EWING, N.J. (Nov. 22, 2015) – Senior guard/forward Kamari Talley (Camden, NJ/Creative Arts) scored 12 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and sophomore guard Cara Racobaldo (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) added 10 of her 21 points in the last 10 minutes as the Rutgers University-Camden women's basketball team rallied past The College of New Jersey, 74-71, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Tuesday night.
Rutgers-Camden improves to 3-0 for the first time since the 2011-12 season, while winning its NJAC season opener for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign.
It was the second straight win in the series for Rutgers-Camden, which stopped a 22-game losing streak against the Lions in their second meeting last season. TCNJ leads the all-time series, 54-9.
The Lions (0-5 overall, 0-2 in the NJAC) led, 56-50, entering the final quarter before the Scarlet Raptors went to work behind the offensive firepower of Talley and Racobaldo. Two of the Raptors' three co-captains, they combined for the team's first 17 points of the quarter, including a jumper by Racobaldo which gave Rutgers-Camden a 64-63 lead with 3:56 remaining. Racobaldo followed with a three-pointer to make it a 67-63 lead, but the Lions countered with five straight points, regaining the advantage, 68-67, on a sophomore guard Charlotte Schum (East Hanover, NJ/Morris Catholic) with 1:49 remaining.
Rutgers-Camden's other tri-captain, sophomore forward/center Michelle Obasi (Camden, NJ/Camden Catholic) answered with a layup to give the Raptors a 69-68 lead with 1:25 remaining, and Racobaldo followed with another trey. TCNJ cut its deficit to 72-71 with 15 seconds remaining on a three-pointer by senior guard Angela Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney), but the Raptors closed out the game at the foul line on a pair of shots by Talley. TCNJ missed a three-point attempt to tie the game with one second remaining.
Talley's 22 points coupled with a game-high 12 rebounds to give her the sixth double-double since she transferred to Rutgers-Camden midway through last season. In her combined collegiate career she now owns 985 points and 608 rebounds.
Racobaldo's 21 points marked a new career high, passing the 18 she scored against Ramapo College on Jan. 17, 2015. She nearly added another double-double for the Raptors, finishing with nine rebounds, while adding seven assists.
Obasi scored 11 points for Rutgers-Camden, while junior forward/center Caroline Santiago (Vineland, NJ/Buena Regional) collected nine points and had 11 rebounds. Both totals were her highs since transferring to Rutgers-Camden this season from Cumberland County College. She also tied her Raptor high with three steals.
Freshman guard Gabby Greene (Howell, NJ/Howell), meanwhile, dished off nine assists and added seven points and two steals.
TCNJ received 19 points from Esposito, 14 from senior guard Jess Lynch (Newtown, CT/Newtown) and 13 from junior guard Kim Dana (Freehold, NJ/Freehold).
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Monday, Nov. 30, with a 6 p.m. non-conference game at St. Joseph's College-Long Island.