Box Score

NEWARK, N.J. - Rutgers University-Newark exploded for 21 points in overtime to thwart an upset bid by Ramapo College with a 78-65 win on Senior Night in The Golden Dome Arena.

Senior forward Jade Howard, who posted her eighth double-double of the season with game highs of 26 points and 13 rebounds, netted six points in the overtime as the Scarlet Raiders (13-12, NJAC 9-9) hit all five of their field goal attempts - including both tries from 3-point range - and dropped in nine of 11 free throws in the extra period.

There were a dozen ties and 11 lead changes in regulation as the Roadrunners (4-21, NJAC 0-18) rallied from an 8-point deficit early in the second half to end their season on the verge of an upset of the NJAC Championship Tournament bound Raiders.

2015 NJAC Women's Championship Tournament Bracket (PDF)

Junior center Grace Elliott, who finished with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds for Ramapo, made the second of two free throws with 1:25 left in regulation to give the visitors a 57-55 lead. After a timeout by Rutgers-Newark coach Bill Zasowski, sophomore center Jasmine Lombard powered inside for her final bucket of the game with 1:02 on the clock, sending the game into overtime. Each team missed scoring chances in the lane before the horn sounded.

In overtime, Howard converted a conventional 3-point play a minute and a half into the period before sophomore guard Maria Simmons hit one of two free throws after coming up with a steal on the Roadrunners' next possession to put the Raiders in the lead for good.

Ramapo got to within three points at 62-59 in a layup by freshman guard Jina Crawford with two and a half minutes left before the Raiders spurted away to the final 13-point margin - their largest of the game.

Simmons tied her season high with eight steals and dished off a game-high seven assists while hitting nine of 11 free throws to finish with 13 points. Howard added three steals, two assists and a blocked shot to her line for the night.

Lombard tallied 10 points, pulled down four rebounds, blocked two shots and made two steals before fouling out in overtime while junior guard Arianna Williams tallied a dozen points, three assists and two steals. Sophomore guard Shala Glenn rang up eight points, eight rebounds and three assists for Rutgers-Newark while senior center Sharee Gordon came off the bench for six points and six rebounds.

Crawford paced Ramapo with 16 points while freshman guard Dejha Flood totaled 12 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Kerri Kosakowski hit seven of nine free throws on her way to 11 points and three assists to give the Roadrunners four players in double figures.

In the final analysis, Rutgers-Newark won by converting 26 Ramapo turnovers into 32 points.

Sixth-seeded Rutgers-Newark travels to third-seeded Rowan University (17-8, NJAC 12-6) on Saturday for the opening round of the NJAC playoffs. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. in Esby Gym. No. 4 The College of New Jersey (15-10, NJAC 10-8) hosts fifth-seeded William Paterson (14-11, NJAC 10-8) in the other first round contest at 1 p.m. in Packer Hall in Ewing.

The winners advance to the semifinals on February 25. Top-seeded Montclair State (24-1, NJAC 17-1) will host the TCNJ-WPU victor while second-seeded Stockton (20-5, NJAC 16-2) faces either Rutgers-Newark or Rowan in Galloway. Both games tip off at 7 p.m.