Glassboro, NJ…A fast start and a huge run in the second half played key roles The College of New Jersey women's basketball team winning their eighth straight game as the Lions cruised past Rowan University 81-57 on Wednesday.
 
TCNJ started quickly as they never trailed in the game, scoring the game's first nine points. The lead hovered in double digits for most of the game before a huge 18-0 run midway through the second half all but secured the victory.
 
The win put the Lions at 9-2 overall and a perfect 6-0 in New Jersey Athletic Conference play, while the Profs dropped to 2-4 in the conference and 3-9 overall.
 
The Lions came out executing on both ends of the floor as they raced out to a 9-0 lead just 2:41 into the game. Senior Liz West (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional) sank a pair of field goals in that run with junior Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) knocking down a 3-pointer and senior Kelly Roddy (Belmar, NJ/St. Rose) making a jumper to open the scoring.
 
The defense also came up big force four turnovers on Rowan's first five possessions of the game.
 
The lead steadily grew for TCNJ leading 28-13 with 8:53 left in the half and later claimed its biggest lead of the period at 34-18 as sophomore Jess Lynch (Newtown, CT/Newtown) made a lay-up.
 
The guests closed out the opening frame with a modest 6-0 run with junior Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) getting the first bucket and sophomore Christina Merlin (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) scoring back-to-back field goals to end the period. Those points put the Lions in front 44-29.
 
In the second half, it was that big run that highlighted the final 20 minutes. TCNJ led 49-39 after the Profs scored with 15:49, but those were the final points the hosts would score for the next 7:53. In that time the lead ballooned to 67-39 with junior Kelly Coughlin (Trumbull, CT/Trumball) leading the charge with 10 points in that time, including a pair of 3-pointers.
 
The Lions went on to finish with 81 points, marking the seventh time this season they have scored at least 75 points. Scoring contributions came a 13 different players with Roddy (16) and Coughlin (12) the only two to reach double figures. Merlin finished with a career-high eight points.
 
The team's defense tied a season-best as they forced the Profs into 25 turnovers.
 
TCNJ will go after its ninth consecutive win on Saturday, January 11 when they return home to face Rutgers-Newark in a 1 p.m. start in Packer Hall.