CAMDEN, N.J. (Feb. 8, 2023) – The Kean University women's basketball team scored the first eight points of the game and went on to defeat Rutgers University-Camden, 77-54, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Wednesday night.
 
The contest, which was the last home game of the season for the Scarlet Raptors, was part of the inaugural Scarlet Raptors Rally, held in conjunction with the men's and women's basketball doubleheader.
 
Kean improves to 14-9 overall and is tied with New Jersey City University for the conference lead with a 12-4 NJAC record. Rutgers-Camden falls to 3-20 overall and 1-15 in the NJAC.
 
Kean has won its last four games against Rutgers-Camden and leads the all-time series, 54-23.
 
Fifth-year guard Shannon McCoy scored the first four points of the game on her way to a 21-point night as she sparked the Cougars to a quick 8-0 lead. They led, 13-6, after one quarter and 33-19 at the half. They opened up leads as large as 27 points (74-47) in the second half.
 
Kean fifth-year guard Sarah Olivero finished as the Cougars' scoring leader after lighting up the second half with seven three-pointers in 10 attempts. She finished with 23 points, while McCoy had 21. McCoy and senior center Shahd Badeer had nine rebounds apiece to help the Cougars hold a 50-33 advantage off the boards. Badeer added eight points.
 
Another fifth-year player, guard/forward Kayla Anderson, notched eight points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists for Kean, while sophomore center Macy Seaman had eight boards and eight points.
 
Senior guard/forward Jalissa Pitts notched a game-high 25 points for the Scarlet Raptors, hiking her career total to 1,081. She added seven rebounds and three assists. Her sister, junior guard Jania Pitts, netted 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds to go along with a game- and career-high five steals.
 
Senior guard/forward Rahzirah Blocker added nine points for the Raptors, while freshman forward Catherine Albizu had a career-high five points.
 
Kean shot 30-for-71 overall from the floor (42.3 percent), including 11-for-34 (32.4) from three-point range. Rutgers-Camden shot 23-for-61 (37.7) overall and 3-for-16 (18.8) from three-point range.
 
The Scarlet Raptors close their season with a pair of NJAC road games. They play a 1 p.m. game at William Paterson University Saturday and a 6 p.m. game at New Jersey City University Feb. 15.