NEWARK, N.J. (Jan. 28, 2023) – Rutgers University-Camden senior guard/forward Jalissa Pitts scored 27 points while passing the 1,000-point milestone for her stellar career, helping the Scarlet Raptors post their first New Jersey Athletic Conference win of the season, 73-57, over Rutgers University-Newark here Saturday.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, who broke a seven-game losing streak, improved to 3-17 overall and 1-12 in the NJAC, while the host Scarlet Raiders fell to 3-17 and 1-12 with their 11th straight loss. Not only was it the first NJAC win for first-year Rutgers-Camden Head Coach James Boney, it also was the Raptors' first conference win since a 61-52 victory, also at Rutgers-Newark, on Dec. 11, 2021. Since then, they had dropped 25 straight regular-season NJAC games, plus one conference playoff game.
 
Pitts, who became the 15th player in program history to reach 1,000 points, opened the game with a three-pointer to raise her career total to 999 points. Rutgers-Newark followed with a nine-point run to grab a 9-3 lead, but Pitts put an end to that run with a pair of foul shots to gain her milestone. Her two free throws, with 4:50 remaining in the first quarter, hiked her total to 1,001 points, making her the first 1,000-point scorer at Rutgers-Camden since Fatimah Williams (2016-20). Williams finished her career tied for sixth on the all-time list with 1,240 points.

1,000th point: video
 
The Scarlet Raiders continued their hot start, building a pair of 11-point leads (16-5 and 18-7) before the Scarlet Raptors whittled the margin to 22-16 entering the second quarter. Rutgers-Camden eventually fought back aided by stellar foul shooting from Jalissa Pitts, and grabbed a 37-35 lead late in the half on a three-pointer by junior guard Jania Pitts. The home team tied the game at the break on a pair of foul shots by freshman forward Trinity Clacken.
 
After Newark opened the second half with a field goal to take the lead, Rutgers-Camden went on a 14-1 lead and grabbed a trio of 11-point leads (51-40, 54-43 and 56-45). Senior guard/forward Rahzirah Blocker sparked the run with a three-pointer that gave the Scarlet Raptors the lead for good at 40-39. Blocker had seven points, Jania Pitts notched five and Jalissa Pitts added two during the 14-1 run.
 
Entering the fourth quarter, the Scarlet Raptors held a 56-48 lead. They raised that margin to as many as 17 points (70-53) down the stretch.
 
Jalissa Pitts finished with a game-high 27 points, hiking her career total to 1,023. She is 14 points shy of tying Andrea Fogel (1986-89) for 14th place on the program's career list. She also added a game-high six assists.
 
Blocker, meanwhile, notched a double-double with 23 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Jania Pitts canned 14 points. Junior forward Carleigh Galasso collected seven points, a game-high three blocked shots and tied both of the Pitts sisters with seven rebounds apiece.
 
Senior guard Syncere Lambert scored 15 points to pace Rutgers-Newark.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 25-for-55 (45.5 percent) from the floor, while Rutgers-Newark shot 19-for-62 (30.6). The Scarlet Raptors held a 46-31 advantage off the boards.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Wednesday when they travel to Rowan University for a 7:30 p.m. NJAC game.