Box Score

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Jan. 23, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team out-scored host City College of New York, 35-29, in the second half here Monday as the Scarlet Raptors rallied for a 68-65 victory in a non-conference game.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 4-13, snapping a two-game losing streak, while CCNY falls to 9-8. The Scarlet Raptors evened their non-conference record at 3-3. They have won their last three non-conference games, beginning with a win over No. 17-ranked Neumann University on Jan. 9.
 
The Raptors trailed the Beavers by as many as nine points, 34-25, in the first half before cutting their halftime deficit to 36-33. They took their first lead of the second half, 39-37, on a layup by junior guard Shafeek Taylor (Philadelphia, PA/Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School) 1:44 into the final half, but the Beavers scored the next eight points to re-establish their lead at 45-39.
 
Rutgers-Camden countered with a 10-point run, including four points by Shafeek Taylor, to grab the lead back at 49-45, but 11 consecutive point by the Beavers put CCNY back on top, 56-49, with 9:06 remaining.
 
Rutgers-Camden, however, had one more big run in its arsenal, which allowed the Raptors to finally take the lead for good. Sophomore guard Elijah Robles (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) hit a pair of free throws to spark a 10-point Rutgers-Camden run with 8:47 remaining. By the time senior forward Dior Johnson (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) completed a layup with 6:10 remaining, the Scarlet Raptors had built a 59-56 edge, taking the lead for good on a pair of foul shots moments earlier by Shafeek Taylor. The closest the Beavers came the rest of the way was 59-58.
 
Shafeek Taylor finished with a game-high 19 points, while adding eight rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward/center Isaac Destin (Woodlynne, NJ/Collingswood) added 18 points, seven rebounds and a game- and career-high five steals.
 
Rutgers-Camden also received 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds from sophomore guard Sean Taylor (Brooklyn, NY/South Shore) on his return to the New York City area. He added three steals and a game-high four assists.
 
Freshman guard Keith Washington Jr. (Clementon, NJ/Monsignor Bonner) chipped in with eight points for the Scarlet Raptors, including a huge three-pointer with 5:27 remaining after CCNY had cut the gap to 59-58.
 
The Beavers placed four players in double figures, led by 18 points from senior guard/forward Robbie Dionisio (Shirley, NY/Longwood). Senior guard Khalil Hamer (New York, NY/Manhattan Center for Science and Math) added 16 points, while senior forward Mark Richards (Orangeburg, NY, Bergen Catholic) added 13 points. Senior guard David Solano (Westchester, NY/Eastchester) had 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Rutgers-Camden held a 35-30 edge off the boards and shot 47.4 percent (27-for-57) from the floor and 85.7 (12-for-14) from the foul line. Shafeek Taylor went 5-for-5 from the line and 7-for-11 from the floor.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Wednesday night with an 8 p.m. New Jersey Athletic Conference game at Rowan University.