Box Score

JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Rutgers-Newark defense smothered New Jersey City for a 47-31 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in the final regular season game for each team in the John J. Moore Athletic Center.

Neither team shot 30 per cent from the floor, but the Scarlet Raiders made 19 steals and forced 30 turnovers to spell the difference as they lowered their opponent low for points in a game.

Sophomore guard ShaQuanna Marshall netted 13 points while adding five rebounds and two steals while senior forward Brittany Smith helped spearhead the defense with a game-high seven steals while adding seven points, six rebounds and three assists.

Senior forward Lori Nieves contributed six points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Raiders while freshman forward Jade Howard worked inside for five points, six rebounds and two steals.

Rutgers-Newark travels to The College of New Jersey on Saturday for a 1 p.m. opening round contest in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship Tournament.  The Scarlet Raiders (17-7, NJAC 8-5) settled for the third seed in the NJAC North Division when Montclair State (18-7, NJAC 9-4) seized the North's second seed and home court with a 61-49 win over Ramapo in Mahwah.

NJAC 2012 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT BRACKET

The 31-points allowed were one less than in their 78-32 win over Medgar Evers.  It marked the fourth time that the Raiders have held an opponent under 40 points this season.

Neither team could find the range as Rutgers-Newark hit just 26.8% (15-56) from the floor while making just four of 26 shots from beyond the arc.  NJCU made just 25.6% (13-49) of their field goal tries and only one of eight 3-point shots.

Nieves, Smith and freshman guard Arianna Williams had four points apiece as the Raiders out-scored the Gothic Knights, 18-2, during the final 13 minutes of the opening half to seize a 25-8 lead.  A field goal by

The 17 wins by the Raiders are the second most in the 11-year tenure of head coach Kevin Morris who is taking the team to its seventh NJAC playoff tournament in the last eight seasons.

Junior forward Alnisa Hernaiz led the Gothic Knights (4-21, NJAC 0-13) with 11 points and 10 rebounds while junior guard Delia Chernez added 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.