CAMDEN, N.J. (Dec. 5, 2018) – It seemed like every time the Rutgers University-Camden women's basketball team made a run at The College of New Jersey's lead here Wednesday night, the Lions responded with a counterpunch. As a result, TCNJ held off Rutgers-Camden, 70-60, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game.
 
The game was the last home contest of the calendar year for the Scarlet Raptors, who fall to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden has road NJAC games on Saturday at Kean University (3 p.m.) and next Wednesday at Ramapo College (5:30 p.m.) before the holiday break. The Scarlet Raptors' next home game will be Jan. 7 with a 7 p.m. non-conference battle against Penn State-Abington.
 
TCNJ improved to 5-3 overall and 4-0 in the NJAC with its fourth straight win. The Lions have won their last three games over the Raptors and lead the all-time series, 57-12.
 
Trailing, 35-30, at halftime, the Raptors scored six of the first eight points of the third quarter, with junior guard Fatimah Williams scoring on a layup to make it a one-point game, 37-36. TCNJ answered with four straight points before the Raptors cut the margin to two points on two straight occasions, only to have the Lions answer with a layup.
 
Down, 45-41, Rutgers-Camden bounced back on a jumper and two free throws by senior guard Gabby Greene to knot the score at 45-45 with 36 seconds left in the third quarter.  TCNJ responded with a layup by junior forward Jen Byrne to take a 47-45 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
After opening up eight-point leads of 53-45 and 55-47 early in the final quarter, the Lions watched Rutgers-Camden run off six straight points, cutting the bap to 55-53 midway through the period on a layup that Williams turned into a three-point play with a foul shot. Once again, TCNJ responded with a five-point run to make it a 60-53 game.
 
With 1:49 remaining, a six-point Raptor run was capped by a layup from freshman guard Wykira Johnson-Kelly to cut the deficit to 62-60, but the Lions closed out the game with a layup and six foul shots for their final margin.
 
Sophomore forward Shannon Devitt had a big double-double for the Lions, grabbing 18 points to go along with her 12 points as she helped TCNJ win the battle of the boards, 49-38. Byrne added her own double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Senior guard/forward Samantha Famulare scored a game-high 19 points for TCNJ and junior guard Cailey Gibson added 20. Byrne had a game-high seven assists, while sophomore guard Elle Cimilluca dished off six. Cimilluca added a game-high three steals.
 
Rutgers-Camden received 15 points from Johnson-Kelly, pictured above. Greene added 13 points and Williams collected nine to pass the 400-point milestone for her career. She now has 404 points.
 
Senior guard/forward Ariel Robinson notched a team-high nine rebounds and added eight points, while freshman guard/forward Tamara Johnson had seven points and eight boards.
 
Johnson-Kelly led the team with four assists.