PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- C. Vivian Stringer will never forget Shawnetta Stewart or her final regular-season home game.

Stewart, the first player to commit to Stringer after she became coach, scored 15 of her 27 points in the opening 11 minutes and put on a long-range showcase as the Scarlet Knights (No. 11 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) defeated No. 17 Boston College 73-51 on Wednesday night.

"We'll never see another like her again, even though we'll look for it," Stringer said. "She's phenomenal. You put the ball in her hands and give her a half inch and she'll get a 3. I don't know how many people know it, but they are always playing the toughest player on her and she finds a way. She really reads defenses well."

Stewart hit 5-of-7 3-pointers, including three from NBA length, as the Scarlet Knights (18-6 overall, 10-4 Big East) moved into a tie for third in the Big East Conference with Boston College (21-7, 10-4).

Rutgers also has the tiebreaker in case the teams remain tied. The third-place team gets a first-round bye in the conference tournament while No. 4 plays a first-round game. Both schools have two regular-season games left before the tournament starts on March 4.

Stringer, who led Rutgers to the final eight last year before losing to eventual national champion Purdue, was excited after this game.

"There is no question we are getting closer," said Stringer, whose team has struggled offensively all season. "We can smell it."

Davalyn Cunningham added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Rutgers, which used Stewart's quick start and a makeshift all-senior starting lineup on Senior Night to jump to an early 16-point lead.

"She played obviously very, very well," Boston College coach Cathy Inglese said. "What's nice about her is she can do it inside as well as hitting the outside shot. She had a fabulous game. She was hot and they went to her, yet she distributed the ball very well."

Cal Bouchard had 21 points and Kim Mackie added 15 for Boston College, which had to pack things in underneath the basket with forward Jamie Cournoyer in foul trouble all game. Cournoyer, who averaged 14.2 points in conference games, did not score.

That left things open for Stewart on the wings and the senior hit all three of her 3-pointers in the first half as Rutgers took control. The 27 points were one shy of her season high and two shy of her career high, set last year against St. John's.

"I just wanted to play well, keep the crowd going," Stewart said. "I wanted to make it a memorable night but I didn't want to make it too emotional because I felt we had a job to do. We could save the tears and laughter to after."

The Scarlet Knights, who led 33-24 at halftime, put the game away early in the second half with a 7-1 spurt that Stewart capped with her second long 3-pointer for a 45-30 lead with 12:18 to go. Boston College never cut the deficit under 11.

Rutgers took three regulars out of the starting lineup on Senior Night and the lineup didn't miss a beat as Stewart put on a show.

Boston College hit its first two shots but Rutgers scored the next 11 points with Stewart hitting a 3-pointer and capping the spurt with a layup.

Rutgers led 16-11 when Stringer went back to the usual starting lineup. The result was a 12-2 run that featured another five points by Stewart, including an NBA-range 3-pointer.