Box Score CAMDEN, N.J. – Sophomore guard/forward John Tatem (Camden, NJ/Pennsauken Tech) scored a career-high 29 points, including a pair of foul shots with 38 seconds remaining that broke an 80-80 deadlock and lifted the Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team past Ramapo College, 83-80, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday afternoon.

The victory snapped the Scarlet Raptors' 17-game losing streak against the Roadrunners and lifted Rutgers-Camden to 4-14 overall and 2-9 in the NJAC. The Raptors, who hadn't defeated Ramapo since a 63-58 decision in Camden on Dec. 1, 2001, also snapped their nine-game losing streak in conference play, securing their first NJAC win since the opener against Rowan on Nov. 26 (85-69).
Ramapo, which lost its third straight game to fall to 7-11 overall and 4-7 in the NJAC, leads the all-time series, 43-13.

After the Roadrunners' senior guard Jermaine Emanuel (Englewood, NJ/Laney) hit a jumper to tie the game for the eighth time – this time at 80-80 – Tatem drew a foul with 38 seconds remaining and sank a pair of foul shots to give him his final total of 29 points, seven more than his previous high against William Paterson University on Jan. 18.

The Roadrunners turned the ball over twice down the stretch, with the Raptors picking up steals by junior guard Jason Richardson (Cedarbrook, NJ/Winslow Township) and junior guard/forward Alex Smart (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek), but Rutgers-Camden missed a pair of foul shots before Smart nailed one to make it a three-point game with 1.8 seconds remaining. A desperation three-point attempt by Ramapo senior guard Terry Hicks (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) was off the mark, one of the few missed treys he had all night while shooting 5-for-10 from beyond the arc on his way to a team-high 21 points.

Rutgers-Camden raced to an early 14-point lead (23-9 and 25-11) before Ramapo whittled the margin down to one point at halftime, 43-42. The game featured six lead changes and six ties in the second half.

Tatem shot 9-for-13 from the floor, including 1-for-1 from three-point range, and added a 10-for-12 game from the foul line. He also grabbed 10 rebounds to collect his second straight Rutgers-Camden double-double and tie for game-high rebounding honors with the Roadrunners' sophomore guard Frank Nock (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton). Nock also collected a double-double, as he added 20 points.
Smart finished with 18 points and set his Raptor career high of nine rebounds. His previous highs of eight were accomplished against both Rutgers-Newark (Jan. 22) and Montclair State (Jan. 4). Smart also had a team-high four assists.

Junior guard/forward Teon Russell (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) added 17 points for Rutgers-Camden, while Richardson had a game-high five steals.

In addition to Hicks and Nock, Ramapo received a big game offensively from Emanuel, who scored 18 points. He added a game-high six assists, one more than Nock.

Rutgers-Camden shot 45.0 percent (27-for-60) from the floor and 37.5 (6-for-16) from three-point range. The Raptors also went 23-for-35 (65.7) from the foul line, helping to make up for Ramapo's 40-31 advantage off the boards.

The Roadrunners, who also committed 20 turnovers, shot 47.4 (27-for-57) from the floor, including 12-for-25 (48.0) from three-point range. They were 14-for-15 (93.3) from the foul line.

Both teams return to NJAC action Wednesday. Rutgers-Camden plays a 6 p.m. game at Rowan University, while Ramapo hosts Kean University at 7:30 p.m.