Box Score

UNION, NJ – A career-high 30 points by senior guard Kendra Johnson were not enough as Kean University stormed past Rutgers-Newark, 80-70, for a New Jersey Athletic Conference win in Harwood Arena.

Johnson poured in 19 of her points in the opening half when the Scarlet Raiders (13-5, NJAC 4-3) constructed a 39-30 lead to buoy hopes for a second straight upset of the Cougars (16-3, NJAC 7-0).

But junior guard Naimah Clemons netted 21 of her team-high 25 points in the second period as Kean shot 54.3% (19-35) from the floor to tally 50 points.

Johnson added four steals, three assists and three rebounds for the Raiders while sophomore point guard ShaQuanna Marshall added 16 points, four assists and three steals.  Senior guard Brittany Smith added seven points, two rebounds and two assists for R-N while freshman forward Arianna Williams came off the bench for a team-high six rebounds, three points, three assists and a steal.

Freshman center Sharee Gordon notched six points, five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot while trying to fill the void left by the absence of rookie forward Jade Howard who sat out the game because of an injury suffered at Ramapo on Wednesday.

Without Howard in the paint, the Cougars dominated the boards, 45-29 with junior center Simone Smith getting a double-double with 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.  The Cougars got 17 points from senior guard Brittany Powell while Clemons added eight rebounds, four steals and two assists.

It was the first meeting of the teams since the Raiders' shocking 54-51 win over the Cougars in the semifinal round of the NJAC Championship Tournament on the same court.

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