Dec 12, 2018
WAYNE, N.J. – Senior guard Julie Rovito (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) poured in a personal-best 36 points, including her 1,000th career tally, as the William Paterson women's basketball team (4-6, 2-4 NJAC) dropped a tightly-contested conference home game to Rowan (6-4, 5-1 NJAC), 66-63, Dec. 12.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Following Rovito's milestone points, a mid-range jumper in the paint, Rowan held WP scoreless for nearly six minutes in the opening stanza as the Profs opened an 18-11 advantage. Five straight Rovito points got the Pioneers within two (20-18) at the 7:16 mark of the second, but they would get no closer as Rowan took a 34-24 lead into the break.
- With the visitors leading by 10 midway through the final quarter (59-49, 6:15), a pair of Carolyn Hill(Martinsburg, W.Va./Spring Mills) free throws began an 8-0 WP run as the Rowan lead was trimmed to two, 59-57. With the game a one-possession contest in the final seconds, the Pioneers had a chance to tie it at the end of the regulation, however, Alisa Giordano's (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) half court heave was off target and Rowan escaped with the 66-63 decision.
- Rovito scored 22 of her career-high 36 points in the second half. The Ridgefield Park, N.J. native becomes just the 22nd Pioneer to reach the 1000-point plateau.
- Giordano led all players with nine rebounds and six assists, while classmate CeCe Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) added seven points to go along with two blocks.
- WP takes a break from conference play to host Susquehanna University on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 2:00 p.m.