Box Score CAMDEN, N.J. – The Kean University women's basketball team came out of the halftime locker room and went on a 12-1 run, taking the lead for good on a layup by junior guard Shanice Jones (Newark, NJ/Newark Tech), and the Cougars went on to defeat Rutgers University-Camden, 69-53, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday afternoon.

Kean evens its record at 7-7 overall and improves to 4-3 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden, which has lost four straight games, falls to 2-8 and 0-7.

Kean holds a 42-18 lead in the all-time series and has won 16 of the last 17 games between the teams.

With sophomore guard Falecia Galindez (Camden, NJ/Pennsauken Tech) on her way to a career-high 20 points, the Scarlet Raptors took a 30-29 halftime lead. Galindez hit a three-pointer right before halftime, giving her 13 points in the half and helping the Raptors to their last lead of the game.

Kean took the lead for good, 31-30, on a layup by Jones to open the second half, sparking the big run, which included the next six points by junior guard AnnaRose Pierre (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech). That gave the Cougars a 37-30 lead before the Raptors broke the run on a foul shot by sophomore forward Michelle Onu (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill). Kean tacked on the next four points on layups by sophomore guard/forward Jazmine Davis (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional) and Jones to build a 10-point lead (41-31). The closest the Raptors came the rest of the way was five points, at 54-49, on a layup by Galindez with 3:55 remaining.

Kean closed out the game with a 15-4 run.

Senior center Simone Smith (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) paced the Cougars with 16 points, while junior guard Shay Collins (Pine Hill, NJ/Atlantic City) netted 12, Jones scored 11 and Davis added 10.

Freshman guard Jaquetta Owens (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield Tech) had a fine all-around game, notching game highs of nine steals and six assists, while scoring six points and tying Davis with a team-high seven rebounds.

Galindez notched 20 points for the Raptors, shooting 8-for-13 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from three-point range. Her output broke her previous high of seven points, set on Wednesday night at Richard Stockton College. She also tied her career highs with two steals and two assists.

Junior center Tanjae Lewis (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) collected 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds for the Raptors, while Onu added 12 points and a game-high three blocked shots.

Kean shot 25-for-60 (41.7 percent) from the floor, while Rutgers-Camden was 15-for-45 (33.3). The Cougars had a 38-37 edge off the boards, but forced the Scarlet Raptors into 29 turnovers.

Rutgers-Camden returns to action Monday with a non-conference game at Bryn Athyn College, beginning at 7 p.m. Kean plays another NJAC game at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Rutgers-Newark.