NEWARK, N.J. (February 13, 2016) – Despite five three-pointers and 24 points from senior guard Arianna Williams and a near triple-double from junior guard Maria Simmons, the Rutgers University-Newark women's basketball team suffered an 82-68 loss to Rowan University on Senior Night in The Golden Dome Arena.
 
Prior to tip-off, Rutgers-Newark honored Williams and fellow seniors Samantha Chirichello, Margaret Kolta and Pia Malcampo.
 
Rowan moves to 20-4 overall and 14-3 in the conference, while the Scarlet Raiders fall to 7-17 overall and 3-14 in the NJAC.
 
Williams added nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks to her 24 points, and Simmons finished with 18 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and two steals. Sophomore forward Nikki Sammartino had a career-high 13 points and six rebounds, and sophomore guard Nicole Skelly had seven points, six rebounds and two assists. Junior guard Shala Glenn had six points, four boards and two steals.
 
Rutgers-Newark shot 39.7 percent (25-for-63) from the field, 31.6 percent (6-for-19) from three and 70.6 percent (12-for-17) at the line. The Raiders tallied 15 assists, nine steals and four blocks, getting 10 points via the fastbreak and 16 off turnovers.
 
Rowan was led by senior forward Kaitlin Schullstrom who scored 31 points and recorded four steals. Schullstrom, who also scored her 1,000th career point in the win, went 7-for-15 from three-point range.
 
The Profs shot 45.1 percent from floor (32-for-71), 40 percent from three (10-for-25) and 8-for-10 at the stripe. Each side had 39 rebounds in the game, as Rowan dished out 19 assists and accumulated 12 steals.
 
Rowan jumped out to an 11-3 lead five minutes into the game, but a Williams three-pointer late in the first quarter brought the Scarlet Raiders within three points (21-18) heading to the second.
 
Williams tied the score at 21 1:14 into quarter number two, and the two sides went blow-for-blow the entire second quarter before a three-point play from Rowan's Alex Raring sent the heavily favored Profs into intermission up just three, 42-39.
 
Rowan extended to an eight-point margin (49-41) a shade under two minutes into the third, and the lead moved to 11 (55-44) with 6:27 on the clock. Rutgers-Newark responded with a 7-0 rally to slice the lead back down to four after 1-of-2 at the line for Simmons, but a key 7-2 run to end the quarter gave the Profs a nine-point lead heading to the fourth (64-55).
 
A Schullstrom three-pointer with 5:54 left pushed Rowan to its largest lead of the night at 77-59, but despite the deficit, the Raiders never quit, clawing within 13 with 1:30 left thanks to Williams' final three on her home court and a jumper from Glenn.
 
The Scarlet Raiders will close out their regular-season at Ramapo College Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m.