Hoboken, NJ... The College of New Jersey ran into a hot Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team on Monday as the Ducks defeated the Lions 63-50 for their 11^th straight win.
 
TCNJ had a nice winning streak of its own snapped as they entered the game having won five straight. The loss dropped the Lions to 8-6.
 
Stevens hasn't lost since its opening game of the season and are 11-1.
 
The Ducks led from the start scoring the opening eight points of the contest. The hosts then led by as many as many as 16 points in the final minutes of the period at 40-24. Stevens eventually carried a 42-27 lead in the break.
 
Stevens added to its lead in the second, before the Lions made a modest push to creep closer. Trailing 55-35, senior Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) made a pair of free throws and a couple of possessions later junior Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) cashed in on a traditional three-point play. Junior Christina Merlin (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) added another point with a free throw and O'Donnell returned to the line for two more points from the stripe. That 8-0 run cut the Stevens lead to 55-43.
 
The Ducks responded with an 8-1 run, but the Lions kept fighting as they tallied the game's final six points.
 
Esposito led the Lions with 12 points as she did most of her damage from behind the 3-point arc, striking three times from long range. O'Donnell also reached double figures with 10 points and added three assists.
 
Freshman Nikki Schott (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) chipped in with nine points and Merlin scored seven and snared six rebounds.
 
TCNJ returns to New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, January 14 when they head to Kean University for a 6 p.m. contest with the Cougars.