Galloway, N.J. (2/10/14) – Rookie Jaquetta Owens hit the game-winning bucket with just seconds on the clock as the Kean University women's basketball team battled back from a double-digit deficit to top Richard Stockton College, 81-79.
The win guarantees a New Jersey Athletic Conference playoff berth for the Cougars as Kean now stands with a 10-5 mark in conference action with three games left to play. The contest between the Ospreys (9-13, 6-9 NJAC) and Cougars was originally scheduled for January 22nd and then again for February 3rd, but both games were postponed due to winter weather.
After a slow start from both teams, it was Stockton who gained some momentum, pushing out to an 11 point lead twice in the first half, the later coming with 5:08 to go in the first, and the score at 35-24. The Cougars answered, closing out the half on a 16-2 run to retake the lead and head into the break with a 40-37 advantage. Rookie Aysha Harris (pictured left) put Kean over the hump with eight points to close out the run, with back-to-back treys in the span of 20 seconds.
After trading leads early in the second half, it was the Cougars who maintained the advantage for most of the second stanza, but the Ospreys chipped away and tied the game up at 76-all and took the lead with 1:51 on the clock on their 29th made free throw of the night. A layup and one from junior Essence Casey swung the lead back to Kean, but that lead was short lived as a layup from Lauren Alwan tied things up again at 79-all with 33 seconds to go. That set up Owens who came through with a jumper with seven ticks on the clock. A desperation shot from the Ospreys fell short, sealing the win for Kean.
Owens finished with 14 points while sophomore Jazmine Davis had a team-high 20 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Freshman Kenya Adams added eight points and 10 boards.
Alwan paced Stockton with a game-high 35 points in 35 minutes.
The Cougars continue their three game road schedule and will travel to William Paterson University on Wednesday.
