EWING, N.J. – The College of New Jersey women's basketball team picked up a victory over Ramapo on Saturday. The Lions topped the Roadrunners by a final score of 71-51. TCNJ improved to 15-7 with the win, including 12-3 in conference action. Ramapo fell to 9-13 and 3-12 in the NJAC.

Elle Cimilluca knocked down a three-pointer with 18 seconds left in the first quarter to give TCNJ a 10-8 lead. Ramapo hit a jumper on the next possession to tie the game, 10-10.

The Roadrunners took a 16-15 lead in the second quarter, but the Lions countered with an 11-2 run. Sydney Blum made a pair of free throws, then Morgan Heller sank a three-pointer. Shannon Devitt pushed the lead to 23-16 with a lay-up, then Jen Byrne drilled a trifecta from the top of the arc to put the Lions ahead, 26-18. TCNJ took a 30-22 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Lions took an 11-point lead with a couple of buckets from Byrne. She hit on a lay-up, then on the next TCNJ possession knocked down a mid-range jumper to make it a 40-29 game.

The Roadrunners knocked down a three-pointer to pull within 46-39 late in the third quarter, but Rachel Gazzola had the answer for TCNJ. She drained a three-pointer of her own to give TCNJ a 49-39 lead. The Lions took that advantage into the fourth quarter.

TCNJ began to pull away in the fourth. Cimilluca hit from three-point range to make the Lion lead 55-41 with 7:14 to play. Blum scored a lay-up on the next possession to stretch the lead to 16. A few possessions later, Byrne converted on an and-one after taking a nice feed from Cimilluca. Her free throw put the Lions up, 60-46, with 4:50 to play in the game. The Lions kept the Roadrunners at bay down the stretch and took home the victory.

Byrne scored 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. She also grabbed eight rebounds. Devitt scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Blum scored 11 points. Gazzola tallied 10 points and seven rebounds, while Cimilluca totaled nine points and eight assists.

The Lions have had success in this matchup lately. TCNJ is now 20-2 in the last 22 games against Ramapo dating back to the 2006-07 season. The Lions have now won the last six meetings against the Roadrunners as well.

Devitt moved into third place all-time in TCNJ history in rebounding. She now has 842 rebounds on her career with the 13 boards today.

Prior to the game, the Lions held senior day to honor Byrne for all of her contributions to the program the last four seasons. 

TCNJ returns to action on Feb. 12 for a home game against NJCU.