Camden, NJ (2/19/04) - Freshman center STEPHANIE MACHIN (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) scored off a putback with 30 seconds remaining to break a tie game and spark the Montclair State University women's basketball team to an 83-80 victory over Rutgers University-Camden in a New Jersey Athletic Conference Blue Division game tonight.

Montclair State improves to 19-5 overall and 8-4 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden falls to 10-14 and 4-8. The Red Hawks swept the season series, also winning, 83-73, at Montclair back on Jan. 28.

Machin's score came moments after Lady Raptor freshman guard Kelly Stafford (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) tied the game at 80-80 with a layup. That tie was the seventh of the night, but Machin notched the last of her team-high 19 points to give the Red Hawks an 82-80 lead. Montclair State tacked on its final point on a foul shot by senior guard PAM BARONE (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa Academy), who finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

With the Raptors holding a 49-47 lead, Montclair State sophomore center AMANDA MULLANEY (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Ford) went on her own personal scoring spree, collecting four consecutive field goals to lift the Red Hawks to a 56-49 lead. Montclair State never trailed the rest of the night, although the Lady Raptors tied the game at 78-78 and 80-80, both times on shots by Stafford. The two teams traded the lead three times and were tied on four occasions in the opening half, with the Lady Raptors knotting the halftime score at 36-36 as sophomore forward Karen Carter (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) was fouled and made three free throws with no time on the clock.

The game marked the final home contest for Rutgers-Camden senior point guard Erin James (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester), who tied her career high with 27 points before fouling out late in the game. James notched 15 first-half points for the Raptors, while sophomore forward Megan Rulon (Sewell, NJ/Clearview Regional) had 10 points and nine rebounds.

For Montclair State, sophomore guard AMY SNYDER (Cranford, NJ/Union Catholic), senior guard DYETTE DILLARD (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro) and sophomore forward SHIKEENA LYNARD (Carney's Point, NJ/Penns Grove) each had seven first-half points. Sophomore forward EBONY ALLEN (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) finished the game second on the Red Hawks in scoring with 13 points, while tying Barone with her team-high nine rebounds. Barone, Snyder and Mullaney each finished with 11 points.

MSU, which has already clinched an NJAC playoff berth, closes out the 2003-04 regular season on Saturday, Feb. 21, with a 2:00 p.m. game against visiting New Jersey City University at Panzer Gymnasium. The Red Hawks recorded a 65-59 victory at NJCU back on Feb. 4.