Kean Women Handle #9 WPU,
102-66
UNION, N.J. (1/9/10) - In a battle of top 10
ranked teams, #3/4 Kean University had four players score in
double-figures as the Cougars handed #9 William Paterson University
its first loss of the season by a score of 102-66 in a battle of
New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball division leaders
on Saturday afternoon.
The South Division leading Cougars were led by rookie
Naimah Clemons (Newark, N.J.), who finished with a
career-high 20 points, four assists and four steals, while
sophomore guard BriAnna Lucas (Hamilton, N.J.) led the
North Divisional leader Pioneers with a game-high 25 points.
After a season-opening loss to Division I Rutgers University,
Kean (15-1, 4-0 NJAC) won its 15th straight game and
ended the Pioneers (14-1, 2-1 NJAC) 14-game winning streak.
Tied at 4-4 in the opening minutes, the Cougars broke the game
open with a 15-2 run to take a 19-6 lead, as Clemons (pictured
right) and senior guards Melissa Beyruti (Union City,
N.J.) and Cardiss Jackman (Tobyhanna,
Pa.) each scored five points in the spurt.
The Pioneers pulled back to within single digits at 19-12 on a
three-pointer by Lucas with 13:15 remaining in the half, however
the Cougars pushed the lead back to double-digits for good on a
lay-up by senior forward Danielle Brown (North Brunswick,
N.J.) a minute later.
A 12-2 run would extend then lead to 20 points at 43-23 with
7:35 remaining following a lay-up by Jackman (pictured left), and
the Cougars would lead by as many as 25 points (54-29) en-route to
taking a 58-36 lead at the break.
Jackman hit 6-of-8 shots, including both attempts from behind
the arc, as she led Kean with 14 first-half points. Lucas
dropped in 16 points in the first half for WPU, as Kean forced 20
Pioneer turnovers and hit nearly 60 percent from the floor
(24-of-41, 58.5%) in the opening half.
Clemons opened the second-half with back-to-back lay-ups and the
Cougars pushed the lead out to as many as 38 points (102-64) to
defeat the Pioneers for the third straight time.
Jackman finished with a season-high 18 points, while Beyruti
(pictured right) added 12 points, including a pair of
three-pointers, five steals and four assists in the victory.
Junior forward Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway, N.J.)
posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while also
adding five blocks, and rookie Nicol Biesek (South
Pasadena, Calif.) dished out a game-high six assists and
scored six points.
For William Paterson, senior guard Julie Haledjian
(Montvale, N.J.) added 10 points and four assists, while
freshman Allyson Scerbo (Phillipsburg, N.J.) netted 10
points off the bench.
The Cougars return to action next Wednesday, January 13, when
they travel to Richard Stockton College for a NJAC
doubleheader. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
