Allen Rallies Women's Hoops Past TCNJ,
60-56
SALEM, Mass. - (12/30/06) Senior forward Ebony Allen (Camden,
N.J.) scored a team-high 14 points, including seven points in a key
second half run as Kean University erased a 10-point deficit to
defeat The College of New Jersey, 60-56, in the championship game
of the Salem State College Holiday Classic on Saturday evening.
Allen earned tournament most valuable player honors, as she also
grabbed six rebounds, including five offensive boards, for the
Cougars (10-1) second straight victory since dropping their first
game of the year. For the Lions (5-5), sophomore center Hillary
Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, N.J.) recorded game-highs of 15 points
and 13 rebounds.
Trailing 43-33 midway through the second half, Allen scored
seven points including the go-ahead basket in an 18-6 run.
Sophomore guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) added seven
points in the decisive run. The Cougars pushed the lead out to six
points on a pair of occasions over the final minutes en-route to
their second come-from-behind victory over the Lions in December.
After trading leads early in the contest, TCNJ led most of the
first half and took a 27-24 lead into halftime behind eight points
and eight rebounds from Klimowicz. Junior forward Chari' Cooper
(Paulsboro, N.J.) paced the Cougars with six points and four
rebounds, while freshman guard Colby Greenlee (Stroudsburg, Pa.)
added six points.
The Lions outscored Kean 16-9 to open the second half to build
the 10-point lead with 9:56 left in the contest, before the Cougars
mounted the comeback.
In the victory, Cooper finished with a double-double of 11
points and 10 rebounds to earn all-tournament team honors, while
freshman guard Cardiss Jackman (Tobyhanna, Pa.) added 10 points,
four assists, three steals and two blocks. Senior forward Chi Clark
(Maplewood, N.J.) also earned all-tournament honors, as she
finished with five points and eight rebounds after leading the
Cougars in the opening round victory with 22 points against Bates.
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, January 2, when they
take on Gordon College in the Florida Sunshine Shootout.
