Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Nov. 30, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's basketball had a chance to do something no other team in program history had accomplished here Wednesday night, but Rowan University had other plans in the battle between New Jersey Athletic Conference rivals.
 
Rowan outscored Rutgers-Camden, 18-8, in the second quarter and went on to defeat the Scarlet Raptors, 83-64. The loss kept the Scarlet Raptors from becoming the first team in program history to open the season at 5-0, instead dropping Rutgers-Camden to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The Raptors had tied the best-start program record of 4-0 on Saturday, matching the first four games shared by the 1991-92 and 1981-82 teams.
 
Rowan improved to 5-1 overall and evened its NJAC record at 1-1.
 
Rutgers-Camden took an early 18-10 lead in the opening quarter before Rowan whittled the margin to 24-19 entering the decisive second quarter. With senior guard Anyssa Sanchez (Pine Hill, NJ/Sterling) leading the way with eight points, the Profs outscored the Raptors 18-8 in the quarter, taking the lead for good at 31-29 on a layup by senior guard Valerie Garofalo (Ventnor, NJ/Holy Spirit), part of a 10-point Rowan run. The Profs raised their advantage to 37-29 before the Raptors came back to make it a 37-32 game at the break.
 
In the third quarter, Rowan forged ahead, 40-32, before a 9-2 Raptor run cut the gap to 42-41, aided by a three-pointer from sophomore guard Gabby Greene (Howell, NJ/Howell). That was the closest the Raptors came the rest of the way. By the end of the third quarter it was a 58-48 game and, aided by 30 Rutgers-Camden turnovers, Rowan built leads as big as 21 points (76-55 and 79-58) in the final quarter.
 
Junior guard/forward Alex Raring (Linwood, NJ/Mainland Regional) led three Profs in double figures with 20 points, while Sanchez scored 15 and junior center April Szymczyk (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) added 13. Sanchez also had a game-high eight rebounds, four assists and a game-high four steals.
 
Junior guard Jovan Childers (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) notched a game-high 21 points for the Scarlet Raptors, while Greene netted 19, aided by five treys. Junior center Michelle Obasi (Camden, NJ/Camden Catholic) added 10 points for the Raptors, while fellow junior co-captain Cara Racobaldo (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) had a game-high five assists. Racobaldo and Obasi tied for team rebounding honors with seven apiece.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Thursday night when it hosts King's College in a 7 p.m. non-conference game.