Box Score NEWARK, N.J. – Sophomore guard
Maria Simmons helped Rutgers University-Newark break away from Hunter College in the second half for a 67-51 non-conference win in The Golden Dome Arena.
Simmons posted her first career double-double with a career-high 18 points as well as game highs of 11 rebounds, eight assists and five steals as the Scarlet Raiders (7-4, NJAC 3-2) won for the sixth time in their last eight games. She spearheaded a Rutgers-Newark defense which produced 27 points off of 27 Hawk turnovers.
Senior forward
Jade Howard tied Simmons for team scoring honors with 18 while adding five rebounds while sophomore center
Jasmine Lombard came off the bench for 14 points, three rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.
Senior center
Sharee Gordon, who added seven points, collected nine rebounds to help the Raiders control the glass, 42-30.
Junior guard
Arianna Williams overcame an icy shooting afternoon by contributing six assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals while sophomore guard
Shala Glenn chipped in five points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Forward Kristen Markoe gunned in 20 of her season high tying 29 points in the second half to carry Hunter (2-8) which lost its sixth straight decision. The senior drained 10 of 14 shots from the floor, connected on three of five shots from beyond the arc, and made all six of her free throws while adding a team-high seven rebounds.
The Hawks got eight points from senior center Dimitra Krissi Thomopoulos while senior guard Joey Chan tallied six points, a team-high five assists and three rebounds.
Rutgers-Newark, which was returning to action after a 17-day semester holiday break, scratched out a 31-21 halftime edge behind a dozen points by Howard, but the Raiders could not break away from the Hawks until the final five minutes.
A jump shot by Chan sliced Hunter's deficit to 54-45 with 5:13 left before Simmons and Williams knocked down back-to-back treys to give the Raiders some breathing room. Simmons then swiped consecutive inbounds passes under the Rutgers-Newark goal to push the Raider lead to 63-45 with 3:07 left with a free throw and a layup.
Lombard sank a pair of free throws to give the Raiders their largest lead of the game at 67-47 with 45 seconds left.
Rutgers-Newark hosts Connecticut College (7-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m. in The Golden Dome Arena in another non-conference contest.
