Mahwah, N.J. (1/29/14) – Rookie Jaquetta Owens netted a team-high 19 points as the Kean University women's basketball team edged Ramapo College by the final of 72-68 Wednesday evening in NJAC action.

The win keeps Kean in third place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings with an 8-3 mark (11-7 overall).

It was a tight matchup throughout, as neither team was able to take more than a seven point advantage.  After trading baskets in the early going, it was the Roadrunners (10-9, 7-5 NJAC) who used a short 7-0 spurt to break a six-all tie.  The lead was short lived for Ramapo as Kean responded with a 13-2 run of their own as junior AnnaRose Pierre started the run with a made free throw and fellow classmate Essence Casey ended it with a jumped at the 8:38 mark.  Ramapo kept things close as the Cougars were only able to take a four point advantage into the break (39-35).

Owens recorded 11 first half points while Pierre chipped in with eight in the first 20 minutes.

Kean would control the lead for almost the entire second half and pushed that lead to as many as seven halfway through the period as Owens made a layup (57-50).  But the Roadrunners kept things close and took their first lead of the second half with just under three minutes to go on a three pointer from Anna Fucci.  That would be the last points Ramapo would score, however, as Kean was able to regain the lead on a trey from Owens with 22 ticks left on the clock and junior Shay Collins was able to seal the win with two key points from the charity stripe with just eight seconds remaining.

Senior Simone Smith finished the night with 12 points and eight rebounds while sophomore Jazmine Davis tallied a game-high 13 boards as Kean outrebounded Ramapo 45-29 on the evening.

Teammates Micaela Moore and Fucci each finished with a game-high 20 points leading Ramapo in the loss.

The Cougars stay on the road and will face New Jersey City University on Saturday with a 2 p.m. tip-off.