NEWARK, N.J. – The Rutgers-Newark Scarlet Raiders capitalized on a slow first half from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford women's basketball team and captured the 72-43 victory Saturday afternoon. 

The Panther offense started out slow as Rutgers-Newark jumped out to a 10-2 lead at the 4:08 mark of the first quarter. Etreece Adams scored the first points for the Panthers on a layup.

Rutgers-Newark maintained its 10-point advantage at the end of the quarter, 19-9.

Adams finished the quarter with four points while Anna Colebert knocked down three free throws. Isenberg rounded out the scoring with a layup of her own.

The Scarlet Raiders held the Panthers in check in the second quarter as a free throw from Bri Wells and a pair of field goals from Rinfrette made up the Pitt-Bradford scoring as Rutgers-Newark took a 30-14 lead into the half. 

Rutgers-Newark put together its strongest quarter of the game offensively in the third, storming out to 29 points to end the period ahead, 59-27.

Third quarter scoring for the Panthers included a field goal and three-pointer from Shaelyn Snipes and layups from Isenberg, Rinfrette and Wells.

Pitt-Bradford outscored the Scarlet Raiders, 16-13, in the fourth quarter to trim the deficit in the final frame.

Layups from Adams, Isenberg and Snipes came in the early minutes of the quarter while Colebert knocked down a three-pointer late to highlight the Panthers' scoring.

Sidelined for the first seven games of the season due to injury, Wells made her first career start and played 25 minutes while scoring four points and grabbing three rebounds and a pair of steals. The freshman made her career debut in the team's last game on Dec. 16 and scored three points while playing 15 minutes.

As a team, the Panthers tied a season high with six blocked shots. Adams and Rinfrette recorded a pair of send-backs.

Up next, the Panthers will resume conference play as they head to Penn Sate-Altoona on Wednesday, Jan. 3.