UNION, N.J. (1/8/11) – Forwards Tiffany Patrick and Simone Smith combined for 35 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Kean University women's basketball team to a 77-54 win over visiting Montclair State University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon.
Patrick scored a game-high 19 points and added two blocks and three steals for the ninth-ranked Cougars (12-2, 4-0 NJAC).
For the Red Hawks (6-8, 1-3 NJAC), freshman Sara Kelley finished with a team-high 11 points off the bench.
The Cougars scored the first nine points and of the game and later used a 6-0 run to open up a double-digit lead at 23-13 on a jumper by rookie Emily Cristaldi with 7:11 remaining in the first half. After the Red Hawks pulled to within four points with six straight points of their own, Kean again extended the lead out to double digits on a pair of occasions and took a nine-point lead into the break at 32-23.
Smith led all scorers with eight points in the opening half, while Kelley knocked down a pair of three pointers for six first-half points for Montclair State.
After doubling their lead just 2:24 into the second half with a 10-1 run, the Cougars maintained the double-digit lead throughout the half and led by as many as 24 points in the final minutes to remain undefeated in the NJAC.
Patrick scored 17 of her points in the second half for the Kean, while Red Hawk junior guard Jaime Ericson netted all 10 of her points in the final stanza.
The Cougars, whose game at Marymount University on January 12th has been cancelled by the host Saints, have picked up a game against top-ranked Amherst College on Tuesday, January 11. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at Harwood Arena.