UNION, N.J. (1/14/15) – Behind a 25-point double-double effort from freshman Najha Treadwell, the Kean University women's basketball team topped its NJAC rival The College of New Jersey 62-48 on Wednesday night.

The Treadwell double-double was her second in a row and sixth overall in her rookie season.

Kean shot 5-of-6 from the floor in the first five minutes – all layups against the Lion zone defense – to take an 11-8 lead and force TCNJ into a timeout. Following that stoppage, Treadwell's traditional three-point play gave Kean its largest lead of five at 12:30.

Five minutes later, the Lions had strung together a 7-0 run to chop the Cougar lead down to two at 7:35. A Jaquetta Owens three-pointer broke the streak and helped keep Kean in front.

The Cougars were able to hang on to the slim advantage through halftime, with the score 28-26 at the break. The teams, which both came into the game with 8-6 records and 3-4 in the NJAC, were knotted at the break too with 17 rebounds, four steals and nine points off of turnovers.

Kean started the second period on a 6-2 run fueled by layups by Treadwell (pictured left), Owens and AnnaRose Pierre. But after six minutes of play, the two sides were still separated by just two points after Angelica Espozito went coast-to-coast with a Lion layup.

After TCNJ got to within one point with 12 minutes on the clock, Owens fed Treadwell inside again. The freshman converted the layup while being fouled and hit the ensuing free throw to fortify the Kean lead.

Three more Kean layups by Treadwell, Kenya Adams and Deserai Vazquez gave the Cougars an eight-point cushion.

With three minutes to go, Owens knocked down a three for a new largest lead – 10 points – that effectively put the dagger into the Lions. One final highlight came on a length-of-the-court pass from Jazmine Davis to Owens that turned into another old-fashioned three point play.

Both teams were lackluster from three-point land; at one point they were a combined 2-25 from downtown and TCNJ finished 1-18 from behind the arc.

The Cougars finished with a whopping eight blocks, including four from Treadwell and a pair for Pierre. Owens finished with seven steals. Esposito led the visitors with 15 points.

The Cougars will hit the road for an NJAC matchup with Richard Stockton College on Saturday.