NEWARK, N.J. (January 13, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's basketball team fell to visiting Rowan University in The Golden Dome tonight in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play, 80-63. The Scarlet Raiders move to 6-10 (1-8 NJAC) while the Profs improve to 10-5 (7-2 NJAC).

Rutgers-Newark was led by senior Nicole Skelly who poured in a season-best 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field including 5-for-6 at the charity stripe. Junior Faith Ashby joined her in double-figures with 18 points while sophomore Ania Harrell came off the bench to notch a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds as she shot an incredibly efficient 5-for-6 (83.3%) from the field.

Both sides started the contest shooting well and a fast pace brought a high scoring first period with it. Three lead changes and a tie defined the first six and a half minutes as the teams were locked at 9-9 with 3:32 to play. Rowan went on a 7-0 surge to open up its largest lead of the contest but Rutgers-Newark responded with six points of its own on a Webster 3-pointer while Skelly added a lay-in and hit 1-of-2 from the line to cut the deficit to 16-15. Still, the Profs netted the final four points of the period to make it 20-15.

The Scarlet Raiders had a great start to the second quarter as a Skelly bucket and a trifecta by sophomore Hannah Ashby had the home side even at 20-20. Unfortunately, the visitors reeled off seven straight points and were able to gain a double-digit advantage, 37-27, with 2:00 remaining in the half. Newark did not go away and managed to halve that deficit with the last five points of the period capped by a fadeaway jumper from Faith Ashby at the buzzer.

R-N began the second half scoring with a pair of freebies from Faith Ashby to make it 37-34 but unfortunately that was as close as the home side would get the rest of the contest. A traditional three-point play by Harrell pulled the Scarlet Raiders within five however an 11-4 spurt from the Profs opened up their largest advantage of the evening as they took a 59-48 lead into the fourth.

Rowan continued to expand its edge in the final period, maintaining a comfortable double-figure cushion before pulling away in the waning minutes to take an 80-63 victory.

Rutgers-Newark returns to the hardwood at NJCU on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. tip-off.