NEWARK, NJ – The Rowan University women's basketball team cruised to an 80-62 win at Rutgers-Newark in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Saturday.
 
With the victory, the Profs (16-8, NJAC 10-7) clinch a spot in the NJAC Championship Tournament with one game remaining in the regular season. In addition, Rowan is locked into the fourth seed and will host a first-round game on Saturday, Feb. 18 against an opponent to be determined. The Scarlet Raiders drop to 9-15 with a 7-10 conference mark.
 
Guard Anyssa Sanchez (sr. Pine Hill, NJ/Sterling) led the Profs with 22 points and nine rebounds. Guard Summer Crilley (jr. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 boards and she added five steals. The rebound and steal marks were both a career high.
 
Guard Valerie Garofalo (sr. Ventnor, NJ/Holy Spirit) and guard/forward Alex Raring (jr. Linwood, NJ/Mainland Reg.) contributed with 13 and 12 points respectively. Raring grabbed six rebounds and Garofalo dished four assists. Center April Szymczyk (jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) chipped in with nine points and six boards.
 
Rutgers-Newark guard Faith Ashby (so. Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and six steals. Guard Maria Simmons (sr. Irvington, NJ/Irvington) totaled 18 points, five boards and five assists. Guard Shala Glenn (sr. Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Nicole Skelly (jr. Belleville, NJ/Immaculate Conception) brought down 10 rebounds.
 
The Scarlet Raiders had an 8-6 lead with 3:31 to play in the opening quarter. Guard Alexis Kriley (fr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) drilled a three-pointer (2:21), which sparked a 17-3 run. Rowan was ahead 23-11 with 7:15 left in the second and it did not trail for the rest of the game. Ashby's layup (3:34) cut the deficit to five (25-20). The Profs led 29-23 at halftime.
 
Rowan began the third quarter with 11 of the first 13 points to stretch its advantage to 15 (40-25) with 5:04 on the clock. Garofalo and Raring each scored four points and Crilley added a three. Ashby closed the period with a jumper (0:09) and the score was 49-36 going to the fourth. Skelly made back-to-back layups (7:22, 6:54) and Rutgers-Newark trailed by 13 (55-42). The Profs went on an 11-4 surge for its largest lead of the night at 20 (66-46) with 4:50 remaining. Sanchez poured in six points, guard Olivia Rulon (so. Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) sank a three and Garofalo had a jumper. Sanchez's layup (3:08) gave Rowan another 20-point cushion (72-52) on the way to the victory.
 
The Profs end the regular season at home versus Ramapo College on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.