NEWARK, NJ - The Rutgers-Newark women's basketball team fell to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) this afternoon at The Golden Dome. The Lions entered the game undefeated in league play.
TCNJ pushed the ball and jumped out to an early 13–0 lead forcing the Raiders to call a timeout with 3:29 seconds left in the opening quarter. On the following play, Tracey Ilderis stopped the run with a bucket in the paint to give the Raiders their first-two points of the game. TCNJ responded with a three-pointer and a steal as they continued to apply pressure to the Raiders. Ilderis added two more points at the charity stripe as Rutgers-Newark looked for more options on offense. TCNJ hit a three-pointer with time winding down to take a 23–4 lead after the first quarter.
Rutgers-Newark was able to slow down TCNJ in the second quarter but the visitors were still able to keep the home team at arm's length. TCNJ led the Raiders 39-14 at halftime.
The Raiders had multiple opportunities to connect in addition to secondhand shots that just would not fall. The third quarter saw the visitors take a 59-31 advantage into the final quarter.
In the final quarter, TCNJ outscored Rutgers-Newark, 23-19, as it came away with the 82-50 victory.
Rutgers-Newark (3-11, 0-7 NJAC) was led in scoring by Sanaa Brodie. She just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Raihanna Abdus-Salaam had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Ilderis added 10 points and seven boards. Rutgers-Newark shot 30.6 percent from the field and connected on 12 of 17 free throw attempts.
TCNJ (11-3, 7-0 NJAC) had three players score in double digits. Nina Branchizio had 19 points, including five three-pointers. Grace Kowalski chipped in 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while Katie Fricker added 14 points and seven rebounds. The Lions shot 43.9 percent from the floor and 30.8 percent from downtown.
The Raiders travel to Kean on Wednesday, Jan. 15 for game one of the doubleheader with the men beginning at 5:30 p.m.
For the latest news, updates, and information on Rutgers-Newark sports, visit rutgersnewarkathletics.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Scarlet Raiders news by following Rutgers-Newark Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. -
