Huskies fell to 3-5.

Rutgers seized control from the opening tip, establishing a 21-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Huskies struggled to find any offensive rhythm against the Scarlet Knights’ pressure, committing a series of early turnovers that Rutgers converted into easy baskets. The home team extended its advantage to 41-25 by halftime, effectively putting the game out of reach.

The Scarlet Knights’ defense was the story of the game, forcing numerous Northeastern mistakes and capitalizing with 22 points off turnovers, compared to just six for the Huskies. While Northeastern managed to keep the scoring margin relatively even in the second half, they never threatened the Rutgers lead, which ballooned to as many as 23 points in the third quarter.

Nene Ndiaye led all scorers for Rutgers, pouring in 19 points in just 28 minutes of action. The 6-foot-1 forward from Saly, Senegal, was a consistent offensive threat, helping to anchor a Scarlet Knights attack that saw balanced scoring.

She was complemented by a strong interior presence from Imani Lester. The 6-foot-4 freshman from Raleigh, North Carolina, provided a major spark off the bench, scoring 16 points and adding two blocked shots in only 16 minutes on the court. Her efficiency in the paint was a key factor in Rutgers outscoring Northeastern 36 to 30 in that area.

Guard Faith Blackstone also reached double figures for the Scarlet Knights, contributing 11 points and two assists. Veteran guard Zachara Perkins filled the stat sheet with 13 points, three assists and a block in a team-high 33 minutes, while Antonia Bates directed the offense effectively, dishing out four assists to go with seven points.

For Northeastern, the backcourt duo of Yirsy Quéliz and Camryn Collins provided most of the offensive production. Quéliz, a 5-foot-4 guard from the Dominican Republic, led the Huskies with 11 points and four assists. Collins, from Foxboro, Massachusetts, added nine points. In the frontcourt, Alyssa Staten battled for 10 points.

The game was a stark contrast in ball security and defensive intensity. Northeastern’s inability to handle Rutgers’ defensive pressure led to a lopsided disparity in points off turnovers, which proved to be the decisive factor in the contest.

Rutgers will look to build on the victory when it hosts Saint Peter’s on Sunday. Northeastern returns to action Wednesday to face Massachusetts.