EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ women's basketball team used a 19-0 run in the first quarter to cruise to a 80-49 victory over Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday night at Packer Hall. The Lions finished with a season-high 22 assists on 31 field goals.
 
Rutgers-Camden jumped out to a 9-5 lead to start the game, but the TCNJ defense held the Scarlet Raptors without a point for the final 6:59 of the first quarter. In that span, the Lions scored 19 unanswered to take a 24-9 lead at the end of the period.
 
The TCNJ run was an exercise in well-balanced offense. Seven different Lions scored in the stretch with Nina Branchizio the only player with multiple baskets. She hit a three pointer to make it 14-9, and she followed that with a jumper to make it 18-9.
 
Izzy Leazier, Nikki Alexatos and Mollie Brueggemeier all made field goals in the run, and Isabella Cafaro made a pair of free throws.
 
Emily Toy and Julia Setaro each hit three pointers on the backside of the run. TCNJ shot 64.3 percent (9-for-14) from the field in the first period, including making 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
 
Rutgers-Camden made a push late in the first half with nine consecutive points, but Branchizio nailed a 40-footer at the horn to send TCNJ into the room with a 37-24 advantage. She hit another three pointer early in the third quarter, and the Lions' lead never sunk below 12 points for the rest of the night.
 
Setaro led TCNJ with 20 points on 8-of-12 scoring. Three other TCNJ scorers finished in double figures. Branchizio scored 14 points while make four three pointers. Alexatos had 13 points and a team-best six rebounds, and Leazier scored 11 points while making all three of her three pointers.
 
TCNJ made 13 three pointers, setting a new season high. The Lions previous mark of 12 was set three times: against Stevens and Rowan in November and Stevenson in December.
 
The Lions hit the road at New Jersey City on Saturday.