Highlights

NEWARK, N.J. (February 7, 2018) – A resilient Rutgers University-Newark women's basketball team was topped by Stockton University, 64-60, Wednesday night in The Golden Dome in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) contest.
 
Despite a nine-point deficit with just 3:48 on the clock, the Scarlet Raiders cut the deficit to just two points with 26 seconds left. However, Stockton was able to do just enough at the line to clinch the league victory.
 
Rutgers-Newark falls to 7-16 overall and 2-14 in conference play, while Stockton improves to 15-8 overall and 11-5 in the NJAC.
 
Four Scarlet Raiders were in double figures, led by 17 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists from junior guard Faith Ashby.
 
The first 10 minutes of action saw each team score 18 points. Stockton went 7-for-10 from the field, while the Scarlet Raiders went 8-for-19, getting eight early points from sophomore guard Hannah Ashby and six points and four rebounds from Faith Ashby.
 
The two defenses flexed their respective muscles early in the second quarter, as the two sides combined for just four points in the first 5:20 of the period.  Stockton forward Sasha Williams staked the guests to a two-point lead (22-20) with a floater, and the Ospreys would take a tenuous 26-24 margin into the intermission.
 
Williams and fellow forward Najha Treadwell combined for 20 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks to lead Stockton, while Faith Ashby totaled eight points, eight rebounds and two thefts to lead Rutgers-Newark.
 
Stockton pushed its lead to a game-high five early in the third, but sophomore forward Comfort Akinbo went on to score the next nine Scarlet Raider points to give the hosts a 35-33 lead with 4:09 left in the quarter. Akinbo punctuated the 9-2 rally with a three-point play, putting away a perfectly executed entry pass from Hannah Ashby while getting fouled.
 
Unfortunately, Stockton closed the stanza on a 9-0 run to take a 42-35 into the final 10 minutes of play.
 
A three-pointer from Hannah Ashby pulled Newark within four (44-40) early in the fourth, and after Stockton pushed the lead to as many as nine, R-N got big three-pointers from Faith Ashby and senior forward Nicole Skelly to stay in the game.
 
A Stockton personal foul and Stockton technical foul led to four free throws for Skelly and the veteran Raider hit all four to make it a 57-52 game with 3:26 on the clock. A steal and two free throws from Hannah Ashby trimmed the Osprey lead to four (58-54) with 1:43 showing, but a big baseline jumper from Williams pushed the lead back to six (60-54).
 
Akinbo drained a jumper in the paint, again slicing the Newark deficit to just four points with one minute left, and after forcing a Stockton turnover, Faith Ashby scored on a put-back to make it a 60-58 game with 24 ticks remaining.
 
Stockton would make 1-of-2 at the line on its next possession, but a turnover on the inbounds pass and two made free throws from Williams all-but sealed the win for the Ospreys.
 
Rutgers-Newark shot 31.6 percent from the floor (24-for-76), 5-for-19 from three and 7-for-11 at the stripe. The Raiders totaled nine steals, 13 assists and 35 rebounds, while the Ospreys racked up 11 blocks, six steals, six assists and 47 boards.
 
In addition to Faith Ashby's strong all-around line, Hannah Ashby pocketed 13 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Akinbo posted 11 points and five rebounds. Harrell had 10 points, four rebounds and two thefts, while Skelly had nine points, four rebounds and four assists.
 
Stockton shot 25-for-50 from the field, going 3-for-9 from distance and 11-for-18 at the line. The Ospreys were led by Williams and Treadwell who combined for 47 points (18-for-30), 35 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.
 
Rutgers-Newark returns to the hardwood with an NJAC matchup at Rowan University on February 10.