WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson (14-10, 10-7 NJAC) secured a spot in the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Women's Basketball Tournament with a 61-57 Senior Day victory against The College of New Jersey (12-12, 8-9 NJAC) Feb. 13.

The win moved the Pioneers into a tie for fourth place in the league standings with one regular-season game remaining. The top six teams qualify for the NJAC Tournament that begins Feb. 20.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 9-3 lead less than four minutes into the contest, but the Lions tied the game up four times before a Kate O'Leary layup handed TCNJ a 19-17 edge at the 8:54 mark of the second quarter. An 8-4 WP run to end the half allowed William Paterson to carry a 31-26 advantage into the locker room.

TCNJ quickly erased that deficit, knotting the score at 33-33 1:54 into the third period, then used seven unanswered points to make it a 44-39 edge with 3:26 remaining in the third quarter.

The Lions opened up their largest lead of the contest thanks to a Kim Dana three-pointer (55-47, 6:57, fourth), but an Alex Milne (Howell, N.J./Howell) layup, a Brittany Harden (Millville, N.J./Sacred Heart) three-point play, an Ariana Gomez (Garfield, N.J./Garfield) putback and a Nikole Williams (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) 1-for-2 trip to the charity stripe deadlocked the game at 55-55 with 3:25 remaining.

The Lions missed a pair of free throws 20 seconds later, and when Gomez made her second attempt from the stripe it handed WP a 56-55 lead at the 2:42 mark.

Two TCNJ misses were followed by a three-pointer from the right wing by sophomore guard Jackie Rodriguez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial), making it a two-possession game at 59-55 with 2:02 on the clock. The two teams traded misses before Jess Lynch sank a layup (59-57, 0:49) and the Pioneers turned it over, giving The College of New Jersey a chance at the tying basket. Gomez came up with the steal and was fouled, making the second of two free throws (60-57, 17.2 seconds), and a Harden steal and make from the line pushed it back to a two-possession margin at 61-57 with two seconds left.

Milne collected 15 points and eight rebounds, while Harden had 15 tallies. Rodriguez was 4-for-7 (.571) from three-point range for 14 points, and Gomez added seven tallies to her game bests of nine boards and five assists.

Senior guard Angelica Esposito led TCNJ with 16 points. Lynch chipped in 12 tallies and eight rebounds.

Prior to the game, WP honored seniors Harden and Milne.

William Paterson will finish the regular season Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Rowan at 8:00 p.m.

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