Jersey City, NJ – Senior Kelsey Kutch (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) dropped in a season-high 15 points as she joined the 1,000-point club as The College of New of New Jersey women's basketball team handled New Jersey City University, 67-39 on Saturday.
 
Kutch entered the game needing 14 points to reach the milestone and used a strong second half to become the 14^th player in program history to record 1,000 career points. The forward got her 1,000^th and 1,001st points with 2:50 left in the game with a field goal. She finished going 6-for-13 from the floor and she added to be banner day with seven rebounds.
 
The win also moved the Lions into sole possession of second place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference South Division as they moved to 5-3 in conference play. TCNJ is 13-6 overall. Earlier in the day, Richard Stockton fell 74-59 at home to Richard Stockton.
 
A big key for the Lions were a pair of sizeable runs that came early in each half. After the Gothic Knights netted the initial bucket of the game, TCNJ rattled off 12 straight points with senior Jessica Imhof (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) starting that run and then closing it out with two more field goals. Also scoring from the floor during that span were senior Hannah Tait (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) and sophomore Liz West (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional), while sophomore Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) was perfect on a pair of attempts from the foul line.
 
During that run, TCNJ's defense held NJCU scoreless for 3:31 and forced three turnovers.
 
Imhof and Tait closed out the half scoring from the floor as those buckets only added to the strong start when the teams return to the floor for the second half. TCCNJ led 33-17 at the break.
 
Once back on the floor, the Lions scored the half's first 12 points dismissing any hopes the hosts had of mounting a comeback. West opened the second half with jumper, while DeTulio and Tait each followed with 3-pointers. Imhof and West scored the final baskets as TCNJ quickly built their lead to 45-17. With the two baskets at the end of the opening half, the total run finished at 16 straight points.
 
TCNJ kept things in control the rest of the way as its defense allowed only 39 points, which is a season best. The Lions also limited the Gothic Knights to only 25.5 percent shooting for the game and held a decisive 49-33 edge on the glass.
 
West and Imhof also reached double figures for the Lions with West netting 13 and Imhof 10,
 
TCNJ plays its final non-conference game of the year on Tuesday, January 24 when they head to Washington DC to take on catholic University at 6 p.m.