NEWARK, N.J. (Nov. 17, 2024) – The Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham women's basketball team broke open a fourth-quarter tie by scoring 27 of the last 43 points as it knocked Rutgers University-Camden from the unbeaten ranks, 96-84, in a non-conference game at the John K. Adams Tip-Off Classic Sunday at Rutgers-Newark.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, who were trying to tie the program record for their best unbeaten start, fell to 3-1. They had previously posted 4-0 starts during the 2019-20, 2016-17, 1991-92 and 1981-82 seasons.
 
The Devils improved to 2-3, led by a stellar performance from senior guard Kolby Lynch, who scored 30 points. She shot 13-for-20 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the foul line.
 
In a back-and-forth first half that featured nine lead changes and six ties, the Devils took a 39-34 lead with 32 seconds remaining before halftime, but Rutgers-Camden closed the deficit to 39-38 in the last few seconds on a jumper by freshman guard/forward Amelia Zinckgraf and a layup at the buzzer by junior guard/forward Taja Brown.
 
The second half continued with four consecutive lead changes and a 44-44 tie before the Devils took the lead on a free throw by sophomore guard Christina Centeno. Lynch followed with a three-point play and FDU-Florham eventually built a 53-46 lead before Rutgers-Camden tied the game, 65-65, at the third-quarter buzzer on a trey by senior guard Na'Caia Jackson.
 
The Scarlet Raptors never regained the lead in the fourth quarter, although they were tied at 67-67 and 69-69. Lynch's layup put the Devils ahead to stay, 71-69, and they slowly pulled away to build an 85-75 lead with 4:11 remaining. After a trey by freshman guard Mya Patino cut the gap to 85-78, FDU-Florham scored the next 11 points to put the game away.
 
In addition to Lynch, freshman center/forward Bianca Sode notched 15 points, sophomore guard/forward Shannon Tighe scored 14 points, sophomore guard Julia Vazquez netted 13 and sophomore guard Gabrielle Walker added 11 for the Devils. Tighe and Lynch completed double-doubles with 11 rebounds apiece, while Sode added nine.
 
Jackson, in her first year at Rutgers-Camden, collected her Raptor career high of 17 points, while freshman forward Courtney Edmundo finished with 16 points senior guard Rahzirah Blocker netted 15 and freshman guard Hope Goodwine added nine, barely missing a double-double after dishing off 10 assists. Her 10 assists were four shy of tying the program's single-game record.
 
Blocker's 15 points lifted her career total to 1,160, lifting her into 11th place on the program's career list. She passed Maureen McGovern, who scored 1,154 points between 1994-99.
 
Jackson led the Scarlet Raptors with eight rebounds, added six assists and tied Goodwine with a game-high four steals.
 
The John K. Adams Tip-Off Classic honored one Most Outstanding Player and one Honorable Mention from each team. Jackson took home the Scarlet Raptors' Most Outstanding Player, while Edmundo was recognized with the Honorable Mention.
 
Brown added seven rebounds for the Scarlet Raptors, who were out-rebounded, 48-41.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 33-for-78 (42.3 percent) from the floor, while FDU-Florham shot 34-for-68 (50.0). The Raptors went 11-for-20 (55.0) from the foul line and the Devils were 23-for-37 (62.2) from the charity stripe.
 
Rutgers-Camden will play a 3 p.m. non-conference game at Penn State-Harrisburg on Saturday.