Wayne, NJ… Throughout the course of the season, The College of New Jersey women's basketball team used big second-half runs to lead them to victory. The Lions had the tables turned on them on Wednesday as William Paterson University broke open a tight game in the second half with a 15-2 run on its way to a 74-50 win over TCNJ.

The loss dropped the Lions to from a first-place tie in the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings as they fell to 8-2 as they are now a half game behind Montclair State University (8-1). Overall, TCNJ is 11-5 on the season. The win gave the Pioneers sole possession of third place in the conference at 7-3 and they are 10-7 overall.

The Lions started quickly scoring seven of the game's first nine points in the opening 3:17. After the Pioneers took a 2-0 lead, TCNJ netted seven straight points with junior Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) getting the first points for the Lions with a 3-pointer, while senior Liz West (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional) and Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) added field goals.

William Paterson then went on a 16-5 run to regain the lead and it was something they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the half. The hosts held their biggest advantage at 24-14, but the Lions chipped away and cut that deficit in half by halftime. Sophomore Christina Merlin (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) scored the final points of the period with a lay-up with 24 seconds left. That trimmed the Pioneer lead to 35-30 at the break.

William Paterson's big run started early in the second half with the Pioneers scoring four straight points to begin the new period with O'Donnell scoring on consecutive trips down the floor for TCNJ.

The hosts then scored the next four points with West scoring for the Lions with 15:55 showing on the clock and the Pioneers in front 43-36. William Paterson countered West's bucket with 11 straight points over a span of more than four minutes. That surge pushed their advantage to 54-36 with 10:28 remaining.

TCNJ responded with six straight points as O'Donnell and West each connected from the floor and senior Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) hit a pair from the foul line bring the gap back to 54-42.

The Pioneers kept their margin in double figures the rest of the way as they earned a split in the season series with the 74-50 win.

O'Donnell led the Lions with 13 points, while West scored 10. DeTulio finished with seven points and seven rebounds and senior Kelly Roddy (Belmar, NJ/St. Rose) led TCNJ with eight rebounds and added six points.

TCNJ will play its third road game of the week on Saturday, January 25 when they head to Kean University to face the Cougars at 1 p.m.