JERSEY CITY, NJ (Feb. 19, 2025) – The New Jersey City University women's basketball team went on a 12-point run to end the first quarter, sparking the Gothic Knights to a 63-56 victory over Rutgers University-Camden in the final New Jersey Athletic Conference regular-season game for both teams.
 
NJCU evened its conference record at 9-9 and will head into the NJAC playoffs Saturday. The Gothic Knights are 10-15 overall.
 
Rutgers-Camden closed its season at 5-13 in the NJAC and 9-16 overall. The nine wins marked a big improvement for the Scarlet Raptors, who had seven combined victories over the previous four seasons.
 
NJCU has earned 11 straight wins against Rutgers-Camden, although the Scarlet Raptors still lead the all-time series, 39-35.
 
The Scarlet Raptors' lone lead in the game came early when senior guard Rahzirah Blocker hit a three-pointer to give Rutgers-Camden a 3-2 lead. NJCU quickly regained the lead at 4-3 on a jumper by senior guard Destiny Battle.
 
Trailing, 7-3, Rutgers-Camden cut the margin to 7-5 on a jumper by freshman forward Courtney Edmundo with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter. NJCU followed with a 12-point run to end the quarter with a 19-5 lead and held the Scarlet Raptors scoreless for the first 1;18 of the second quarter until freshman guard Kaylen Battle ended the drought with a three-pointer, making it a 19-8 game.
 
By halftime, the Gothic Knights led, 27-14, behind nine points apiece from Destiny Battle and senior guard Carissa Reyes.
 
Rutgers-Camden outscored NJCU, 20-14, in the third quarter to slice its gap to 41-34. The Scarlet Raptors managed to slice the gap to 49-44 midway through the fourth quarter on a three-point play by freshman guard Hope Goodwine. The Raptors trailed by 56-50 with 3:31 remaining when graduate forward Aiya Underwood hit a jumper and cut the margin to 56-52 on a layup by Blocker with 1:44 remaining, but NJCU scored with the next five points and held on for the win.
 
NJCU received 16 points apiece from Destiny Battle and sophomore forward Kendra Rigo, while Reyes added 11 points. Rigo and Battle both completed double-doubles, with Rigo grabbing 15 rebounds and Battle dishing off 10 assists.
 
Edmundo paced the Scarlet Raptors with 18 points and added eight rebounds. Blocker scored 12 points and Underwood finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for her second double-double at Rutgers-Camden. Both totals were one shy of Underwood's career highs. Goodwine added nine points and six assists.
 
NJCU shot 26-for-76 from the floor (34.2 percent), while Rutgers-Camden went 19-for-58 (32.8). The Gothic Knights were 4-for-5 (80.0) from the foul line and the Scarlet Raptors were 12-for-24 (50.0).
 
NJCU held a 48-45 edge off the boards.
 
The game was the last in a stellar four-year Rutgers-Camden career for Blocker, who scored 1,394 points in her 92 games to finish fifth on the program's all-time scoring list. She also finished with a program-record 75.0 shooting percentage from the foul line (336-for-448).
 
The Scarlet Raptors' season also included a pair of freshmen who combined for four NJAC Rookie of the Week honors, with Courtney Edmundo earning the honor three times (Nov. 11, Nov. 25, Feb. 10) and Hope Goodwine capturing the honor on Jan. 27.