Box Score

GLASSBORO, NJ – The Kean University women’s basketball team won 71-59 over Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Wednesday night.

The Cougars, ranked ninth, are 11-2 overall and 3-0 in the conference. The Profs have a 6-6 record with a 1-1 NJAC mark. Kean had three players that scored in double figures. Forward Simone Smith (so. Colonia, NJ/Colonia) registered 15 points and eight rebounds. Forward Tiffany Patrick (sr. Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) and guard Naimah Clemons (so. Newark, NJ/Newark Tech) each contributed with 13 points.

Patrick grabbed a game-high 10 boards. Clemons also collected five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Center Angelica Bermudez (sr. Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony) contributed with seven points and nine rebounds. Guard Emily Cristaldi (fr. Summit, NJ/Summit) chipped in with seven points while guard Noel Mathis (jr. Albany, GA/Westover) had seven rebounds.

For Rowan, forward Brittany Baum (jr. Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) totaled 12 points and six rebounds. Guard Lauren Creel (jr. Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) scored 11 points and forward Erin Farrell (so. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) tied her career-high with 10. Guard Gina Catanzariti (sr. Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) added seven points and five rebounds. Guard Alissa Lamey (jr. Northfield, NJ/Mainland Reg.) tallied six points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.

In the first half, Kean was ahead 8-2 at 15:07. Creel had a layup and foul shot at 14:23 that cut the deficit to three (8-5). Clemons’ basket made the score 11-5 with 13:31 remaining. The Profs answered with seven straight points to go up by one (12-11) at 11:10. Catanzariti nailed a three (12:39), Lamey hit a jumper (11:46) and Baum had a layup (11:10). The Cougars followed with a 5-0 spurt to retake the lead, 16-12 at 9:50. Bermudez contributed with three foul shots and Mathis added a basket. Rowan trailed by one (20-19) at 6:51 after a jumper by Farrell.

Kean had a nine point advantage (28-19) after an 8-0 run with 5:13 left. Clemons scored four points, Cristaldi registered three and Patrick had one. Smith’s layup at 4:13 made the score 32-21. The Profs were down by six points (32-26) after guard Bria Hill’s (fr. Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) basket with 2:37 on the clock. At the 56 second mark, Bermudez’s layup increased the Cougars’ lead to 10 (38-28). Cristaldi added a jumper (:08) and Creel hit the second of two free throws (:01) to end the period. Kean was ahead 40-29 at the intermission.

The Cougars were up by 18 points (31-49) after Clemons had a layup and foul shot at 16:57 in the second half. Catanzariti hit a jumper at 14:05 and the Profs trailed by 13 (53-40). Bermudez put Kean ahead by 19 (59-40) with a basket at 11:58. Catanzariti’s layup made the score 61-46 with 7:56 remaining. Smith’s layup put Kean back up by 19 points (67-48) with 6:49 left. At 4:01, Farrell had a layup and Rowan was down by 15 points (69-54). Smith followed with a basket at 3:49 (71-54) for the Cougars’ last points. Creel nailed a three (1:56) then had two free throws (1:31) to end the game.

Rowan travels to conference opponent William Paterson University on Saturday, January 8 for a 3 p.m. contest.