CAMDEN, N.J. (Nov. 16, 2024) – Junior forward Cherif Kanoute scored a career-high 24 points and junior forward Cameron Downs added 21 points as the Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team continued its early-season success with a 73-62 non-conference victory over Saint Elizabeth University here Saturday.
 
The Scarlet Raptors improved their record to 3-0 for the first time since the 2009-10 season and coupled with the 3-0 Rutgers-Camden women's team it marked the first time in school history both teams started at 3-0 during the same season.
 
Saint Elizabeth fell to 0-3, with all three losses coming against New Jersey Athletic Conference teams.
 
Although Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good at 6-5 on a free throw by Downs, the Eagles stayed with the Scarlet Raptors most of the way, trailing only 30-26 at halftime. Rutgers-Camden opened up several double-digit leads in the second half, but Saint Elizabeth rallied to within five points (47-42) with 13:37 remaining and within six (65-59) with 3:26 left. After the Eagles cut that late-game gap to six points, sophomore guard Lamar Davis hit a big three-pointer to expand the Raptors' lead to 68-59. The Eagles never came closer than seven points the rest of the way.
 
Kanoute's 23 points passed his previous Raptor high of 17, accomplished twice last season during his first year at Rutgers-Camden. He shot 9-for-12 from the floor and 6-for-11 from three-point range, while adding seven rebounds, three steals and one assist.
 
Downs' 21 points hiked his career scoring output to 848 points as he zeroes in on the 1,000-point career milestone. He added six assists, one block and one steal.
 
Junior guard Eric Benjamin scored 13 points for the Raptors.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 25-for-55 from the floor (45.5 percent) and 17-for 26 (65.4) from the foul line.
 
Saint Elizabeth held a 35-31 edge off the boards and received 19 points from senior guard Jonathan Ramos. Senior guard/forward Tye-Rell Monroe added 17 points and between the two of them they shot 17-for-22 from the foul line. Monroe went 9-for-13 and Ramos was 8-for-9.
 
The Eagles shot 23-for-35 (65.7) overall from the foul line and were 18-for-43 (41.9) from the floor.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action on Tuesday with the last of their season-opening four straight home games. They face Alvernia University at 6 p.m.