Union, NJ... The College of New Jersey women's basketball team dropped a 62-48 road contest at Kean University on Wednesday.
 
The teams entered the game with identical overall and New Jersey Athletic Conference records, but the Lions fell to 8-7 and 3-5 in conference play. The Cougars moved one game ahead of TCNJ in the league standings as they moved to an even 4-4 in the NJAC and 9-6 overall.
 
The Lions continue conference play on Saturday when they head to William Paterson University for a 1 p.m. contest against the Pioneers.
 
The game was close throughout the opening 20 minutes with the teams being tied twice early, before the TCNJ took a 6-4 lead on a basket by junior Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney).
 
The Cougars countered with a 7-0 run and then led 12-10 after Lion forward Nikki Schott (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) scored once from the field and then twice from the foul line.
 
Kean took its biggest lead of the period at 19-10, but the Lions rattled off seven straight points to get back within two. Junior Christina Merlin (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) started that run sinking a jumper and Esposito add another. Freshman Charlotte Schum (East Hanover, NJ/Morris Catholic) made it a 19-17 game hitting a 3-pointer.
 
TCNJ finished the half strong with two field goals in the final minute that saw them going into the break down by two points at 28-26. Merlin connected on a lay-up with 50 seconds left and junior Jess Lynch (Sandy Hook, CT/Newtown) drained a jump shot with 11 seconds showing on the clock.
 
The Lions kept it close in the second half staying within striking distance most of the period. They did get to within a point at 37-36 when Schott made a lay-up, but the hosts would slowly pull away taking a double-digit lead for the first time in the final minutes.
 
Esposito led TCNJ with 15 points, while Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens), Lynch and Schott each finished with six.