EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ women's basketball team turned in a near-historic offensive performance in Tuesday's NJAC opener, rolling past Rutgers-Camden to the tune of a 114-55 rout.
 
The relentless Lions (3-2, 1-0) came within a whisker of the school record for points in a game, just shy of the 117 they scored in a 95-point victory over New Jersey City State in 1991. TCNJ, which hit triple figures for only the third time since 1981, posted its largest margin of victory since a 95-32 defeat of NJCU in January of 2018.
 
All 11 healthy players made at least two field goals for TCNJ, which led by 50 at halftime and scored at least 30 points in each of the first three quarters. First-year Grace Kowalski led the way with a huge season high of 26 points to go with eight assists, with five other Lions joining her in double figures.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• TCNJ got off to a flying start, getting a 3-pointer from Julia Setaro on its first possession and another from Nina Branchizio to force an early timeout from the visitors
• The Lions continued their long-range barrage as Natalie Kolb, Arianna McCleod, and Kowalski each nailed first-quarter triples, and Setaro's steal and driving layup in transition – the hosts' first two-point field goal – pushed the lead to double digits for the first time (17-7) at the 3:26 mark.
• The 3's continued to fly for TCNJ, and Branchizio's back-to-back long balls preceded another by Kowalski just before the buzzer, giving the hosts a massive 30-10 advantage after a quarter in which they knocked down eight tripes
• The Lions wasted no time swelling their lead to insurmountable territory, needing barely two minutes to score the first 10 points of the second stanza. Myah Hourigan-Hutton started the frame with consecutive baskets before 3-pointers by Izzy Leazier and Branchizio made it 40-10 at the 7:58 mark of the frame. By the time Setaro converted a three-point play with a left-handed scoop shot, TCNJ had run off 19 straight points bridging the quarter break
• TCNJ didn't let up from there, outscoring the Scarlet Raptors (0-5, 0-1) by a whopping 35-5 margin in the stanza to take a 50-point lead (65-15) into the locker room
• The Lions buried their first six shots of the second half and finished 13-for-19 (5-for-6 from 3) for the third quarter, which ended with a 98-36 lead. Olivia Magee and Ella Van Dine – fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance with the women's soccer team – each made a field goal in the quarter
• Van Dine put TCNJ into triple digits with a fast-break layup on a pass ahead from Kowalski, and the Lions eventually settled on 114 points

FOR THE FOES

• Rahzirah Blocker led the Scarlet Raptors with 21 points, with A'yanna Morton (16) and Taja Brown (11) also reaching double figures
• Camden shot 33.3 percent for the game (21-for-63) and was 0-for-9 from beyond the arc

STANDOUT LIONS

• Kowalski needed only a quarter and a half to notch a new season high in points, knocking down four of her first five attempts en route to a 12-point first half. She tacked on 14 more in the second half, finishing 10-of-13 from the floor and dishing out eight assists without a turnover
• Fricker was a force on the glass, coming close to a double-double in the first half alone (8 points, 9 rebounds). She got there easily after intermission, pairing 10 points with a career-high 13 rebounds
• Branchizio banged in four 3-pointers in the first half and wound up 5-for-8 from long range for 15 points
• Isabella Cafaro coupled 14 points with eight rebounds, Leazier had 14 points and seven assists, and Setaro was the sixth Lion in double digits with 10
• Kolb stuffed the box score with five points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while McCleod finished with eight points
• Van Dine, Hourigan-Hutton, and Magee all had four points

NOTES

• The Lions extended their winning streak against Rutgers-Camden to 13 games and have won seven straight at home in the series
• TCNJ shot a robust 55.1 percent for the night, including 17-of-36 (47.2) from 3. The Lions racked up 31 assists to just five turnovers and held massive advantages in points off turnovers (30-8), paint points (50-28), bench points (60-6), and fast-break points (23-3)
• Setaro is now 18 points away from 1,000 for her career

UP NEXT

• The Lions have a week off before resuming NJAC play at Rowan next Wednesday