Box Score

Jersey City, NJ…The College of New Jersey women's basketball team collected its first conference win of the season as the Lions used a key run in the second half to slip past host New Jersey City University, 55-44, on Saturday.

With the win, TCNJ climbed to 7-7 overall and are 1-2 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, while the Gothic Knights remained winless in conference action at 0-3 and are 2-10 overall.

The teams played a tight opening half with the Lions finishing the opening 20 minutes clinging to a 26-25 advantage.

NJCU scored a pair of quick buckets at the start of the new half to take the lead before the teams found themselves deadlocked at 36-36. From that point, TCNJ took over going on a 14-0 run to open up a 50-36 lead. Sophomore Jessica Imhof (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) sparked that run with a pair of buckets, while the defense also did its part holding the Gothic Knights scoreless for just over seven minutes.

Sophomore Hannah Tait (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) paced the Lions with 11 points and eight rebounds, while junior Kelsey Kutch (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) and Candace Vigo (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick Health Science Tech.) each finished with 10 points. Kutch added eight rebounds, while Vigo pulled down seven. Imhof chipped in with seven points.

In each of TCNJ's seven wins this season, defense has played a big role holding the opposition to 49 points or less.

The Lions continue its conference slate on Wednesday, January 13 hosting Rutgers University-Camden in a 6 p.m. start at Packer Hall.