Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Jan. 11, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's basketball team scored the first eight points of the game, opened up a 19-point halftime lead and went on to defeat Cairn University, 71-28, in a non-conference game here Monday night.
 
For the Scarlet Raptors, who improved to 8-5 with their fifth win in six games, the 43-point margin of victory was their largest since a 68-24 win at Bryn Mawr College Dec. 19, 2014. That also marked the last time the Raptors held an opponent to fewer than the 28 they allowed Cairn.
 
The Highlanders fell to 3-9, snapping a two-game winning streak.
 
The Raptors never trailed in the game as they opened up a 23-4 lead after one quarter on the way to a 37-18 halftime bulge. Sophomore forward/center Michelle Obasi (Camden, NJ/Camden Catholic) had 10 points in the first half, while junior forward/center Caroline Santiago (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) added seven points and seven rebounds.
 
Santiago, in her first year at Rutgers-Camden after two seasons at Cumberland County College, notched her second double-double with the Scarlet Raptors, and her second in the last three contests. She finished with her Raptor career highs of 19 points and 13 rebounds.
 
Obasi added 16 points, seven boards and two blocked shots, while freshman guard Gabby Greene (Howell, NJ/Howell) scored 11 points, set her career high with four rebounds and tied her career high with six steals.
 
Sophomore guard Alexis Sommers (Collingswood, NJ/Haddon Township) tied her career high with six points, scoring all six in the first quarter to help the Raptors build a 17-4 lead, on their way to a 23-4 lead after the first 10 minutes. Sommers also grabbed a career-high seven rebounds and added two assists.
 
Sophomore forward Falyn Kirby (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) notched her Raptor career highs across the board with five points, seven rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals, while tying her career high of one assist.
 
Freshman guard Ariel Robinson (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) had six points, four rebounds and career highs with five assists, four steals and one blocked shot for the Raptors. Sophomore guard/forward Cara Racobaldo (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) added six points, three boards and five assists, while freshman guard Tahkeema Evans (Wilmington, DE/Concord), playing in only her second game since joining the team at the semester break, scored her first two collegiate points and added an assist.
 
Cairn received eight points apiece from senior guard Amie Eppolito (Levittown, PA/Pennsbury) and sophomore guard/forward Kendra Stum (Trevose, PA/Calvary Christian). Freshman forward Payton Emerick (Hyndman, PA/Calvary Christian) notched 11 rebounds for the Highlanders.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 31-for-59 (52.5 percent) from the floor, while Cairn went 9-for-63 (14.3). The Raptors held a 50-35 advantage off the boards.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. NJAC game at New Jersey City University.
 
Cairn hosts Marywood University Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a Colonial States Athletic Conference game.