UNION, N.J. – The Centenary College women's basketball team nearly erased a 21-point, second-half deficit, but fell just short during a 78-72 loss at Kean on Monday night.
 
The Cyclones (4-6, 2-0 CSAC) trailed 67-46 with 9:14 to play in the second half, but sliced the Cougars' lead to just three following sophomore guard Angela Randle's (East Orange, N.J./Marist) free throw at the 2:59 mark; however, Kean (5-5) held on, handing Centenary its third-straight loss.
 
CC controlled play for much of the opening half, taking a lead as large at seven points on two occasions. Freshman forward Mallory George (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) made the score 22-15 with a pair of free throws midway through the opening half, but Kean quickly chopped the lead to just two with back-to-back baskets.
 
Senior point guard Nicole Collins (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) momentarily stopped the Cougars' momentum by burying a three-pointer; however, Kean scored 16 of the half's final 24 points to take a five-point edge into halftime.
 
The first 11 minutes of the second half belonged to the Cougars, who used an 18-4 run capped off by Stephanie Carlone's fifth triple of the game, to take a 62-42 lead with 11:06 to play.
 
The score stood at 67-46 two minutes later when Centenary mounted its comeback. Sophomore guard Ally Fugnitti (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) drained a three-pointer to start the surge and added a second bucket from beyond the arc three minutes later to pull the Cyclones within 11.
 
Junior Kimberly Osieja (Mountainside, N.J./Governor Livingston) canned a jumper on Centenary's next possession to cut the deficit to single digits. The final seven points of the Cyclones 21-3 run came at the free throw line, including Randle's at the 2:59 mark that made the score 70-67.
 
Carlone halted Centenary's momentum with a long triple, her sixth of the contest, but George brought the Cyclones back within four points by sinking a layup with 1:27 to play.
 
Centenary was forced to foul and Shay Collins connected on 3-of-4 during the final minute, while the Cougar defense forced three Cyclone turnovers to help secure the victory.
 
Fugnitti canned four triples, pacing the Cyclones with 18 points and four steals, while George added 16 points (6-11 FG) and a team-high eight rebounds. Both George and Fugnitti dished out five assists. Freshman forward Kelsey Barofski (White Township, N.J./Belvidere) sank 8-of-10 attempts from the charity stripe and finished with 14 points.
 
Centenary shot 43 percent (22-51) from the floor and made 23 free throws, but was hurt by 26 turnovers. The Cyclones grabbed 38 boards, compared to 46 for Kean.
 
Carlone netted a game-high 20 points, to lead the Cougars, who shot 42 percent (32-76) from the field, while Simone Smith recorded a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double. Kean scored 23 second-chance points after grabbing 22 offensive boards and received 24 points from its bench.
 
Centenary looks to get back on track at home against Gwynedd Mercy on January 8 at 6:00 pm.