Mahwah, NJ: The Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers Newark proved to be too much for the Ramapo College women's basketball team tonight as they posted a 68-61 NJAC win at the Bradley Center. Rutgers Newark improves to 6-8 in the conference and 8-13 overall, while the Roadrunners fall to 7-14 overall and 2-12 in conference play.
Maria Simmons led the Scarlet Raiders with half of the team's points at 34 and Faith Ashby chipped in ten, as the team went 28-66 (42%) in the win. Simmons completed the double-double with ten rebounds and Shala Glenn recorded eight rebounds of her own. Simmons dished out five assists and grabbed four steals on the night.
At the end of the first quarter, the Roadrunners held a 20-13 advantage after
Jina Crawford put away five points and
Bridgette Buckalew and
Samantha Rinaldi each netted four. The Roadrunners would work to a six-point lead (12-6) at 4:06 when
Shelby Ringer drained a three, before a free throw from Rinaldi would give Ramapo a nine-point advantage, 19-10 with 0:47 left on the clock. In the second, the Scarlet Raiders opened with a 7-0 run, sparked by back-to-back jumpers from Simmons and capped with two-points from Glenn to close the gap, 19-20. The teams would trade baskets the rest of the way ending in a tie, 32-32, at the halftime buzzer. Buckalew,
Tia Solomon, and
Hannah Cambel each collected six points in the half for Ramapo as the team went, 11-25 (44%). Rutgers Newark hit 14-20 (47%) from the field as Simmons finished the half with 18 points.
To start the third quarter, Rutgers Newark would push ahead, 43-39 at 5:15 when Glenn hit a jumper and the team would hold the lead the remainder of the quarter leaving Rutgers Newark on top, 51-46 at the buzzer. Buckalew drained a long shot with 4:25 on the clock to close the gap, 55-57 and Solomon sank two free throws to tie the game for the fifth time at 57. The tie was short lived as the Scarlet Raiders hit a three and two-point goal from Simmons to jump ahead 62-57 and force a Ramapo timeout. Ramapo would again close the gap to one point, 61-62 with free throws from Solomon, but Simmons hit a jumper with 0:39 on the clock to go ahead, 65-61. In the end Rutgers Newark would prove to be too much for Ramapo taking the game, 68-61. Simmons led with 16 points and Chelsea Scott collected ten as the team went 14-36 (42%). Solomon sank 14 second half points for Ramapo as the Roadrunners hit a combined 9-19 (46%).
Solomon finished the night leading Ramapo with 20 points while Crawford and Buckalew each netted 12. The team went 20-44 (46%) in the loss as they turned the ball over 22 times. Solomon grabbed nine rebounds, Buckalew dished out six assists and
Jenna Harsh collected four assists of her own.
The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday, February 4th when they travel to TCNJ for a 1pm tip-off.
