Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Feb. 11, 2017) – Junior guard Shafeek Taylor (Philadelphia, PA/Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School) tied his career high with a game-high 26 points and completed a double-double with 11 rebounds to power the Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team over William Paterson University, 82-72, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday afternoon.
 
The victory snapped a 10-game losing streak against William Paterson, which had defeated the Scarlet Raptors in 22 of the previous 23 games entering the contest. Rutgers-Camden's last win over the Pioneers had come on Jan. 22, 2011 in Camden by a 54-51 score. Coupled with the women's basketball win over Paterson in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, the day marked only the second time ever that Rutgers-Camden has swept Paterson in both basketball games on the same day. The first time came in Camden on Feb. 6, 2002.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 6-18 overall and 3-14 in the NJAC. Paterson, which leads its all-time series against Rutgers-Camden, 57-7, falls to 10-13 overall and 6-11 in the NJAC. Saturday's results eliminated the Pioneers from any shot at a NJAC playoff berth.
 
Trailing by a 42-37 score at the half, Rutgers-Camden out-scored Paterson, 45-30, the rest of the way, with Taylor notching 15 points in the final 20 minutes, while freshman guard Keith Washington Jr. (Clementon, NJ/Monsignor Bonner) scoring all 10 of his points after the break. The Raptors' big comeback, however, didn't start right away, as the Pioneers opened up a 13-point lead (52-39) 4:30 into the half before Rutgers-Camden turned things around.
 
The Raptors went on a six-point run to cut their deficit to 52-45. After Paterson hiked the margin back to nine points (54-45), Rutgers-Camden responded with a 12-3 run to tie the game at 57-57 with 10:42 remaining on a layup by Shafeek Taylor. Fouled on the play, Taylor tacked on a free throw to give Rutgers-Camden the lead for good, 58-57. By the time the Raptors were finished with a 10-point run, they owned a 65-57 lead. The closest the Pioneers came after that was four points, at 65-61.
 
In addition to Taylor and Washington, the Raptors received 14 points from sophomore forward/center Isaac Destin (Woodlynne, NJ/Collingswood), 13 points from junior guard Charlie Riccardi (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Joseph-Hammonton) and a career-high 10 points and eight rebounds from freshman forward Harry Sauers (West Berlin, NJ/Regional Baptist). Riccardi added a game-high four assists to set his career high.
 
Taylor shot 10-for-13 from the field and 6-for-9 from the foul line as his 26 points tied the high he set against Kean University on Feb. 4. A first-year player with the Scarlet Raptors, he now owns four double-doubles in 12 games.
 
Sophomore guard Elijah Robles (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) added nine points to hike his career output over the 500 plateau. He now owns 504 career points.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 32-for-58 (55.2 percent) from the field and held a 34-30 edge off the boards. Paterson shot 26-for-57 from the field (45.6)
 
While Shafeek Taylor was having a big night for the Raptors, senior forward Richy Espinal (Ridgefield Park, NJ/Bergen Catholic) was notching his own double-double for the Pioneers, collecting 24 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guards Joseph Taylor (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) and Galen Smith (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway Tech) netted 16 and 12 points, respectively.
 
Rutgers-Camden closes its season Wednesday with a Senior Night game against NJAC rival Montclair State University, beginning at 8 p.m. The Scarlet Raptors will honor their lone senior, Dior Johnson (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson).