Union, N.J. (12/4/19) – The Kean University women's basketball team used a strong second half to surge to their second NJAC win of the season by the final of 66-59 on Wednesday night over Rutgers-Newark.
Payce Lange and Shannon McCoy led the Cougars (4-1, 2-0 NJAC) with a combined 32 points as Kean overcame a 35-22 halftime deficit for their second straight conference win to open the season.
The first half was marred with fouls as the teams combined for 27 in the first 20 minutes as 11 players spent some time on the bench with two or more personal fouls.
After a see-saw battle to start the game, the Scarlet Raiders (1-5, 0-2 NJAC) used a short 8-0 spurt to end the first quarter and take a nine point advantage (19-10). Rutgers-Newark pushed that lead out to as many as 15 (what would be the largest of the night) with five seconds to go in the first half with two points from the free throw line from Hannah Ashby. Kean's DarRique Smith used a quick layup with time expiring to cut the deficit to 13 at the break (35-22).
The Cougars adjusted at halftime and with 8:34 to go in the third quarter used a 15-0 run over the next three minutes to regain the lead (41-39). Lange contributed with seven points in the surge. From there the teams traded leads again, but the fourth quarter belonged to Kean as Emily Dominguez gave the Cougars the lead for good with a layup in the first minute of action, spurring a 14-0 run, while holding Rutgers-Newark scoreless for over six minutes.
Kean held their largest lead of the day with 4:38 to go on a Smith layup for a 13 point advantage. But the Scarlet Raiders did not go quietly, pulling within five with just over a minute to go in the contest. The Cougars' Ashley Hunt added insurance with two free throws down the stretch while Rutgers-Newark missed three baskets during their last three possessions for what would be the final.
Lange finished one rebound shy of a double-double while McCoy collected six rebounds. Casey Filiault recorded nine points and a team-high 13 rebounds while Dominguez ended the night with eight points.
For Rutgers-Newark, Louise Ann Borja led all players with 19 points.
Kean returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Montclair State University for a 3 p.m. matchup.
