CAMDEN, N.J. - The TCNJ women's basketball team faltered late in its NJAC matchup against Rutgers-Camden Wednesday night, holding a six-points lead late before going scoreless in the final 3:24 in a 54-53 loss to the Scarlet Raptors.
Katie Fricker led the way on both ends of the court for the Lions (2-7, 2-2 NJAC), posting team-high marks in points (16), rebounds (8) and steals (2).
Amanda Baylock was the only other TCNJ player to reach double figures (12) while pacing the team with four assists.
Grace Kowalski and
Maddie Bernhardt got the scoring started to give the Lions a 5-4 lead early, but it was Rutgers-Camden using its height to its advantage to the tune of a 5-0 response to jump in front 9-4. TCNJ fell behind by as many as six in the frame before a Fricker triple on the Lions' final possession made it a 13-10 game after one.
Baylock, who was held without a bucket in the opening 10 minutes, turned it on in the second to the tune of eight points to try and put TCNJ back in front, but it was the Scarlet Raptors' Hope Goodwine going toe-to-toe with the sophomore, scoring nine points herself to instead extend the host's lead to 30-26 at the halftime break.
The Lions appeared to take control in the third quarter, holding Rutgers-Camden to just 10 percent shooting from the floor and outscoring the hosts 14-7 to jump in front 40-37 with 10 minutes to go. That trend continued through the opening minutes of the fourth when Fricker and
Cassidy Brown combined for three straight 3-pointers to build TCNJ's lead to its largest of the night at 52-44, but a free throw from Fricker at the 3:24 mark would serve as the Lions' final point of the game before the offense stalled and the Scarlet Raptors closed things out with an 8-0 run to steal to 54-53 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- TCNJ shot 33.9 percent (19-56) from the field, 29 percent (9-31) from deep and 40 percent (6-15) from the charity stripe – the latter of which is the Lions' worst mark on the year.
- Rutgers-Camden shot 30.2 percent (19-63) from the floor, 26.3 percent (5-19) from beyond the arc and 78.6 percent (11-15) from the free throw line.
- The Lions held a commanding 19-6 edge in bench points, paced by Bernhardt's nine.
STANDOUT LIONS
- Fricker's 16 points are one shy of her season high.
- Olivia Magee's four points ties her career-best mark set during the 2023-24 season.
FOR THE FOES
- Goodwine led all scorers with 21 points.
- Courtney Edmundo finished with a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double.
NOTES
- Fricker eclipsed 700 points for her career.
UP NEXT
- TCNJ is back in Ewing for the final time in 2025 Saturday, Dec. 13 when they host Ramapo, with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m.