Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – The Kean University women’s basketball team won 73-68 over host Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Wednesday evening.
The Cougars are 12-2 overall and 3-0 in the conference. Kean is ranked 23rd in this week’s Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. The Profs have a 5-7 record with a 1-2 NJAC mark.
Guard Noel Mathis (sr. Albany, GA/Westover) led the way with 22 points and six rebounds. Mathis also totaled nine steals, four assists and two blocked shots. Guard Brittanie Payne (jr. Willingboro, NJ/Burlington County Institute of Technology) contributed with 15 points and six boards. Forward Danielle McFadden (sr. Odenton, MD/Arundel) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Center/forward Simone Smith (jr. Colonia, NJ/Colonia) chipped in with seven points while guard/forward Erika Jones (sr. Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) grabbed seven boards.
For Rowan, forward Lauren Creel (sr. Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) and guard Chanelle Banta (sr. Bergenfield, NJ/Bergenfield) each scored 19 points. Banta also had six rebounds. Forward Erin Farrell (jr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) produced 13 points. Forward Lauren Gregg (sr. Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) added seven points and seven rebounds.
Kean started the second half with a 15-point lead (38-23). McFadden’s layup at 16:12 made the score 45-26. Payne hit a jump shot at 15:26 for a 19-point advantage (47-28). The Profs followed with 12 straight points and trailed by seven (47-40) with 12:40 on the clock. Creel scored nine points in the run. The Cougars were ahead by 14 (55-41) after two foul shots by Smith (10:11). Kean was up by 10 points (56-46) at 8:37. Creel hit a three-pointer (6:51) and had a foul shot (5:58) to cut the deficit to four (56-52).
Mathis sank two free throws (1:42) and a layup (1:20) for an 11-point advantage (69-58). With 17 seconds left, Banta had two foul shots and the Profs trailed by five (71-66). Payne’s two free throws (0:12) made the score 73-66. Banta had two more foul shots at the five-second mark to end the game. She ended the period with 11 points while Creel scored 17. Mathis totaled 13 points for the Cougars.
Rowan was ahead 14-6 at 14:28 in the first half. Kean pulled within two points (14-12) at 13:13. McFadden hit a jumper (14:07), Mathis had two free throws (13:40) and Jones made a layup (13:13). Farrell’s layup gave the Profs a six-point lead (18-12) at 11:39. The Cougars went up by seven points (27-20) after a 15-2 run that ended at 6:23. Payne scored seven of the 15 points. With 2:22 remaining, McFadden had a layup and a foul shot for a 13-point advantage (36-23). Forward Jonyce Hollins (sr. East Orange, NJ/Bloomfield Tech) added a jumper (1:02) to lead 38-23 at the break. Payne was the only player in double figures in the first period with 11 points.
Rowan plays at home again on Saturday, January 7 against Ramapo College at 3 p.m.
