Jackson, Brown Pace Cougars Past Rowan, 82-48

UNION, N.J. (1/7/09) - Senior Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.) scored 25 points and junior Danielle Brown (North Brunswick, N.J.) had career-highs of 18 rebounds and six blocks to lead the Kean University women's basketball team to a 82-48 victory over Rowan University in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening.

Jackson was a perfect 12-of-12 from the floor to tie her career-high in points, while Brown added 12 points for her third double-double of the season for #22/23 Kean (10-3, 3-0 NJAC).  Junior forward Amanda Jennings (Turnersville, N.J.) led the Profs (7-5, 1-2 NJAC) with 12 points and eight rebounds.

The Cougars used a 12-0 run to race out to an early 15-2 lead less than six minutes into the game, as Jackson (pictured right) scored eight points in the spurt.  The lead was as many as 24 points (39-15) for Kean on a jumper by Jackson with 2:08 remaining in the half before the Cougars took a 39-20 lead into halftime. 

Jackson paced the Cougars with 19 first-half points, as she hit all nine of her field goals, while also dishing out five assists at the break.  Brown added seven points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for Kean, while senior forward Ashley Cieplicki (Haworth, N.J.) had six points and five rebounds to lead Rowan.

Kean shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the floor, while limiting the Profs to just 25.0 percent shooting (9-of-36).

In the second half, the Cougars extended the lead out to 35 points on four separate occasion en-route to the 34-point victory. 

Sophomore forward Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway, N.J.) (pictured left) had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while junior guard Olivia Triano (Keyport, N.J.) added career-highs of 10 points and four steals.

For Rowan, senior guard Brynn DeGroff (Wildwood Crest, N.J.) came off the bench and scored eight points and added three steals.

It was the fifth straight game the Cougars played without senior all-american guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.), who will miss the remainder of the season with an injury suffered against University of Mary Washington.  Beyruti, who only played in eight games this season, is eligible to apply for a medical hardship waiver after having played in less than a third of the Cougars' 25-game schedule. 

Kean returns to action on Saturday, January 10, when the Cougars host Ramapo College in NJAC action at 1 p.m.