New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

CAMDEN, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Rutgers University-Camden seized a 29-10 halftime lead and never looked back as the Scarlet Raptors defeated New Jersey City University's women's basketball team, 53-37, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon at the RUC Gymnasium.
 
Camden improved to 10-2 with the victory and 2-1 in the NJAC, winning for the seventh time in eight games. NJCU (3-8, 0-3 NJAC) lost its third straight. Camden leads the all-time series, 29-20.
 
NJCU outscored Camden in the second half, 27-24, but wasn't able to counter a lackluster first 20 minutes during which the Gothic Knights shot 12.1 percent from the field (4-of-33). NJCU finished shooting 23.4 percent for the game (15-64) after improving to a .355 percentage in the second period.
 
In defeat, sophomore forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, including 12 defensive boards, while adding seven points. Junior forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) led the Knights in scoring for the second game in a row with 10 points (4-12 FG) including 2-of-4 three-point shooting. Sophomore forward DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) added eight points and five rebounds.
 
Camden won despite shooting just 30.4 percent overall (17-56). Junior guard Alex Koutras (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) collected a game-high 13 points (4-10 FG, 2-2 3FG). Freshman guard Lillian Chukwueze (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds (13 defensive) while notching 12 points (5-10 FG) and three steals for a double-double.
 
Camden senior guard Kristina Cox (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) finished with 12 points (3-13 FG). Sophomore center Tina Croxton (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) added nine points, seven rebounds, five blocks and three steals.
 
With the game even at 4-4 less than four minutes into the first half, Camden uncorked a 10-0 run to build a 14-4 lead and extended the spurt to 23-3 to claim a decisive 27-7 lead before a Hernaiz three-point play put the Knights into double figures on the scoreboard with 42 seconds remaining in the first period. NJCU's only other basket during the slump was a three-pointer that made it 14-7 with 12:25 to go before the Raptors tallied the next 13 points.
 
Even with a better shooting performance, NJCU was not able to draw closer than 14 in the second period.
 
NJCU is back in action on Monday, January 9 at 6 p.m. when it travels to Glenside, Pa. for a non-conference game against Arcadia University. It will be the first meeting between the schools in women's basketball.