EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ women's basketball team used a first-half 3-point barrage and suffocating defense to stifle visiting Rowan in a 58-46 NJAC home victory on Wednesday night.
 
Nina Branchizio (16 points) and Arianna McCleod (15) made four treys apiece for the Lions (10-3, 6-0), who remained unbeaten in league play and all alone atop the NJAC standings.
 
Rowan (8-5, 4-2) scored on the game's first possession, but TCNJ held the brown and gold to just two points over the next eight minutes and change, opening up a 17-6 lead after one quarter as McCleod drained three triples in the final 2:29 of the frame.
 
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Branchizio built the lead out to 24-9 at the 7:10 mark of the second before the Profs found their footing with a 12-2 run to get within 26-21 in the final minute of the period. Myah Hourigan-Hutton scored on a beautiful scoop shot just before the buzzer to put the hosts ahead, 28-21, at the break.
 
After a rough shooting first half, the pace picked up considerably in the third quarter. Both teams scored 20 points, and the Lions had to fend off multiple potential Rowan runs. They had an answer every time.
 
TCNJ saw its lead cut to 29-26 and 32-28, but got 3-pointers from Branchizio and Amanda Baylock to provide some breathing room. Rowan hit consecutive 3-pointers to pull within 35-34 just shy of the midway point of the third, but McCleod drained a clutch 3 from straight on. After the visitors clawed back to 40-37, Katie Fricker put back an offensive rebound and Branchizio knocked down another long ball to make it an 8-point game (45-37).
 
Rowan made it 44-41 going into the fourth, but Grace Kowalski scored on back-to-back possessions to cap a 6-0 run and extend the margin to 54-41. A 3 on the next trip was as close as the Profs could get, and TCNJ held the visitors to just two points over the final 6:21.
 
FOR THE FOES

• Kate Herlihy led all scorers with 20 points, but none of her teammates managed more than a single field goal
• Shayla Johnson (8) and Charlotte Carlies (7) combined for 15 rebounds and five blocked shots

STANDOUT LIONS

• Branchizio was 4-of-11 from 3-point range
• McCleod finished 4-of-9 from deep and grabbed six rebounds
• Kowalski had 13 points and five rebounds despite three first-half fouls
• Hourigan-Hutton flirted with a double-double with eight points and eight boards
• Fricker scored just two points but equaled the team lead with eight rebounds
• Baylock handed out a season-high four assists

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• TCNJ shot 35.6 percent from the field but made 11 3-pointers while holding Rowan to 4-of-20 from long range
• The Profs were a frigid 28.8 percent from the field (17-for-59)
• Despite a serious size deficit, the Lions were only outrebounded by a 44-39 margin
• TCNJ scored 15 points off 13 Profs miscues
• The Lions racked up 11 steals, with Branchizio, Fricker, Hourigan-Hutton, Kowalski, and McCleod all swiping two

NOTES

• TCNJ has won four straight at home against Rowan
• The Lions have won nine consecutive regular-season home games
• Branchizio made at least four 3-pointers for the seventh time this season

MILESTONES

• Branchizio reached 200 career assists with a fourth-quarter dime to Hourigan-Hutton

UP NEXT

• The Lions are off to Rutgers-Newark for a 4 p.m. tip on Saturday