WAYNE, N.J. (January 30, 2019) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's basketball team got off to a slow start and rallied in the middle quarters before host William Paterson University pulled away for a 66-55 win in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play this evening. The Scarlet Raiders fall to 12-9 (9-5 NJAC) while the Pioneers improve to 12-9 (8-6 NJAC).

Rutgers-Newark was led by senior Faith Ashby who poured in a game-high 26 points in addition to team-highs of five steals and four assists. Junior Hannah Ashby joined her in double-figure scoring with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Freshman Dorian Capurso added a team-best nine rebounds while chipping in six points, three steals, and two assists.

The Raiders stay on the road for another league matchup on Saturday as they travel to Rutgers-Camden for a 1 p.m. start.

 R-N had a rough start to the evening, missing its first five shots from the field while turning the ball over five times before junior Comfort Akinbo finally ended the drought by hitting one-of-two from the line to make it 10-1 with 5:14 on the clock.

The Raiders scored the next five points on another Akinbo freebie, a Faith Ashby lay-in, and a pair of free throws from Hannah Ashby to cut the deficit to 10-6, but the Pioneers closed the quarter on a 9-2 spurt to take a 19-8 advantage after the opening 10 minutes.

Trailing 26-13 with 6:48 to go before the half, Rutgers-Newark began to fight its way back into the game. Four different players contributed to a 10-4 rally to end the second. The visitors generated four points from the charity stripe and added a few buckets in the paint, including a Faith Ashby lay-up with eight seconds remaining to send the Scarlet Raiders into the break down by a more manageable seven-point margin.

R-N continued its newfound momentum into the second half. The Raiders opened the third on an 8-2 surge that drew them within just one point, 32-31. Capurso and Faith Ashby each contributed four points to the rally with an Ashby free throw making it a one-point contest at the 6:50 mark.

Still, the visitors were unable to take the lead and William Paterson ended the quarter on an 11-6 run that reopened a 43-37 gap headed into the fourth.

Rutgers-Newark scored the first basket of the final period on an Akinbo lay-up that made it a four-point game, but unfortunately that was as close as the visitors would get.

The Pioneers went on a crucial 10-1 surge over the next three minutes to claim a 53-40 lead with 6:27 to play.

A Faith Ashby trifecta with 1:41 on the clock cut the deficit down to single digits for the last time as WPU responded with a lay-in before icing the game at the line to come away with a 66-55 victory.