ROSEMONT, Penn. (Nov. 16, 2023) – Sophomore forward Cameron Downs scored seven points to spark the Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team to a quick 8-0 lead and the Scarlet Raptors went on to defeat Rosemont College, 87-73, in a non-conference game here Thursday night.
 
Rutgers-Camden evened its record at 2-2, snapping a two-game losing streak, while Rosemont fell to 0-3.
 
The 87 points by the Scarlet Raptors were the most since they lost 99-94 against William Paterson University on Feb. 11, 2023, and the most in a victory since a 90-87 win over Rowan University on Jan. 22, 2020.
 
Behind Downs, and five points from junior forward Jordany Pierre, Rutgers-Camden opened up a 15-2 lead in the opening 3:34 of the game. By halftime, Rutgers-Camden held a 48-34 lead, with Pierre scoring 15 and Downs adding 12 of those points.
 
Rutgers-Camden held its biggest lead of the night, at 23 points, late in the second half with an 82-59 advantage.
 
Both Downs and Pierre finished with 19 points for the Scarlet Raptors, while sophomore forward Cherif Kanoute scored 14 and junior guard Eric Benjamin added 13.  Sophomore guard Jordan Trusty-Smith notched 11 points.
 
Kanoute and Trusty-Smith led the team with five assists apiece, while Kanoute tied with Pierre for the team high with six rebounds apiece.
 
Graduate student guard Javon Gordon paced the Raptors with five steals
 
Sophomore guard Denelle Holly notched a game-high 21 points for Rosemont, while freshman forward Kelton Warren added 10 for the Ravens.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 35-for-68 (51.5 percent) from the floor, while Rosemont was 21-for-46 (45.7). The Raptors held a 34-30 edge in rebounds and forced 22 turnovers by the Ravens.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at Moravian College.