Williamsport, PA... The College of New Jersey women's basketball team posted its best win of the season as the Lions knocked off host Lycoming College, 64-60 on Monday during the second day of competition in the Hoops for Hounds Tournament.
 
The win put TCNJ's growing winning streak at a modest three straight as the Lions moved to 6-5 on the season. The loss was only the second of the year for the Warriors, as they fell to 9-2. Lycoming also saw their six-game win streak snapped and suffered its first home defeat of the year.
 
A big factor in the game was timely and effective shooting from three-point range as TCNJ made 42 percent (8-of-19) of its attempts. Junior guard Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) poured in a career-high 18 points and was a deadly 5-for-6 on 3-pointers. Senior Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) also hit twice from long range and finished with a season-best 15 points, while dishing out five assists.
 
O'Donnell was named the tournament MVP and junior Jess Lynch (Sandy Hook, CT/Newtown) earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
 
TCNJ played a solid opening period as the teams remained within striking distance of each other throughout. The Lions started the game with a basket by senior Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) and two free throws by O'Donnell for a 4-0 lead.
 
The teams would be tied several times through the half with each team taking their biggest advantage in the final five minutes. The host Warriors went up 21-18 with 4:45 left in the frame, but TCNJ went on a 12-1 run to surge ahead 30-22. In that run, Esposito accounted for half of those points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers.
 
Lycoming tacked on a bucket in the final minute to cut TCNJ's lead to 30-24 at the break.
 
The Lions carried their strong play over into the second half, scoring the first five points to extend the lead to 11. O'Donnell made a jump shot and Esposito once again connected from behind the 3-point arc.
 
The Warriors then had a quick 6-0 run that took only 1:04 off of the clock to pull within 35-30.
 
TCNJ countered with six straight points of their own as senior Kelly Coughlin (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) picked up four of those points and freshman Nikki Schott (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) the other two. Those points pushed the lead to 41-30.
 
The Lions remained in the lead and then used a succession of three-pointers to claim their biggest advantage of the game at 53-37. Esposito hit two of them, sandwiched around one by O'Donnell. Those baskets came on three straight trips down the court.
 
Lycoming made one last charge with a 12-0 run that spanned just under five minutes, but for the second straight day TCNJ was perfect from the foul line down the stretch to ice the game. O'Donnell made all four of her free throws and Schott made both of hers to close out the four-point triumph.
 
Coughlin just missed reaching double figures for the Lions as she finished with nine points and snared six rebounds.
 
TCNJ begins the 2015 portion of its schedule on Wednesday, January 7 when Ramapo College visits Packer Hall for a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest at 6 p.m.