Union, NJ: The Kean University women's basketball team held off Ramapo College today to earn a 65-58 NJAC conference win. The Cougars improve to 5-3 overall, 3-2 in the NJAC while the Roadrunners now stand at 3-6 overall, 1-4 in the conference.
Jenna Harsh led the Roadrunners with a career high 31 points while she pulled down 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double. She finished 12-16 from the field and 7-8 from the three-point line. Bridgette Buckalew and Amber Sagan each contributed with six points while Buckalew led the team with six assists. Tia Solomon grabbed nine rebounds while she added four points and one block.
Kean got on the board in the first quarter with back-to-back three-pointers from Payce Lange and Marajiah Bacon to take a 6-2 lead in the first two minutes of action. Ramapo went on an 11-4 run taking a 15-12 lead; the run was started and capped off with a three-pointer from Harsh. It was a one-point game heading into the final two minutes of the first quarter until a three-pointer from Kean's Miesha Bacon put the Cougars up 19-17 and a jumper from Latice Cunningham made it 21-17 head into the second quarter.
Kean stretched their lead to eight 27-19 in the second quarter before Ramapo went on a mini 6-0 run to come within one with 4:35 on the clock. Kean went up 32-26 on a three-pointer from Mi. Bacon before a three-pointer from Sagan closed the gap to three 32-29 with 2:41 left in the quarter. Kean took a 36-32 lead into the third quarter as Cunningham scored a layup in the final seconds 36-32.
In the third quarter the Cougars stretched their lead to ten with less than six minutes left to play before Ramapo went on an 8-2 run capped off by a three-pointer from Harsh to come within four 48-44. The Roadrunners shrunk the lead to three at the end of the quarter as Buckalew sank a pair of free throws 51-48. In the fourth quarter, the two teams traded free throws before a three-pointer from Harsh tied the game 52-52 with fewer than five minutes to play. Mi. Bacon countered with a three-pointer for Kean before a jumper from Jessica Repasy cut the lead to one 55-54 (2:55). Samantha Rinaldi drove to the basket with 1:05 left in the game and scored her first two points of the game and put the Roadrunners up 58-57. Kean got a key three-pointer from Danielle Oakley 60-58 with 39 seconds remaining before she was able to make a pair of free throws putting the Cougars up 62-58 with 26 seconds on the clock. Kean scored the final three points on the free throw line as they held on for a seven-point victory 65-58.
Three Cougars scored in double figures in the game as Ma. Bacon led the team with 26 points, six rebounds and six assists while Mi. Bacon tallied 13 points and Lange added 12 points and seven rebounds. Kean shot 34% (22-63) from the floor, 30% (9-30) from the three-point line and 66% (12-18) from the free throw line.
The Roadrunners shot 47% (22-46) from the floor, 60% (9-15) from the three-point line and 38% (5-13) from the free throw line. Ramapo out rebounded Kean 43-28 while the Roadrunner defense forced 14 turnovers.
The Roadrunners return to action on Tuesday, December 12th when they travel to Lehman College for a non-conference match-up at 6pm.