NEWARK, NJ (February 8, 2006) – Senior center Christyal Anderson (Newark, NJ/University) netted 11 of her game-high 18 points in the second half as Rutgers-Newark downed Ramapo for a 69-51 win in The Golden Dome which clinched a New Jersey Athletic Conference championship tournament berth and guaranteed a second straight winning season for the Scarlet Raiders.

Sophomore forwards Sabrina Sanchez (Keasbey, NJ/Woodbridge HS) and Toni Roselli (Garfield, NJ/St. Mary's) combined for 13 points to key a 20-7 first-half run. Sanchez came off the bench to net three layups and a free throw, and Roselli knocked down two of her three 3-point jumpers during the run which broke a 16-16 tie and gave the Raiders (14-8, NJAC 9-6) a 36-23 lead with just 21 seconds left in the opening half. Roselli finished with 11 points and a game-high five steals while Sanchez posted eight points.

Ramapo junior guard Keona Palmer (Port Reading, NJ/Woodbridge), who scored 10 of her team-high 16 points in the opening 20 minutes, dropped in a layup with nine second left in the period to make it 36-25 at intermission. Palmer posted a double-double with a game-high 13 rebounds.

Palmer and junior guard Kelly Bartz (Madison, NJ/Madison) each connected on a pair of free throws and sophomore center Alison Beller (Morris Plains, NJ/Morristown) scored inside as the Roadrunners (9-13, NJAC 4-11) started the second period with a 6-0 run during the first four minutes to trim the Raider lead to 36-31. But, that was as close as Ramapo would get.

Anderson scored in the paint and sophomore guard Nerlande Nicolas (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) drained a 3-point jumper to put Rutgers-Newark back up by 10 points and the Raiders worked the lead up to the final 18-point margin. Nicolas contributed eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Freshman guard Khiada Evans (Newark, NJ/Shabazz) netted a dozen points for the Roadrunners while freshman forward Tiffany China (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) tallied nine points. Bartz finished with seven points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.

Rutgers-Newark got 11 points, five rebounds and three seals from sophomore forward Eni Fageyinbo (Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills) while freshman guard Youngor Kehleay (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional) chipped in seven assists and three steals.

The Raiders earned their first-ever NJAC Championship Tournament berth last February and posted their first winning season in nine years. Fifth-year head coach Kevin Morris has this team within a win of last season's 15-12 squad.

Rutgers-Newark travels to The College of New Jersey on Saturday for an NJAC twinbill with the women tipping off at 1 p.m. while Ramapo hosts Rowan in another conference doubleheader at the same time.