Box Score

WAYNE, NJ – Rutgers-Newark senior guard Kendra Johnson netted a game-high 18 points but No. 9 ranked William Paterson used balanced scoring to post a 56-49 win in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship semifinals in the WPU Rec Center.

Johnson, who was the only Scarlet Raider to score in double figures, added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals while senior forward Lori Nieves totaled nine points, eight rebounds and two assists.  Sophomore points guard ShaQuanna Marshall chipped in eight points, two assists and two steals while freshman forward Jade Howard notched five rebounds and four points.

Rutgers-Newark (18-8) also got five points and four rebounds from senior forward Brittany Smith as well as six rebounds and three assists off the bench from freshman guard Arianna Williams.

The Pioneers (24-2) won despite playing without all-star guard BriAnna Lucas who missed the game with an injury.  William Paterson advances to Friday's championship game against Kean in Union.  Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

NJAC Player of the Year April Smith worked inside for 17 points and 17 rebounds while sophomore forward Dana Jeter also had a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.  Sophomore guard Floriana Borova tallied 14 points while junior forward Tatiana Javis came off the bench for eight points and nine rebounds.

Johnson and Nieves knocked down the first two field goals of the second half to give R-N a 24-22 lead, but Smith and Borova notched six points apiece to fuel a decisive 16-0 run which boosted the Pioneers into a commanding 38-24 lead with 12:42 remaining.

Back-to-back layups by Brittany Smith and Johnson in the last 28 seconds trimmed the Pioneer lead to 55-49 before a Borova free throw with 12 ticks left ended the scoring.

Sophomore guard Jasmine Daniels, who notched a game-high seven steals, had four of the Raiders' seven steals in the first half when Rutgers-Newark miraculously trailed by two points at the break after making just six of 38 field goals (15.8%) including only two of 14 tries from beyond the arc.  Johnson netted nine points while Marshall added six points and two assists.

The Raiders went 6:47 with only a free throw by freshman center Sharee Gordon as the Pioneers surged to a 17-9 lead before Nieves broke the drought with a jumper with 7:49 left in the period.  A Marshall trey pulled the Raiders even at 20-20 with just over a minute remaining before a jump shot with seven seconds left by freshman guard Kristine Jackiewicz gave WPU its slim edge going into the intermission.

William Paterson knocked the Raiders out of the 6-team tournament for the second year in a row.  Last year, it was in the title game.  The Pioneers swept three games against Rutgers-Newark this season.

The Raiders now await a probable ECAC Metro Championship berth.  The bids will be announced on Monday for the 8-team playoff with the opening games set for February 29.