Box Score NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Trailing since the first whistle, Mount Saint Mary College senior Jen Mocanu (Belford, N.J.) nailed a jumper with 3:06 left on the clock to tie the game at 44-44 and the Knights then used a 7-4 run to ensure a hard-fought, 51-49 win over Rutgers-Newark. The Knights improve to 8-1, while the Scarlet Raiders move to 6-2.

Cold shooting plagued the Knights in the opening minutes of the first half and the Scarlet Raiders used aggressive play to quickly establish a lead. With just five minutes elapsed, the Scarlet Raiders had jumped out to an eleven point lead, 15-4. At the 14:57 mark, Mount senior Amanda Horvers (Kingston, N.Y.) netted a jumper that ignited an 11-0 run in the Knights' favor.

After watching their lead dwindle, the Scarlet Raiders responded with a 10-3 run in the closing minutes of the first stanza to gain a seven point advantage, 25-18. Mount senior Natalie Garbie (Bayville, N.J.) drilled a three-pointer to bring the Knights to within four, 25-21, at the break.

Both teams exchanged buckets in the opening minutes of the second half and a three-pointer by Rutgers-Newark sophomore ShaQuanna Marshall (Paterson, N.J.) extended the Scarlet Raiders' lead to five, 32-27. After Marshall's bucket at the 16:21 mark, both teams suffered a five minute scoring drought.

Now with under four minutes to play and down by two, 44-42, Horvers dished the ball to Mocanu who then knocked down a jumper to tie things up, 44-44. Mount junior Becky Metzger (Point Pleasant, N.J.) went one-for-two from the free throw line with 2:35 left on the clock to give the Knights their first lead of the night, 45-44. At the other end, however, Rutgers-Newark senior Lori Nieves (North Plainfield, N.J.) banked in a layup to regain a one point lead.

With just 1:18 remaining, Mocanu drilled another jumper to put the Knights back on top. Mocanu then made three consecutive trips to the free throw line and went just two-of-four from the line to leave the door open for the Scarlet Raiders. Senior Brittany Smith (Salem, N.J.) and senior Kendra Johnson (Easthampton, N.J.) missed back-to-back three pointers, though, and Mocanu was allowed to ice the game at the free throw line.

Mount junior Charneice McCullough (Wyandanch, N.Y.) led all scorers with 13 points, while Mocanu chipped in with 12. Horvers and Garbie each added 10 points and combined for 12 rebounds.

Marshall, Johnson, and freshman Jade Howard (Sicklerville, N.J.) each scored 10 points for the Scarlet Raiders. Howard led all players with a game-high nine boards.

The Knights must rebound quickly for a non-conference contest against Lehman College. The Mount will play Lehman on Saturday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. at New Roc City in New Rochelle, N.Y.