Union, N.J. (1/21/17) – Sophomore Marajiah Bacon netted her 1,000th career point in helping the Kean University women's basketball team to a 71-65 win over The College of New Jersey in NJAC action on Saturday.
Bacon becomes the 20th member of the Kean 1,000th point club and becomes the youngest women's basketball player (by grade) and the quickest (in 42 games) to accomplish the feat.
In total she led all players on the day with 34 points.
The Lions (8-9, 5-6) entered the game winning four of their last five, including an upset of NJAC leading Montclair State University, giving the Red Hawks their first loss of the season.
Bacon went right to work in the first quarter. Entering the game needing 18 points for 1,000, Bacon scored 17 in the first 10 minutes and 22 of Kean's first 25. The Cougars (11-6, 8-2 NJAC) led for a majority of the first 20 minutes but were unable to open a gap as TCNJ collected its first advantage with 5:15 remaining in the first half on a bucket from Nikki Schott (28-27).
Kean was able to settle in and end the second quarter on a 5-0 run to give the Cougars a 34-31 halftime lead.
Bacon recorded 25 points in the opening half while Ruby Asabor registered eight rebounds.
The College of New Jersey forged ahead with under a minute to go in the third quarter as Nicole Shatsky nailed a trey for the 48-46 lead. They pushed the advantage to 50-46 with a Kate O'Leary jumper early in the final period.
The game then see-sawed before Kean took the lead for good on a De'Mean Bond layup with 1:24 to go.
In addition to her 34 points, Bacon added six rebounds while Bond collected her eighth double-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
For TCNJ, O'Leary, Schott and Chiara Palombi all had double-digit point totals with 15, 14, 15.
Kean returns to NJAC action on Wednesday when they travel to Rutgers-Newark for a 6 p.m. tip-off.