Wayne, NJ... The College of New Jersey women's basketball team turned in a complete effort to pick up a huge conference win on Saturday as the Lions toppled host William Paterson University 78-67 on Saturday.
 
The victory lifted the Lions to 4-5 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference as they finished the first half of the league schedule. Overall, TCNJ moved to 9-7.
 
The Lions played well at both ends of the floor as they limited the Pioneers to only 33.3 percent shooting for the game, while excelling in a number of areas on offense. TCNJ connected on seven 3-pointers and shot 46.7 from behind the arc, while making the most of their frequent trips to the foul line making 25-of-30 (83.3 percent).
 
William Paterson took the early lead, but that didn't slow the Lions as they quickly forged ahead. Trailing 4-2, TCNJ went on an 8-0 to take a lead they would never relinquish. Senior Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) tied the game with a lay-up and seconds later gave TCNJ its first lead with a free throw at 5-4.
 
Junior Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) then drained a 3-pointer and senior Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) added another field goal as the Lions led 10-4.
 
The Lions took their biggest lead of the period with just over five minutes left as sophomore Katy Amato (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) sank a pair of free throws. Those two shots extended TCNJ's lead to 33-23.
 
The Pioneers tried to make a push just before the half, but the visitors scored five of the last seven points to take a 38-30 lead into the intermission.
 
The teams traded baskets early in the second frame with William Paterson getting to within seven at 43-36.
 
Another 8-0 run by the Lions gave them some breathing room with this latest burst ignited by a pair of three-pointers. Senior Kelly Coughlin (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) hit the first and freshman Charlotte Schum (East Hanover, NJ/Morris Catholic) the second. Two foul shots by Esposito put TCNJ in front 53-38. This run was a quick one as all eight points came on three straight possessions and took only 1:04 off of the clock.
 
William Paterson made a couple of runs to get the deficit back to single digits as they closed the gap to seven points, and with less than two minutes to play got it to five at 70-65.
 
TCNJ made one more statement as Coughlin sank a three-pointer with 1:25 to play. The Lions then iced the game in the final minute knocking down 5-of-6 free throws.
 
The Lions had tremendous balance as five players reached double figures in scoring, led by Coughlin's 16. Esposito added 13 and was followed by Goldbach with 12, O'Donnell with 11 and freshman Nikki Schott (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) with 10.
 
The loss dropped the Pioneers to 9-7 and 5-4 in NJAC play.
 
TCNJ returns home on Wednesday, January 21 for another conference game as Rutgers-Camden visits Packer Hall at 6 p.m.