The Ramapo College women’s basketball team had a 59-40 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) road win over Rutgers-Camden University on Saturday afternoon. With this victory, the Roadrunners moved to 15-7 overall and 9-6 in the NJAC.
The Roadrunners outscored the Scarlet Raptors in every quarter and held them to under 10 points in the first and fourth in the 19-point victory. The Roadrunner defense forced 14 Scarlet Raptor turnovers, which led to 11 points for Ramapo.
Ramapo started off the game with a seven-point lead in the first quarter, 11-4. The Scarlet Raptors cut the lead to three before Ramapo finished the quarter scoring four straight points from the free throw line taking a six-point lead into the second, 15-9.
With less than eight minutes left to play in the second quarter, a layup from Jada Thompson pushed Ramapo’s lead to eight, 20-12. Rutgers-Camden came back to tie the game at 20 with an 8-0 run before a pair of free throws from Karly Wittenbauer gave Ramapo back the lead. Ramapo wrapped up the second on a 8-1 run to take a seven-point lead into halftime, 28-21.
To start the second half, the Roadrunners stretched their lead to 11 as Alison Ahern sank a jumper for a 37-26 lead with two minutes left on the clock. The Scarlet Raptors finished the quarter on a 6-3 run to cut the lead to eight, 40-32.
In the fourth quarter, Thompson gave Ramapo their double-digit lead back with a jumper, which started a 9-0 run. The run was capped off with a three-pointer from Olivia Johnstone, 49-32. Following three good free throws from Rutgers-Camden, Burns scored one of two free throws.
It was a team effort to finish the game out strong as Reilly Sheeley converted on an and-one play as Ramapo led 53-35 with less than four minutes left to play. Rahzirah Blocker scored a pair of free throws and Jania Pitts sank a three-pointer for Rutgers-Camden before the Roadrunners wrapped up the game on a 6-0 run for the 59-40 victory.
For the Ramapo men’s basketball team it was a tough loss on Saturday. The Rutgers-Camden University men’s basketball team defeated Ramapo, 61-58, in NJAC action. The Roadrunners now stand at 9-13 overall and 5-10 in the conference.
The Scarlet Raptors jumped out to an early first half lead and held on down the stretch in the second half to hold off Ramapo. In just the first four minutes of the first half, Rutgers-Camden opened up an 11-point lead. Ramapo retaliated with a 17-5 run to take a 19-18 lead with eight minutes on the clock.
A jumper and three-pointer from Rutgers-Camden gave them a four-point lead with less than seven minutes left to play in the half. The Scarlet Raptors were up five before Justin Bladen sank a three-pointer for Ramapo, cutting the lead to just two while Peter Gorman sank another three-pointer for Ramapo, cutting the lead to just one with three minutes on the clock.
Rutgers-Camden finished the half on a 5-2 run to take a 32-28 lead into the locker room. In the first 10 minutes of action in the second half, the Scarlet Raptors pushed the lead to 14, 52-38. Ramapo put up a fight once again and went on a 14-4 run capped off with a three-pointer from Gorman. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, the Scarlet Raptors led 59-56.
Rutgers-Camden’s Cameron Downs converted on one free throw before Ramapo’s Jordan Myers scored on a layup to cut the lead to just two with 20 seconds remaining. Qua’meer Amin sank one free throw on the line to hold a three point lead with 11 seconds on the clock, 61-58.
Ramapo was able to get a three-pointer attempt off at the buzzer but could not convert as Rutgers-Camden held onto the victory.
Even with the loss, three Roadrunners scored in double figures as they were led by Gorman who posted 17 points. Myers recorded 13 points while grabbing six rebounds, and Bladen tallied 12 points and three rebounds.
Both the Ramapo men’s and women’s basketball return to action on Saturday, Feb. 11 when they travel to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in NJAC action. The women play at 1 p.m. in hopes of winning a second time against TCNJ after beating them 45-36 earlier this season. The men’s team will take the court at 3 p.m. with a plan to get their first victory against the Lions after falling to them 65-79 the first time.
twaschek@ramapo.edu
Featured image courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
