Video Highlights WAYNE, N.J – Freshman guard
Julie Rovito (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) poured in a season-high 20 points to help lead the William Paterson women's basketball team (12-9, 8-6 NJAC) to a 67-59 home victory against Rutgers-Newark (11-11, 7-8 NJAC) Feb. 7.
Rovito added a team-best five assists from off the bench, while junior guard
Brittany Harden (Millville, N.J./Sacred Heart) contributed 10 tallies, eight rebounds and four steals. Senior forward
Ashley Marfo (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) had 10 points, five boards and three steals, and junior forward
Mary Haines (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) finished with nine tallies and a team-high nine rebounds.
The Pioneers jumped out to an 11-4 lead less than seven minutes into the contest, but the Scarlet Raiders later put together a 12-4 run to nudge ahead by one, 21-20, with 7:42 to play in the opening period. A Marfo layup ignited an 8-0 stretch for WP, and the Pioneers entered the locker room ahead by six at 32-26.
When Rutgers-Newark made it a one-point game at the 13:19 mark of the second period (42-41), Rovito started a 13-2 burst with her jumper in the paint, and finished the run with a pair of free throws to make it a 55-43 game with 9:39 left. That lead remained in double digits until the final 30 seconds of the contest.
WP participated in the WBCA's Play 4Kay cancer awareness and fundraising initiative.Sophomore center Jasmine Lombard led the Scarlet Raiders with 15 points and nine rebounds. Senior center Sharee Gordon contributed 14 tallies, and freshman guard Nicole Skelly had 10 tallies. The conference's leading scorer entering the game (20.4 ppg), senior forward Jade Howard played just seven first-half minutes after picking up her second foul at the 17:12 mark. She didn't get into the scoring column until making two free throws 2:53 into the second period, and finished the day with 10 points and eight rebounds.
William Paterson will play at New Jersey City Monday, Feb. 9, at 6:00 p.m.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit
http://www.wpupioneers.com and
http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.