Box Score

Senior Night Insert

Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey women's basketball team hosted the Cougars of Kean University on Wednesday night with first place in the South Division on the line. By game's end, TCNJ would tally a 73-61 victory and the top seed in the NJAC South Division for the upcoming conference playoffs. TCNJ improves to 21-4 overall and 11-2 in the NJAC, while Kean drops to 19-6 overall and 11-2 in the NJAC.

Kean secured a No. 2 seed in the NJAC playoffs and will host Rutgers University-Newark (#3 seed in the North Division) on Saturday, February 21 at 1 p.m.

TCNJ would take a 36-27 lead into the locker room at the break as points off the bench, while both senior center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) connected for a double-double in the first half as she had 10 points and 10 rebounds. By game's end, she would tally a game-high 21 points and 18 rebounds. Overall on her career, she now has 1,514 points and 974 rebounds.

For the Lions, senior guard Alyssa Michella (Washington Twp., NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) added 15 points, while junior Nicole Diaz (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) added 11 points with five assists.

Kean's juniors guard Danielle Brown (North Brunswick, NJ/St. Peter's) and Olivia Triano (Keyport, NJ/Keyport) paced the Cougars with 13 points apiece, while sophomore Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway NJ/Piscataway) and junior Cardiss Jackman (Tobyhanna, PA/Pocono Mountain West) each netted 11 points.

Both teams struggled from three-point range in the first half as the Lions shot 33.3% (3-9) and Kean was 2-12 (16.7%). The Lions held a commanding edge on the boards in the first half as they had 27 rebounds to Kean's 13.

Kean would pull within four points, down 46-42 with 12:09 before TCNJ would pull away as they held a 54-43 edge with 9:31 left in the game. The Lions would hold a 64-49 edge with 4:59 left and

Ebony Jackson (Newark, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) would foul out of the contest with 1:52 left and TCNJ's senior Lisa Koch (Oak Ride, NJ/Jefferson Township) would hit one of two free throws and give TCNJ a 73-58 lead. Jackson finished with five points, while Koch added four points and six assists.