New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM

JERSEY CITY…Freshman forward EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) had a sweet double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds, while freshman point guard LASHAWN OVERTON (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) and junior guard CAROLINA GARCIA (Plainfield, NJ/ Franklin) each added 16 points to key New Jersey City University to a 68-67 victory over Rutgers University-Camden in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's game on Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on Saturday.

With the win, NJCU snaps a three-game skid, improving to 2-5 overall and 1-1 NJAC, while Camden (0-7, 0-2 NJAC) drops its eighth straight. RUC leads the all-time series, 27-19, but NJCU has won the last two meetings.

The Scarlet Raptors were led by sophomore forward Karima Blackwell (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) who collected her ninth career double-double and third of the season with 27 points (10-15 FG) and 14 rebounds. 

Cunningham posted her second double-double, shooting 7-of-17, while adding five steals. Garcia was 8-of-13 from the line to reach her 16, and added a career-best nine assists, along with seven rebounds and four steals in 39 minutes. Garcia's passing skills were key in gaining fast-break points for the Gothic Knights. Overton shot 7-of-12 for her 16 points, with five rebounds, five steals and four assists.

Sophomore center ROBIN REYNOLDS (East Orange, NJ/University) contributed seven points and five rebounds in her first career start. NJCU won despite missing freshman point guard NIDIA CARMONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth), who did not play.

Camden also received 14 points from freshman guard Casey Crenny (Blackwood, NJ/Camden Catholic). Freshman forward Stephanie Deisley (Riverside, NJ/Holy Cross) had nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Camden scored the first six points of the second half, narrowing the score to within four points. The game remained close throughout the second half, but NJCU would never relinquish the lead.

With 3:03 left to play Blackwell dropped in a lay-up and was fouled, hitting the free-throw for the three-point play to bring the game to a 62-60 margin. 

The Scarlet Raptors immediately answered with a free-throw by Blackwell to bring the score to 68-67, but she missed her second shot and NJCU junior guard SHAYLA DANIELS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) pulled down a huge defensive rebound to recover the ball for the Gothic Knights.

NJCU nearly cost themselves the game when Overton (26 seconds) and Garcia (9 seconds) missed four straight free throws with a team offensive rebound in between. But after an RUC timeout, Garcia made a huge defensive stop with three seconds left, notching only her eighth career blocked shot and first of the season, stuffing a 15-foot jumper from senior guard Shamira McNair (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) from behind, and NJCU was able to run out the clock.

NJCU had a decisive 56-40 rebounding advantage and won despite not hitting a three-pointer and attempting only one all game. Camden was 3-of-18 from long range (.167).