Ewing, NJ …The College of New Jersey women's basketball team resumes its 2015-16 schedule tomorrow (Tuesday), competing in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament hosted by Lehman College.
 
The Lions (3-6) will suit up to battle Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus (7-3) at 2 p.m. TCNJ has won three of its last four contests and will look to carry that momentum into the match-up with the Devils. FDU-Florham got off to a hot start this season by winning its first four games, but split the last six. The contest is available to follow on live stats and video stream. Lehman and St. Elizabeth College are the other two programs participating in the tourney.
 
Defense has been a key component to the Lions recent success. They have allowed an average of just 49 points in their three wins. TCNJ has also cast a stronger presence under the boards, outrebounding their opponents by a cumulative margin of 30 in its three victories. They limited second-chance points in a 59-48 win against Rutgers-Newark, permitting just four offensive boards to the Scarlet Raiders.
 
Senior guard Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) currently leads the team in scoring with 11.8 points per game. She has also drained a team-high, 15 three-point field goals, while leading the New Jersey Athletic Conference in free throw shooting percentage at a .958 clip (23-of-24). Junior guard Kim Dana (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) has started all nine games and has dished out a team-best 32 assists to complement her 7.6 points per game. Senior Christina Merlin (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) has been a major factor in the Lions' recent surge under the glass. She grabbed a season-high 10 boards in a win over Stockton University and leads the team with 52 total rebounds. Senior Jess Lynch (Newtown, CT/Newtown), sophomore Cindy Napolitano (Wall, NJ/St. Rose), and sophomore Charlotte Schlum (East Hanover, NJ/Morris Catholic) have also been solid on a roster that shows nine different players averaging over 18 minutes per game.
 
The Devils will present challenges for TCNJ on Tuesday. They won the NCAA national title in 2014 and advanced to the Elite 8 last season. Senior Shalette Brown (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) is having a tremendous season, averaging 17.9 points and 14.7 rebounds through 10 games. She is shooting 51 percent from the floor, but has struggled from the charity stripe, converting 23-of-46 free throws.
 
The Lions will return to the hardwood on Wednesday to play either Lehman or St. Elizabeth. Following the New Year, they jump back into NJAC play with road games at Ramapo College and New Jersey City University. TCNJ returns to Packer Hall on Monday, January 11^th to host Stevens Institute of Technology. That game will be available to follow on live stats and video stream.