Montclair, NJ – Junior guard Janitza Aquino (Kearny, NJ, Kearny) scored 17 points leading fithree players in double figures as No. 13 Montclair State jumped early and cruised to a 69-39 win over Rutgers-Newark at the Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday.

Senior Nicosia Henry (Bolingbrook, IL, Bolingbrook) had 14 points and nine rebounds while junior Melissa Tobie (Elizabeth, NJ, Roselle Catholic) chipped in with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists as the Red Hawks (16-2, 10-1 NJAC) swept the season series from the Scarlet Raiders. MSU, which knocked off Rutgers-Newark for the sixth straight time, posted a 70-68 win at Newark in November rallying back from a 21-point deficit in the second half.

The win was also the 131st at Montclair State for head coach Karin Harvey, who moved into second place on the all-time list. Harvey, now in her seventh season, is now 131-53 in her tenure at MSU and surpassed Jill Jeffrey for the No. 2 spot. Jeffrey coach Montclair from 1984-1991 going 130-57.  

Montclair State led the entire way as Tobie scored on a layup 38 seconds into the game and six points by Henry, including two from the line with 17:03 left made the score 10-2. Rutgers-Newark cut the lead back to five 14-9 however the Red Hawks drained three straight three-pointers as Aquino, Rachael Krauss (Farmingdale, NJ, Colts Neck) and Tobie each hit extending the MSU lead to 23-9 with 10:14 to go.

Meanwhile the Scarlet Raiders (8-9, 4-7 NJAC), who lost for the sixth time in its last eight games, struggled for offense as it went without a point for just over nine minutes before freshman Shala Glenn (Piscataway, NJ / Piscataway) scored on a layup with 3:30 left. By that time Montclair State led 27-11 and took a 29-15 lead into the break.

The Red Hawks shot 50 percent (10-of-20) from the field in the first half and finished 26-of-53 overall. That total included 10 three-point field goals, three apiece by Aquino and Krauss, the latter collecting nine points in the contest.

Conversely, the Scarlet Raiders were just 7-of-24 from the field in the first half and 36 percent (17-of-47) for the game. Rutgers-Newark also committed 28 turnovers which turned into 32 points for the Red Hawks.

Henry added five steals while freshman Sage Bennett (Sicklerville, NJ, Winslow) added five points and five rebounds off the bench. Alanna Loyle (Linwood, NJ, Mainland Regional) had six points hitting twice from behind the arc.

The Red Hawks return to action on Wednesday, January 29 as it makes the short journey to Wayne, NJ to face local rival William Paterson at 8:00 pm.