UNION, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior guard Gabrielle Rivera (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) scored in double-figures for the third straight game but the Gothic Knights committed 33 turnovers as #21/24 ranked Kean University cruised to a 93-45 win in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Harwood Arena.
The Cougars, ranked No. 21 nationally in the USA Today/ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll and No. 24 by D3hoops.com, improve to 18-3 and 9-0 in the NJAC, and maintained sole possession of first place in the NJAC South Division. NJCU (3-16, 0-9 NJAC) dropped its 11th straight game. Kean leads the all-time series 45-9.
In defeat, Rivera finished with a career high of 18 points (9-17 FG) in 37 minutes and freshman guard Luisa Montalvo (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) contributed 12 points (5-13 FG) and three steals for the Gothic Knights. Sophomore forward Alnisa Hernaiz (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) and junior forward Kerri Cassarello (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) each had nine rebounds.
Kean placed five players in double-figures, led by junior guard Naimah Clemons (Newark, NJ/Newark Tech) with a game-high 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting with three assists and three steals and junior guard Brittanie Payne (Willingboro, NJ/Burlington County Tech) nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, eight points, three blocks and three steals in 28 minutes.