GLASSBORO, N.J. – The TCNJ women's basketball team picked up a crucial 70-59 win over Rowan on Wednesday. The Lions gave the Profs just their second New Jersey Athletic Conference loss on the season. TCNJ, Rowan, and Montclair State now all own NJAC records of 10-2 this year.
TCNJ (13-6, 10-2 NJAC) began the game with a 10-0 run.
Elle Cimilluca started the scoring with a three-pointer 41 seconds in.
Jen Byrne knocked down a jumper, then
Shannon Devitt made a pair of free throws to put TCNJ ahead 7-0.
Sydney Blum scored on an and-one to give the Lions a 10-0 lead.
The Profs were able to diminish the Lions' lead to 14-13 by the end of the first quarter. Both sides traded buckets in an evenly matched second period. With 2:03 to play in the half,
Mollie Brueggemeier hit a three-pointer after taking a nice feed from Cimilluca to put TCNJ up 31-25. Cimilluca converted on a pair of free throws at the end of the half to put the Lions ahead 35-30.
The Lions began to take control of the game with a 14-0 run to start the third quarter.
Rachel Gazzola hit consecutive three-pointers right out of the gate. After a Byrne lay-up on a fast break, Gazzola hit from beyond the arc again to push the lead to 46-30. Byrne capped off the big run with a trifecta of her own.
Devitt made a pair of free throws to put TCNJ ahead 56-43 at the end of the third. The Lions began the fourth quarter strong and continued to build their lead. Cimilluca continued to score, as she drained a three-pointer to put TCNJ up 59-43 with 8:51 to go. She then scored a bucket with a fast break jumper.
Morgan Heller's lay-up gave the Lions a 15 point lead with 7:06 to play, and TCNJ was able to dictate the remainder of the game to pull out the big conference win.
Gazzola led the way with a game-high 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three-point land. Cimilluca set a career-high with 19 points. She also added six assists along with four rebounds. Devitt scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Byrne tallied nine points with five boards. Blum grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds and scored seven points.
The Lions will return to the hardwood on Feb. 1, when they will face Montclair State at home.
