UNION, N.J. (2/3/16) – Freshman center Ruby Asabor swatted 11 shots and pulled down 11 rebounds for the Kean University women's basketball team in a 73-69 NJAC setback against Rutgers-Newark on Wednesday night.
Maria Simmons had a game-high 31 points for Rutgers-Newark, and Arianna Williams added 25 for the Scarlet Raiders, who improved to 7-14 and 3-11 in the NJAC with the win. The Cougars are now 13-8 and 8-6 in the league.
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Kean got out to a fast lead, beginning with its patented post-tipoff fastbreak layup. With the game tied at seven, Danielle Oakley stole the ball and Marajiah Bacon took it in for a fast break layup she drained despite being fouled in the process.
Asabor and Diana Todaro got second-chance layups late in the first quarter, yet a 5-0 run by the Scarlet Raiders to close the period made the count 17-17 at the end of the first.
It turned out to be the start of a 12-0 run for Rutgers that made the score 24-17. Oakley finally rattled in a three-pointer to stem the tide for the Cougars. It sparked a run that saw the Cougars tie the game in less than 90 seconds.
Marajiah Bacon's three-pointer with two minutes remaining in the half gave the Cougars a two-point cushion at the break.
A 6-0 run to start the second half by the Cougars got the home team its biggest lead of the night, but the Raiders would not go away. Newark trailed by just one heading into the final period. By that point, Asabor already had the double-double: 11 blocks and 10 rebounds. She finished with eight points as well for Kean; one bucket shy of a triple-double.
Williams drained a three to take the lead for Rutgers at the start of the fourth quarter. The rest of the period featured nine more lead changes and three ties. Simmons – who had 27 second half points – seemingly parried every Kean bucket with one of her own to continually take back any ground the Cougars had earned.
Kean's Marajiah Bacon hit a pull up jumper to go ahead, Simmons answered with a layup at 2:30. Owens tied the game on a free throw at 1:49, Simmons hit a layup with 1:20 to go to put RU up for good.
Owens (pictured left) led Kean with 22 points and five assists on the night.
Kean will remain home this Saturday to host NJAC-leading Rowan University at 3 p.m.
