Union, N.J. (11/15/19) – Senior Payce Lange led all players with 24 points as the Kean University women's basketball team opened the season with a 79-69 win over Lancaster Bible in the Kean Classic on Friday evening.

Lange added five rebounds and three steals as one of four Cougars who finished with double-digit points.

It was a tight battle in the first quarter with Kean only able to lead by six early (8-2).  The Chargers (0-2) were able to grab the lead twice in the first half, each time by only a point.  A trey from Casey Filiault gave the Cougars their first double digit advantage of the day with 4:35 to go in the first half.  Lizzy Tilton was able to bring the deficit back down to single digits with a half court buzzer beater as Kean led 46-38 at the break. 

Lange registered 19 points in the first 20 minutes while Shannon McCoy and Filiault added nine each.

Lancaster Bible closed the gap to four early in the third quarter, but that would be as close as they would come as the Cougars quickly pushed the advantage back to double-digits.  Kean led by as many as 18 as rookie Danielle Mills turned a steal into two easy fastbreak points (74-56). 

Mills finished with a great defensive effort with a game-high 14 rebounds along with three blocks, four steals, and two assists.  McCoy had an all-around game with 14 points, five boards, four assists, two steals and a block.  Graduate student Cindy Foresta fell one rebound shy of a double-double (11-9) with five assists, three steals and a block.  In total, Kean rejected eight shots on the night.

Tilton had a team-high 17 points and eight rebounds for the Chargers.

The Cougars will face Albright College, winners of an 83-65 contest against Wheaton College earlier in the night.  Kean will play the championship at 2 p.m. on Saturday.  Lancaster Bible and Wheaton will tip-off at noon.