Montclair, N.J. (3/12/21) – Junior Shannon McCoy recorded a double-double but it wasn't enough as the Kean University women's basketball team fell to host and top seed Montclair State University by the final of 56-52 on Friday evening in the semifinals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament.

McCoy finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds while teammates Ashley Hunt and Sarah Olivero each ended the night in double digits with 12 and 10 respectively.

It was a nip and tuck, see-saw battle the first 20 minutes, with neither team able to register a sizeable lead.  Tied 23-all, Kean used buckets from Kayla Anderson and Hunt to hold a slight 27-23 lead at the break.

Back-to-back jumpers from Casey Filiault gave Kean their biggest lead of the night as they opened up the third quarter.  The Red Hawks battled back and took the lead for good on a jumper from Saniya Myers as MSU outscored Kean, 18-9 in the stanza.

The Red Hawks pushed their advantage out to double-digits and led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter, but that didn't stop the Cougars who clawed their way back with a 14-0 run, pulling within one with just over a minute to go in regulation.  MSU pushed the lead out to four with a trey from Taylor Brown with 31 seconds remaining.  A Cougar turnover forced Kean to foul MSU to try and get possession back and it worked, but the Red Hawks missing both free throw opportunities and Kean collecting the defensive board.  But the Cougars were unable to connect in the waning seconds, ultimately falling by the final of 56-52.