EWING, N.J. - The TCNJ women's basketball team had four players reach double figures in its 86-45 win over Rutgers-Newark at Packer Hall Saturday afternoon. The Lions' tied their season high with 17 threes in the win, with their 86 points serving as their most in an NJAC game this season.
 
Katie Fricker led TCNJ's quarter of double-digit scorers with 16 points followed by Nina Branchizio (15), Maddie Bernhardt (13) and Arianna McCleod (11). Fricker shared the team-lead in rebounds with Jaclyn Feit at seven apiece while Grace Kowalski finished with game-highs in assists (6) and steals (5).
 
Saturday's contest was close for just four minutes, as a 14-2 run over the final six minutes of the first quarter gave the Lions (17-5, 13-2 NJAC) a double digit lead they would hold the rest of the way. Feit got the run started with a layup before Branchizio, Cassidy Brown, McCleod and Fricker hit four straight shots from beyond the arc to balloon the lead to 16.
 
The Scarlet Raiders – who had been held scoreless since the 6:21 mark of the frame – broke the drought with a lay-in on their final possession to give the Lions a 22-8 advantage after one.
 
TCNJ's 3-point barrage continued in the second quarter, getting five more from McCleod, Fricker, Amanda Baylock and Branchizio to push the team's total to 11 and build the lead to 45-21 with 1:45 to go. Following a Scarlet Raiders jumper the sides traded free throws over the final 40 seconds, sending the Lions into the half up 48-25.
 
A personal 6-2 run from Fricker ballooned the lead to 30 three minutes into the third quarter before Tireya Watt and Kowalski became the sixth and seventh TCNJ players to hit a triple. Kowalski's 3-pointer with 2:30 left also served as the final bucket in a frame in which the Lions held the Scarlet Raiders to just nine points to take a 68-34 lead into the fourth.
 
Saturday's final quarter belonged to Bernhardt, who outscored Rutgers-Newark herself by pouring in 13 points on 5-9 shooting including 3-7 from deep. The Scarlet Raiders had no answer for the freshman, scoring just 11 points of their own on the other end, resulting in the 86-45 TCNJ win.
 
FOR THE FOES

• Quanajah Felder scored a team-high 13 points, going 6-7 from the free throw line.
• Aliyah Sanchez was impactful off the bench, scoring four points and finishing with a team-high five rebounds in 23 minutes.

STANDOUT LIONS

• Bernhardt's 13 points and three made 3-pointers are both career-best marks.
• Fricker paired her game-high 16 points with seven rebounds, including five on the offensive glass.
• Branchizio hit multiple triples for the 11th straight game dating back to January 2.
• McCleod's 11 points marks the sixth time in the last seven games the senior has reached double figures.
• Kowalski stuffed the stat sheet in the win, scoring five points with five rebounds, six assists and five steals.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Lions shot 38.9% from the field and 37% from deep, setting season-high marks in attempts in both field goals (72) and 3-pointers (46).
• TCNJ held significant advantages in points off turnovers (26-9), second-chance points (17-3) and bench points (37-14.)
• The Lions' +12 advantage on the boards is the best mark this season, with their 22 assists falling just one shy of their season-high set back in November.

NOTES

• Branchizio moved up to 15th in program history for both points (1,082) and assists (227).
• Kowalski now sits 10 points away from 500 in just her second season.
• With three games remaining in the regular season, TCNJ remains tied with Montclair State atop the NJAC standings.

UP NEXT

• The Lions are back on the road to take on Rowan Wednesday, Feb. 12 with a chance to clinch a first round bye in the upcoming NJAC Tournament.