Widener improves to 7-5 with its sixth win in eight games, while Rutgers-Camden falls to 4-8 with its seventh straight loss.
After the two teams battled to a 25-25 halftime score, Widener started its second-half run on a tip-in by senior center Terry Smith (York, PA/Spring Grove Area) to take the lead for good, 27-25. They followed with a jumper by senior guard Malcolm Thomas (Baltimore, MD/Pikesville) before the Raptors scored on a layup by senior guard Sydney Francis (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson).
Widener rattled off the next 14 points, including six by sophomore guard Nyere Miller (Washington, D.C./Gonzaga College HS) and five by Thomas. The Pride had three treys in the run and went 7-for-8 from three-point range in the second half.
The Raptors finally ended the run with a foul shot by Francis 4:38 into the second half, but came no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Thomas finished with 16 points to lead four Widener players in double figures. Miller notched 12, Edmunds canned 11 and senior guard Essien Ford (Baltimore, MD/Loyola Blakefield) added 10.
Thomas also had nine rebounds for Widener, while Smith added eight as the Pride held a 36-25 advantage off the boards.
Edmunds had a game-high four steals and Ford tied Rutgers-Camden freshman guard Rory Thornton (Vauxhall, NJ/Union) for game-high honors with four assists.
For Rutgers-Camden, senior guard Dane Nicholson (Pleasantville, NJ/Holy Spirit) had game-high honors with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He scored 12 of his points in the first half as the teams played to a 25-25 tie.
Francis added 17 points for the Scarlet Raptors.
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Sunday in the Cyrus D. Jones Invitational at Lincoln University. They play Keystone College at 2 p.m. Sunday, then face host Lincoln on Monday at 4 p.m. The Raptors’ last win came against Keystone in the championship game of the Giants’ Hilton Holiday Classic, by a 55-47 score on Dec. 3.
Widener entertains Albright College at 8 p.m. Wednesday.