Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Dec. 14, 2016) – Sophomore forward Mark Thomas (Newark, NJ/Marist) hit a layup with 2:53 remaining to break the fifth tie of the game and give Rutgers University-Newark the lead for good, and the Scarlet Raiders hung on in a wild New Jersey Athletic Conference game to edge Rutgers University-Camden, 61-60, here Wednesday night.
 
The victory lifts Rutgers-Newark to 4-7 overall and 3-2 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden falls to 0-7 and 0-5 with its second consecutive one-point defeat. Three of the Raptors' seven losses have come by a combined five points.
 
Newark holds a 48-35 lead in the all-time series. The Scarlet Raiders have won three straight and six of their last seven games in the series.
 
In a game that saw 13 lead changes, including 11 in the second half, Thomas tied the score at 52-52 on a foul shot with 3:33 remaining and hit his eventual winning field goal 40 seconds later. Those points were part of an eight-point run that gave Newark a 58-52 lead with 1:09 remaining after freshman guard Chase Barneys (Woodbridge, NJ/Colonia) capped the run with a three-pointer.
 
Rutgers-Camden, bounced right back on a trey by junior guard Charlie Riccardi (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Joseph-Hammonton) and after a steal, cut their gap to 58-56 on a foul shot by senior guard Julian Martin (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) with 39 seconds remaining.
 
Barneys and Raptor junior guard Marcus Taylor (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) traded layups to make it a 60-58 game with 10 seconds left and the Raiders tacked on another point on a foul shot by freshman forward Landon Gaines (Paterson, NJ/Paramus Catholic) to grab a 61-58 lead. Riccardi, however, hit a pair of foul shots with three seconds remaining to cut the gap to 61-60 and, after Thomas missed a pair of foul shots, the Raptors had time for one last-gasp three-point attempt from near midcourt, which was off the mark.
 
In an opening half that saw a pair of ties and two lead changes, the Scarlet Raptors eventually settled for a 31-27 lead at the break, down from their high of an 11-point bulge (25-14) with 5:47 remaining in the half. Newark, however, went on a 9-1 lead to open the second half,, sparked by five points from senior forward Nadir Alston (East Orange, NJ/Bloomfield Tech). The teams were close the rest of the way, leading to the wild finish.
 
Thomas paced the winners with a game-high 18 points, while Barneys netted 15 points and Alston had a game-high 10 rebounds. Rutgers-Camden received 13 points apiece from Martin and freshman guard Keith Washington Jr. (Clementon, NJ/Monsignor Bonnor), while Riccardi added 10.
 
Rutgers-Newark shot 20-for-43 (46.5 percent) from the floor, while Rutgers-Camden was 19-for-49 (38.8). The Scarlet Raiders held a 36-30 advantage off the boards.
 
Rutgers-Newark plays its final game of the calendar year with a 4 p.m. non-conference contest at Drew University Saturday. Rutgers-Camden won't return to action until the new year, when it travels to Arcadia University for a 7 p.m. non-conference game Jan. 2.