Box Score NEWARK, N.J. – Senior forward
Jade Howard netted 16 of her game-high 25 points in the second half when Rutgers University-Newark pulled away from The College of New Jersey for a 68-51 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in The Golden Dome Arena.
After battling to a 30-27 halftime edge the Scarlet Raiders led just 33-29 with 2:06 gone in the second period before Howard contributed seven points and junior guard
Arianna Williams gunned in three of her four 3-point jumpers to fuel a decisive 23-10 run. A pair of Howard free throws capped the rally, giving Rutgers-Newark a commanding 56-39 lead with 9:03 remaining.
The Lions (3-4, NJAC 1-2) never got closer than 13 points down the stretch as the Raiders (4-3, NJAC 2-1) bounced back from their Wednesday night league loss to unbeaten and nationally-ranked Montclair State.
Howard posted her third consecutive double-double by adding game highs of 11 rebounds and seven steals. Her seven steals equaled her career high. Howard knocked down 11 of 13 free throws to help the Raiders turn in a sizzling 16 for 19 performance from the charity stripe.
Williams equaled the career high with 18 points while adding six rebounds. Senior center
Sharee Gordon, who contributed five points during the decisive second half spurt, hit six of eight shots from the floor on her way to 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots.
Sophomore guard
Maria Simmons dished off a game-high six assists while snaring five rebounds for the Raiders while sophomore guard
Shala Glenn chipped in six points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
The swarming Raider defense allowed only one TCNJ player to reach double digits in scoring while limiting the visitors to 34.7 per cent (17-49) field goal accuracy. Senior forward Jessica Goldbach paced the Lions with 11 points and seven rebounds while junior guard Angelica Esposito finished with eight points. Junior forward Christina Merlin chipped in seven points and seven rebounds.
Rutgers-Newark rang up 27 points off of 27 TCNJ turnovers with its five starters scoring all but two of the team's points. That offset 15 points by the Lions' bench and a 12 for 15 effort at the free throw line by TCNJ.
Rutgers-Newark steps out of the conference for a Monday night doubleheader in The Golden Dome. The Raider women host Mount Saint Mary (2-5) at 6 p.m. with the Rutgers-Newark men battling Hunter College in the 8 o'clock nightcap.
The Raiders travel to Kean on Wednesday for an NJAC twinbill.
