Beyruti Leads Cougars into Sweet Sixteen
UNION, N.J. (3/8/08) - Junior guard
Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) knocked down
eight three-pointers en-route to scoring 31 points and becoming the
all-time leading scorer in Kean University women's basketball
history, as the Cougars advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a 95-61
victory over Brandeis University in the NCAA Division III Women'
Basketball Tournament Second Round on Saturday evening at Harwood
Arena.
Beyruti (pictured left) knocked down 8-of-14 from long range, and
scored 17 points after intermission, giving her 1,425 career points
to break the all-time mark of 1,417 held by Jaquana Abdullah
(1999-2003). Sophomore guard Cardiss Jackman
(Tobyhanna, Pa.) added 17 points, as the
11th-ranked Cougars (27-3) tie the program record for
wins in a season and advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the second
year in a row.
For Brandeis (19-8), senior guard Jaime Capra (Old Bridge,
N.J.) led the Judges with 19 points, however the Cougar
defense limited her to just 7-of-20 shooting from the floor,
including 1-of-6 from long range.
The Cougars scored the first 10 points of the game and opened up
a 26-9 lead midway through the first half, as Beyruti scored all 14
of her first-half points in the that run. Brandeis battled
back with eight straight points to cut the deficit to single digits
at 26-17 with 4:38 remaining in the half on a free throw from
sophomore guard Jessica Chapin (Mendon, N.Y.).
Kean extended the lead back out to 14 points on a three-point
play by Jackman just 26 seconds later, before the Judges pulled to
within four points with 38 seconds left in the half and trailed by
just six points at 36-30 at halftime.
In addition to Beyruti's 14 first-half points, Jackman had eight
points, while freshman forward Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway,
N.J.) had five points and seven rebounds. Capra led
the Judges with seven points, but connected on just 2-of-10
shooting in the first half.
After halftime, the Cougars came out running, scoring 13
unanswered points to cap a 27-8 run to open the half, as Beyruti
had 10 points, including her lay-up with 13:11 remaining to break
the program's all-time scoring record.
The Cougars hit three pointers on three straight possessions to
push the lead out to 31 points with just under eight minutes
remaining en-route to the 34-point victory.
With her eight three-pointers, Beyruti now has 102 for the
season, marking back-to-back season that she has eclipsed 100
three-pointers. The program's all-time leader in three-point
field goals made, Beyruti now has 275 for her career, moving her
into 14th place in NCAA Division III career history.
Junior guard Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.) fell
just one assist shy of a double-double, finishing with 12 points
and nine assists, while Patrick (pictured right) had her third
straight double-double with 11 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.
Senior center Chari' Cooper (Paulsboro,
N.J.) battled foul trouble throughout the evening,
finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds, to give her 1,497
career rebounds.
For the Judges, junior center Lauren Orlando (Peabody,
Mass.) had 11 points, three rebounds and three blocks, while
junior forward Cassidy Dadaos (Healdsburg, Calif.)
finished with 10 points and four rebounds.
The Cougars face the University of Chicago, a 65-52 winner over
St. Norbert College, on Friday, March 14, at a site and time to be
announced.
