JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 8/9 ranked William Paterson University built an early 23-6 lead in the first half and led the entire game, as they beat New Jersey City University, 70-42, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball game on Wednesday night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'
The Pioneers, ranked eighth nationally in the USA Today/ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll and ninth by D3hoops.com, improved to 16-1 and 6-1 in the NJAC, while defeating NJCU (3-12, 0-6 NJAC) for the 19th consecutive meeting since 2001-02. William Paterson leads the all-time series 51-9; NJCU dropped its seventh in a row.
For William Paterson, two-time First-Team All-NJAC selection and senior forward April Smith (Barnegat, NJ/Southern Regional) recorded her NCAA Division III leading 13th double-double of the season, finishing with game highs of 21 points (9-13 FG) and 14 rebounds with three blocks in 26 minutes of play.
Senior guard BriAnna Lucas (Hamilton, NJ/Nottingham), the 2010-11 NJAC co-Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, finished the game with nine points (3-8 FG, 2-5 3FG), five assists and two steals. With the two steals, Lucas became William Paterson's all-time career leader in steals with 280, breaking the mark of 279 set by Luci Custis from 2003-07.