Cougars Rally Past Widener,
68-59
DOVER, Del. (12/28/09) - Rookie Naimah
Clemons (Newark, N.J.) scored 11 of her team-high 16
points in the second half, as the Kean University women's
basketball team erased a 12-point halftime deficit to defeat
Widener University, 68-59, at the Wesley College Holiday Tournament
on Monday evening.
Junior forwards Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway,
N.J.) and Angelica Bermudez (Belleville,
N.J.) combined for 21 points, 21 rebounds, six blocks and
four steals, as the seventh-ranked Cougars (10-1) won their
10th straight game. 
For Widener (6-5), freshman Lil Carney (Narbeth, Pa.)
had a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double.
In a see-saw first half of action, the Cougars built an
eight-point lead (18-10) midway through the half on a lay-up by
Bermudez (pictured right), before the Pride closed the half on a
21-2 run to take a 41-29 lead at halftime.
Bermudez had eight points and six rebounds in the opening half
for Kean, while Carney notched 12 points, seven rebounds and three
assists for Widener.
The Cougars quickly trimmed the Widener lead to 44-41 in the
opening minutes of the second half, before the Pride pushed the
lead back out to eight points after five straight points for the
49-41 lead with just under 14 minutes remaining.
From there it was all Cougars, as senior guard Melissa
Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) ignited a 9-0 run with
back-to-back three pointers and Clemons followed with a lay-up to
give the Cougars the lead for good with 10:48 remaining in the
game.
The Cougars extended the lead to eight points on a jumper by
Beyruti four minutes later, and the Pride could pull no closer than
three points the rest of the way as Kean hit 4-of-6 free throws in
the final 65 seconds to seal the nine-point victory.
Patrick (pictured left) finished with 11 points, nine rebounds
and four blocks, while Bermudez added a double-double with 10
points and 12 rebounds. Beyruti scored all 10 of her points
in the second half.
The Cougars face Delaware Valley College in the championship
game tomorrow at 4 p.m.
