CAMDEN, N.J. (February 10, 2016) – Senior guard Arianna Williams scored 29 points – including 10 in the final minute – but it was not enough as Rutgers University-Camden defeated Rutgers University-Newark 58-54 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball game Wednesday night.
 
With the loss, the Scarlet Raiders drop to 3-13 in the conference and 7-16 overall. The Scarlet Raptors improve to 13-9 overall and 8-8 in the NJAC.
 
Williams hit four three-pointers in equaling her career-high 29, adding 11 rebounds and two assists to her line. The double-double is her sixth of the 2015-16 season. Junior guard Maria Simmons had 13 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists in another excellent all-around performance. The veteran has now topped four steals 14 times this season.
 
Chasing just two points after Simmons found junior guard Shala Glenn for a jumper around the four-minute mark, Rutgers-Camden went on a 9-0 run to open a 55-44 lead with 2:05 to go. Williams tried her best to bring the Raiders back, scoring a big-time seven-straight points to make it a four-point game with 44 ticks showing.
 
Two free throws put Camden back up six, but Williams kept up a remarkable finish with a three to make it a one possession game at 57-54 with 25 seconds remaining. Camden hit 1-of-2 at the line on the next possession and the Scarlet Raiders could not score their next trip down, eventually succumbing by a 58-54 final.
 
A Williams three-pointer gave the Scarlet Raiders an early 5-4 lead, but a 15-6 run for the hosts to bridge the gap between the first and second quarters gave Camden a 19-11 edge with 8:25 left in the half.

Five-straight points from Williams sliced the lead to three (19-16), and after a quick R-C bucket, Simmons answered with two of her own. The two sides traded baskets before Camden closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 32-24 advantage into the locker room.
 
After the Scarlet Raptors pushed their lead to 10 early in the third, the Scarlet Raiders fought back with a 9-0 run to get within one (34-33) with 5:55 left in the quarter. A jumper from sophomore guard Nicole Skelly started the run before a three-point play from Simmons and five points from Williams closed it.
 
The two teams would go back and forth over the next 10 minutes of action before Camden opened a seven-point margin with 9:38 left in the game. The 5:55 mark was again important for the Scarlet Raiders, and again it was Williams, who this time hit a three-pointer to cut the lead down to three (45-42).
 
Skelly had six points and seven rebounds, and Glenn notched six points, four thefts, a team-high four assists and three boards. Sophomore forward Nikki Sammartino corralled seven caroms and had a pair of steals.
 
Rutgers-Newark shot 29.9 percent (20-for-67) from the field, 21.1 percent (4-for-19) from three and 90.9 percent (10-for-11) at the line. Camden shot 34.8 percent (23-for-66) from the floor, 3-for-7 from distance (42.9 percent) and 9-for-12 (75 percent) at the line. The Raptors were plus-10 on the glass (51-41) and had 16 assists.
 
Four Rutgers-Camden players were in double figures, and the Raptors were led by 17 points and 16 rebounds from junior forward Caroline Santiago.
 
Rutgers-Newark will play its final home game of the season Saturday night at 6 p.m. against NJAC foe Rowan University. Prior to tip-off, R-N will honors its Senior Class with a ceremony at center court.