Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (18-8) used a strong defensive effort in the second half and downed Rutgers-Camden (14-11) 55-43 in the first round of the NJAC tournament. Sasha Williams (Cherry Hill/CH West) scored 25 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while frontcourt mate Najha Treadwell (Cinnaminson/Cinnaminson) also registered a double-double with 22 points and 18 boards.
 
The contest began extremely tight as both teams struggled to score against the other's defense. Treadwell tallied eight points while Williams added four markers and two assists to help the Ospreys grab a slim 13-9 lead after one quarter.
 
The Scarlet Raptors clamped down during the second period as they held Stockton to 3-17 (17.6%) shooting and took a 23-21 lead at the break. The Ospreys led 17-13 after a Williams layup but were outscored 10-4 the rest of the period. The visitors helped their cause by shooting 43.8% (7-16) during the frame.
 
Rutgers-Camden scored the first five points of the third quarter to extend to 28-21 before Stockton took over. The Ospreys used a 20-3 onslaught to erase the seven-point deficit and build a 41-31 advantage. Williams scored 10 points and Treadwell added eight as the Stockton bigs dominated. The Scarlet Raptors went scoreless for the last 4:36 of the period and the Ospreys led by 10 after three.
 
The margin ballooned to 47-31 before the Raptors finally broke the scoreless skid of 7:36. Rutgers-Camden whittled the lead to 10 at 51-41 with 2:22 left but that was as close as they would come. Four free throws by Hailee Porricelli (Howell/Freehold Twp.) in the last 1:38 helped seal Stockton's fifth straight win and 11th in the last 12 games
 
Treadwell notched her eighth straight double-double and shot 11-15 (73.3%) from the field. Williams reached the 20-point mark for the fourth time in the last five games. The duo scored all but eight of Stockton's points and Porricelli went 7-8 at the line for seven markers.
 
April Peterson (Lafayette/High Point) tied Williams with three assists and snared eight rebounds while Lea Mendolla (Nutley/Mount St. Dominic) added six rebounds and a team-high four steals. The Ospreys held a massive 58-34 rebounding edge on the glass for the game.
 
Lajerah Wright was the only player for Rutgers-Camden in double figures with 10 points and led the squad with nine rebounds. Cara Rocabaldo contributed nine points, six rebounds, five steals and four assists for the Scarlet Raptors
 
The No. 3 seeded Ospreys advanced to play No.2 seed The College of New Jersey in an NJAC semifinal at TCNJ on Tuesday at 7 pm.