PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said her 600th career victory was symbolic of her career. Like her, Rutgers had to scrap and claw the whole way through.

"It was the way it was won," Stringer said, after Shawnetta Stewart scored 23 points and sparked the game's key run on Saturday as Rutgers (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today; No. 16 AP) defeated Texas (No. 25 AP), 68-64.

	Rutgers' Tasha Pointer steals the ball from Dana Godfrey after teammate Davalyn Cunningham, right, knocked the ball loose.

"It symbolizes us in life," Stringer said of the victory. "It was that determination in the last two or three minutes, when the team huddled. They put their heads together, and it didn't matter. They weren't going to be denied."

Stringer became the third women's coach to reach 600 wins, joining the woman she beat Saturday, Jody Conradt, and Tennessee's Pat Summitt.

"Vivian is a wonderful ambassador for the sport, and she's a good friend," said Conradt, who is the all-time leader in women's Division I victories with 725. "I would have liked to have delayed her big win for one day, but she deserves all the attention she will get from this landmark."

Stringer is 600-185 in 27 years at Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers, and 80-50 in five seasons at Rutgers.

"The 600 wins reflects so many of the faces at Cheyney, it represents so many of the young women at the University of Iowa," Stringer said. "It's taken place over many years. That's why this was the perfect game. It was in the spirit and the attitude of the lives of many of the women who I've had an opportunity, and be blessed enough, to be able to touch."

Tasha Pointer and Stewart returned to the lineup for the first time since opening day. Stringer had been bringing them off the bench in hopes of getting a lead, then demoralizing the opponent by bringing in her best players.

"I just felt this was the right time to start them," she said.

With Texas (7-3) leading 58-55, Stewart scored seven straight points for Rutgers (5-2) to a key 13-6 run over the game's final 3:12. Stewart cut down the lane and took a pass from Pointer to bring Rutgers to a 62-61 lead -- the game's 17th and final lead change with 2:23 left.

"Competitors rise to the occasion, and this was an occasion," Conradt said of Stewart's effort.

An Asha Hill 3-pointer cut the Texas deficit to 65-64 with 43.8 left. After a timeout, Pointer's driving layup made it 67-64 with 15.5 left. Hill then missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with four seconds left, and Pointer made one of two after being fouled on the rebound.

Stringer was hoisted on her players' shoulders and presented with flowers at the bench immediately after the buzzer sounded. Rutgers officials then held a midcourt presentation ceremony.

Pointer and Stewart felt honored to play a part in it all.

"It's a blessing to be on this Rutgers team, to be playing for the kind of coaches we have," Stewart said. "Of course it started before us, Cheyney State and Iowa, but it just so happens we were part of the 600th. I just feel it's a blessing."

"This is good, not only for me as a person, but for every young lady who dreams of playing for an outstanding role model," Pointer said. "Coach Stringer has taught us the importance, not only of basketball, but how to survive in a collegiate atmosphere. She taught us to dream big, to succeed and work hard at everything we do."

Stewart added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals while Davalyn Cunningham had 13 points for Rutgers. Edwina Brown -- the nation's 10th leading scorer -- and Hill had 19 points apiece for Texas, and Alisha Sare added 13. Brown also had eight rebounds and seven assists.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with Texas holding the biggest lead for either team at 10-4. Neither side led by more than four in the second half, and there were seven ties overall.

The first half featured 10 lead changes and Texas took a 29-27 lead into halftime thanks to a 23-13 rebounding advantage and 30 percent shooting by Rutgers.