CAMDEN, N.J. (Jan. 6, 2024) – The Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team is accomplishing things unseen in the program for years, and the Scarlet Raptors are beginning to serve notice that they have become a contender in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
 
Rutgers-Camden outlasted NJAC-leading Ramapo College, 68-65, here Saturday to post its fourth straight victory and raise its record to 8-6 overall and 3-4 in the conference. The four-game winning streak is the Scarlet Raptors' first since Nov. 18-Dec. 3, 2006.
 
The loss snapped the Roadrunners' five-game winning streak and was only their second of the season in the NJAC. They fell to 11-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference, dropping into a three-way tie for the top spot with The College of New Jersey and Stockton University.
 
Although Rutgers-Camden also defeated Ramapo in their final meeting of the 2022-23 season, it was only the Raptors' second win over the Roadrunners in the last 15 meetings. Ramapo now leads the all-time series, 56-17.
 
In a tight first half, Rutgers-Camden took a 34-32 lead into the break on a three-pointer by graduate student guard Javon Gordon with less than a minute in the opening half. That shot put Rutgers-Camden ahead to stay, but the second half was close most of the way.
 
Rutgers-Camden built a pair of seven-point leads over the final 20 minutes (49-42 and 60-53), but each time the Roadrunners sliced the margin to within a single basket. Following a three-pointer by Ramapo junior guard Justin Bladen with 1:30 remaining, the Scarlet Raptors held a 68-65 lead. Down the stretch, Ramapo missed two treys, two foul shots and one layup, while the Scarlet Raptors also missed a pair of shots but came down with three key defensive rebounds. The last one came off a missed trey by Ramapo junior guard Peter Gorman with 2.3 seconds left when the ball fell out of bounds. Rutgers-Camden was able to inbound the ball with a long pass to seal the victory.
 
Sophomore forward Cameron Downs paced the Scarlet Raptors with 20 points, while adding a game-high four steals and tying sophomore forward Cherif Kanoute with a game-high six rebounds. Junior guard Eric Benjamin collected 13 points and three assists, while Gordon added 12 points and three assists. Kanoute added a game-high four assists to his afternoon.
 
Junior forward Shane Rooney scored a game-high 21 points for Ramapo, while junior center Jordan Myers notched 14 and Bladen added 11.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 21-for-46 (45.7 percent) from the floor to Ramapo's 27-for-52 (51.9), but the Scarlet Raptors won the game at the foul line, going 17-for-20 (85.0), including 8-for-10 by Downs. Ramapo shot only 8-for-17 (47.1) from the line.
 
Rutgers-Camden held a 29-27 edge off the boards.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to NJAC action next week with road games at New Jersey City University Wednesday (7:30 p.m.) and William Paterson University Saturday (3 p.n.)