Feb 18, 2023
EWING, N.J. – The fifth-seeded William Paterson women's basketball team (15-11, 10-8 NJAC) fell short, 61-56, to fourth-seeded The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) (17-9, 11-7 NJAC) in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament Feb. 18.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- William Paterson trailed by six (27-21) entering the third quarter before opening the new frame on a 9-0 run.
- It was a back-and-forth battle the rest of the way as neither side could gain much separation. However, with 3:30 remaining in the game, the Lions went on a 5-0 run to grab a five-point advantage (54-49). The TCNJ lead did not hold for long as junior Brianna Smith scored five straight points to even the score.
- The game remained tied until TCNJ buried a 3-pointer with 1:41 on the clock before going on to ice the game at the foul line and secure the conference tournament victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Senior Justina Cabezas scored a game-high 22 points on 10-of-16 (.625) shooting to pair with nine boards.
- It marked her seventh 20-point performance of the season.
- Freshman Renee Wells recorded a 16-point outing and added six boards to her stat line.
- Sophomore Victoria Palladino finished the afternoon with nine points, four assists and two rebounds.
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