Box Score
Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey women's basketball team hosted No. 6 ranked Cougars of Kean University on Wednesday night in Packer Hall on South Division on the line. The Lions would snap Kean's 16-game win streak as they pulled off the79-71 win to improve to 17-5 overall and 8-2 in the NJAC, while Kean falls to 21-2 and 9-2 in the NJAC. TCNJ has now won four in a row and ties the head to head series as Kean won the first meeting on January 16, 60-44.
TCNJ and Kean donned pink as both teams participated in the WBCA's Think Pink initiative and the Lions found success with pink shooting shirts and shoe laces.
TCNJ's junior center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) added her 17th double-double of the season as she tallied a game-high 19 points and 14 rebounds and six blocks.
TCNJ lead 35-29 at the half as the Lions got 12 first half points from rookie forward Kelsey Kutch (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough). TCNJ led by as many as 12 in the first half (28-16 at 9:14) and in the second half Kean pulled within one point for the first time since the opening bucket of the game at 15:05 in the second half (TCNJ 43-42 Kean). Kean tied the action at 9:51 as freshman Angelica Bermudez (Belleville, NJ/St. Anthony) completed a three-point play and tied the action at 51-51.
TCNJ used an impressive performance from the line in the second half as they shot 82.8%, making 24 of 29 free throws. Among the leaders down the stretch, Kutch hit all 12 of her free throws, making 6-6 in each half, while Klimowicz made 9-of-10 for the game and was 7-8 in the second half. Senior Sara Best (High Bridge, NJ/Voorhees) added 17 points for the Lions and made 6-11 from the floor to help the Lions to the win.
Kean's junior guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, NJ/Union Hill) led the Cougars as she tallied 15 points, adding nine in the second half. She added four treys in the contest, while Bermudez finished with 13 points as she too added nine second half points. Senior center Chari' Cooper (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) added a double-double as she pulled down 10 rebounds with 10 points. Rookie guard Brittany Powell (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional) added 11 points as she hit 3-of-5 from three points range.
Kean was held to a 34.8% performance from the floor (24-69), while TCNJ also held a 45-38 edge on the boards and forced 22 turnovers.
TCNJ returns to action on February 16 at Richard Stockton for a 1 p.m. road contest at Richard Stockton College, while Kean will play next hosting Richard Stockton on February 20.
