CAMDEN, N.J. (Jan. 11, 2023) – Junior guard Damaris Rodriguez collected game-high totals of 21 points, eight rebounds and nine assists to power the New Jersey City University women's basketball team over Rutgers University-Camden, 70-51, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Wednesday afternoon.
 
NJCU improved to 5-8 overall and 5-3 in the conference with its third straight win, while Rutgers-Camden lost its third straight game to fall to 2-13 overall and 0-8 in the NJAC.
 
The Scarlet Raptors still lead the all-time series, 39-30, but have lost their last six meetings against the Gothic Knights.
 
The Gothic Knights took the lead for good at 4-2 on a jumper by Rodriguez early in the first quarter as part of a nine-point run that gave NJCU a 9-2 lead. The Gothic Knights stretched their margin to 22-6 by the end of the first quarter and 33-15 at halftime.
 
Rodriguez, who is only 36 points away from the 1,000-career milestone, had eight points in the opening half before scoring 13 after the break.
 
The visitors led by as many as 24 points (70-46) in the second half.
 
In addition to Rodriguez, the Gothic Knights received 15 points from senior guard Jada Camacho and 12 from sophomore forward Liyah Allen.
 
Rutgers-Camden was led by a pair of senior guard/forwards, Rahzirah Blocker and Jalissa Pitts. Blocker netted 19 points and added six rebounds to tie junior forward Carleigh Galasso for team-high honors. Jalissa Pitts scored 16 points and had a game-high four steals.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 17-for-60 (28.3 percent) from the floor, while NJCU was 28-for-65 (43.1). The Gothic Knights also held a 51-33 advantage off the boards, but made four more turnovers (25-21) than the Scarlet Raptors committed.
 
The Scarlet Raptors host William Paterson University in a 1 p.m. NJAC game Saturday.