JERSEY CITY, NJ – Senior forward Courtney Vacca had game-highs of 22 points, 20 rebounds and three blocked shots to help rally Rutgers-Newark to a 59-52 win over New Jersey City in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game in the Moore Athletic and Fitness Center. 

Rutgers-Newark 59, New Jersey City 52

The 5-foot-11 captain netted 14 points in the second half, hitting six of seven shots from the floor, as the Scarlet Raiders (7-7, NJAC 2-1) climbed out of a 12-point hole to seize the victory over the Gothic Knights (2-9, NJAC 0-2) despite a season-high 33 Rutgers-Newark turnovers.  She posted her sixth straight double-double and her nineth of the season while collecting a career high in rebounds.

With Rutgers-Newark down 44-32 with 15:28 left, Vacca scored three straight inside baskets to ignite a 27-6 spurt which gave the Raiders a 59-50 lead with 22 seconds left. Vacca had a dozen points during the surge while junior guard Martyna Ruminska netted six of her 17 points. Ruminska also notched six rebounds and two assists. 

Sophomore guard Jared Tactuk hit five of six free throws on her way to nine points, four rebounds, two steals, a block and one assist while sophomore forward Shatanay McCaskill pulled down six rebounds as the Raiders won their second straight NJAC contest. 

Sophomore forward Tiffany Clarke chipped in a team-high three assists and four points while sophomore guard Samantha Grippo finished with seven points, two assists and a steal. 

Guard Ebony Cunningham led NJCU with 21 points and seven rebounds while guard Latifah Johnson added nine points, three assists and a game-high five steals. Lindia Fischer hauled down 11 rebounds for the Gothic Knights. 

In the see-saw first half, the Raiders jumped out to a 7-0 start before an avalanche of turnovers ignite a 22-6 Gothic Knight run. Cunningham had all 10 of her first half points during the spurt as New Jersey City took advantage of 18 Raider turnovers during a 12:38 span. Rutgers-Newark did not score a field goal during stint. A jumper by Ruminska with seven seconds left helped the Raiders trim the halftime deficit to 30-24 despite a total of 20 turnovers and a shaky seven-for-21 shooting performance. 

Rutgers-Newark shot 56.5% (13-23) from the floor in the second half to offset 13 turnovers while limiting the Gothic Knights to a 27.6% (8-29) field goal percentage. NJCU committed 15 of its 20 turnovers in the final 20 minutes. 

Rutgers-Newark hosts Rowan in an NJAC doubleheader in The Golden Dome on Saturday. The women tip off at 6 p.m. with the men to follow at 8 o'clock.