Box Score

GLASSBORO, N.J. - Rutgers University-Newark survived foul trouble with a solid performance at the free throw line for a 73-68 upset of Rowan University in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opening round in Esby Gym.

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Senior forward Jade Howard and sophomore center Jasmine Lombard played the majority of the second half with four fouls before each fouled out in the final minutes as the Scarlet Raiders used a 23 for 28 day at the charity stripe to upend the third-seeded Profs (17-9).

Rutgers-Newark (14-12) advances to the semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against second-seeded Stockton in Galloway. The championship game will be played on Saturday at the home site of the highest remaining seed.

The Raiders held onto the lead in the second half after seizing a 7-point edge following 20 minutes of play. A pair of free throws by Howard, who finished with a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds, with 4:59 left gave Rutgers-Newark a 10-point lead. At 3:47, sophomore guard Maria Simmons made it 60-50 with another pair of free throws before Rowan mounted a final surge.

Back-to-back 3-point jumpers by senior guards Bria Hill and Jade Bonder brought the Profs to within two at 62-60 with 1:56 left. Howard and sophomore guard Anyssa Sanchez exchanged layups to keep the margin at two over the next 30 seconds.

Sophomore forward Adayshia McKinnon, who came in when Lombard went to the bench with her fifth foul of the game with 2:41 left, hit a layup to ignite a 5-point run which proved pivotal. Junior guard Arianna Williams hit the first of two free throws with 44 seconds left, and then made a steal to send Simmons to the line with 37 seconds on the clock. Simmons made both charity tosses to push the Raiders' lead to 69-62. Rowan twice sliced its deficit to four in the final 30 seconds but a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Nicole Skelly and an insurance free throw by Simmons with three second left kept the Raider lead safe.

Lombard scored inside twice, Howard converted a conventional 3-point play and Simmons  and Williams each connected from long range as the Raiders used a 15-0 run to seize a 19-6 lead just seven and a half minutes into the game. The Profs battled back behind six points by Schullstrom, whittling the deficit to 31-27 on a pair of free throws by Bishop with 1:47 left in the period. Williams nailed a 3-point jumper before Bishop answered with a Rowan jump shot to make it 34-29 with 35 seconds left. Rutgers-Newark held the ball for the last shot and cashed in when Howard hit a layup off of a feed from Glenn with six second remaining.

Simmons hit nine of 10 free throws to finish with 16 points six rebounds, three assists and two steals while Lombard piled up a dozen points and five rebounds in just 16 minutes.

Williams, who committed 15 turnovers on an off shooting night, was a major key with game highs of 13 rebounds and six steals to go along with 12 points. All of her career-high rebound total came on the defensive end of the floor and helped Rutgers-Newark control the glass, 46-37.  It was her first career double-double.

Sophomore guard Shala Glenn dished out a game-high four assists. McKinnon came off the bench to hit three of six field goal tries and sink three of four free throws for a crucial nine points.

Raider interim head coach Bill Zasowski did a masterful job in getting his team the playoff victory. With no recruits joining the squad from last season's 10-15 team which missed the NJAC tournament after posting a 6-12 league mark, he has utilized the return of Simmons to the roster after a 1-year absence to lead a surprising turnaround. The associate head coach for the Rutgers-Newark men's basketball squad, Zasowski has helped build that program into a perennial post-season contender.