UNION, N.J. – The New Jersey City University women's basketball team completed the regular-season series split against New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Kean University on the road on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 27. After falling in a tight one-point game to the Cougars earlier this season at home, NJCU avenged that loss with a four-point, 65-61 win today over Kean. Sophomore guard Tahirah Kelley (Linden, N.J./Immaculate Conception) was the headline maker, pouring in a career- and game-best 21 points on 50.0 percent shooting, adding six boards, four assists and a game-high four steals in the process.
 
The first quarter was a tight one that saw NJCU (11-7, 9-4 NJAC) take a slim three-point lead over the Cougars (13-7, 10-3 NJAC). The Gothic Knights led by as many as four early on after scoring six straight points – two each for senior guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), rookie guard Na'tori Postell (Passaic, N.J./Passaic Arts & Science Charter) and Kelley – and led 6-2 with 6:55 remaining. The teams then went back and forth before Kean got ahead by one at 13-12 at 1:34. Senior forward Dayjah Anderson (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech) and Rodriguez closed out the quarter with a pair of buckets to put NJCU ahead.
 
Anderson started off the second with a lay-in on the break to make it a five-point game before senior guard Alex Sams (Burlington City, N.J./Burlington City) answered a pair of Kean free throws with a three-pointer to make it a 21-16 game with 9:09 left. Kelley helped NJCU regain that six-point advantage with a bucket down low at 7:16 before Kean began to chip away and make it a one-point game. Back-to-back baskets for Kelley at 4:42 and 3:24, as well as a free throw from Rodriguez once again made it a six-point game at 28-22 with 2:57 left. However, the Cougars answered with a 10-3 run to close out the half with a one-point, 32-31 lead.
 
Quarter number three saw the Green and Gold outscore Kean, 19-8, which ended up making the difference on the day. Anderson started off with a pair of free throws to give the Gothic Knights the lead once again. After the Cougars took the lead back, NJCU went on another 6-0 run to go up by five, thanks to another two foul shots for Anderson and a couple of buckets for Kelley. Then, leading by three, the Gothic Knights went on a 11-2 run to go up by 12 at 50-38 before Kean closed out the quarter with a basket to make it 10-point game. Junior guard Alaisha Mumford (Jersey City, N.J./Lincoln) started off the stretch with a three and Kelley also had a couple more baskets.
 
The fourth quarter was a completely different game and Kean came all the way back throughout the majority of it via an 18-7 run to eventually take a one-point, 58-57 lead with just 2:39 remaining. Kelley came alive once again for NJCU. She drained a jumper at 1:49 to give the Gothic Knights back the lead and then – after several turnovers by each team – sank a three-pointer with just 00:20 on the clock to make it a 62-58 game. Mumford stretched the lead out to six with a pair of free throws eight seconds later. A three from Kean at 00:09 made it interesting, but Rodriguez iced it with a free throw at 00:07. The Cougars had a couple three-point looks in the game's final possession but were unable to convert.
 
Highlights:
- Rodriguez chipped in 10 points, six rebounds and a game-best five assists to go with a steal.
- Postell, Anderson and Mumford all finished with eight points. Mumford led a bench attack that outscored the Cougars, 14-2.
- Senior forward Sarah Edmond (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) led NJCU with 12 rebounds to go with four points, two assists, a block and a steal.
- Kean, Stockton University and The College of New Jersey are all tied for first in the NJAC at 10-3, while Ramapo College and NJCU are right behind them at 9-4. Rowan University currently holds the sixth spot at 6-7.
 
Up Next:
Ramapo comes to the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) on Wednesday night, Jan. 31, for a 5:30 p.m. tip. The Gothic Knights look to split the season series with the Roadrunners after suffering the road loss to them in early-December.