Upper Montclair, NJ (1/28/04) - Freshman center STEPHANIE MACHIN (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds and the Montclair State bench came up big as the Red Hawks topped Rutgers-Camden, 83-73, in New Jersey Athletic Conference Women's Basketball action on Wednesday evening at Panzer Gymnasium.

KRISTEN POTENZONE (Totowa, NJ/DePaul Catholic) had 12 points as MSU (14-3, 5-2 NJAC) won its fourth straight and defeated the Scarlet Raptors (7-11, 2-5 NJAC) for the first time in seven games. The victory was also the first for interim head coach Brian Sentowski. Erin James (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) had a game-high 21 points for Rutgers-Camden, which has dropped two straight and last fell to Montclair, 66-48, on January, 22, 2000.

The Red Hawks trailed 39-38 at the half, but got 23 of its 45 second-half points from the bench to pull away. Down 51-46 at the 14:48 mark, AMANDA MULLANEY (Brooklyn, NJ/Bishop Ford) ignited a 12-2 run with a layup and Potenzone followed with a basket to cut the deficit to 51-50. Mullaney scored four straight to give Montclair the lead and DYETTE DILLARD (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro) sank two free throws for a 56-53 advantage with 11:56 to go. Potenzone capped the spurt with two more foul shots as MSU took a 58-53 lead.

Rutgers-Camden would trim the lead to 60-59 as James scored on the fast break, however, Montclair scored the next 10 points to slowly pull away. Dillard hit a layup and Potenzone added another for a 64-59 lead before Machin hit two from the line giving MSU a seven-point advantage. Machin converted a layup for the eighth consecutive point and Dillard capped off the run with a jumper making the score 70-59 with 6:55 left.

The Scarlet Raptors would get within 72-66 with 5:27 to go on a three-pointer by Megan Rulon (Sewell, NJ/Clearview Regional), but Machin converted back-to-back layups to all but seal the game.

Dillard and PAM BARONE (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) each scored 11 while Mullaney had 10 and a game-high 14 rebounds. SHIKEENA LYNARD (Carney's Point, NJ/Penns Grove) had all eight of her points in the first half to help Montclair erase a seven-point deficit before the end of the period. Combined the MSU bench outscored he Rutgers-Camden reserves, 40-15. The Red Hawks shot 43 percent in the game (28-of-85), but converted 22-of-29 (76 percent) at the free throw line and outrebounded the Scarlet Raptors, 49-40. VANESSA DEFREITAS (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) and AMY SNYDER (Cranford, NJ/Union Catholic) combined for 12 points and 11 assists.

Rulon, who grabbed eight rebounds, and Carmen Zimmit (Woodstown, NJ/Woodstown) each had 11 points and a combined 15 rebounds. Karen Carter (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) and Crystal Lucas (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) each added nine points.