WAYNE, NJ – The William Paterson University women's basketball team defeated Rowan University, 84-76 in the regular season finale for both teams on Wednesday night.
The Profs have an overall record of 17-8 and a 12-6 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) mark. The Pioneers are 14-11 and they are 10-8 in the conference.
Rowan is the third seed in the NJAC Championship Tournament and hosts the sixth seed, Rutgers-Newark (13-12) on Saturday, February 21 at 1 p.m. William Paterson, the fifth seed, travels to the fourth seed, The College of New Jersey (15-10) in the other first round match-up.
Top-seeded Montclair State University (24-1) hosts the winner of William Paterson at TCNJ and the second seed, Richard Stockton (20-5) takes on the Rowan/Rutgers-Newark victor in the semifinals on Wednesday, February 25. The semifinal winners play for the NJAC Championship on Saturday, February 28 at the highest remaining seed. The NJAC Champion earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
Guards Jackie Rodriguez (fr. Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) and Brittany Harden (jr. Millville, NJ/Sacred Heart) each scored a game-high 18 points for William Paterson. Harden also grabbed 11 rebounds. Guard Julie Rovito (fr. Ridgefield Park, NJ/Ridgefield Park) and forward Alex Milne (jr. Howell, NJ/Howell) recorded 12 points apiece. Rovito handed out eight assists and Milne tallied six rebounds.
For Rowan, center
Kate Matthews (jr. Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) and guard
Anyssa Sanchez (so. Stratford, NJ/Sterling) registered 16 points apiece. Matthews also corralled eight rebounds and Sanchez registered five steals. Guard
Jade Bonder (sr. Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) chipped in with 10 points and six assists, while guard
Bria Hill (sr. Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) added nine points and seven rebounds.
Rowan led 6-5 (15:03) then used a 7-2 run to take a 13-7 advantage with 13:47 left in the first half. Hill scored five points. The Profs were ahead 18-13 (11:48). William Paterson recorded the next five points to tie the score (18-18) at the 9:01 mark. The game was tied at 20 (8:12). An 8-2 spurt put Rowan out in front 28-22 (4:47). Sanchez had four points and Matthews and Bonder each tallied two. The Profs had a 35-28 advantage (2:16) after a jumper by forward Summer Crilley (fr. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit). The Pioneers registered six straight points to draw within one (35-34) with 1:17 remaining. Matthews recorded a basket (1:01) and Bonder converted a free throw (0:22), making the score 38-34. Milne's layup (0:09) cut the lead to two (38-36) at halftime.
Rowan held a 46-38 advantage with 17:51 to play in the second half. William Paterson went on a 19-5 run, taking a 57-51 lead (13:16). Rodriguez poured in 10 points, while Harden added five. The Profs trimmed the deficit to two (65-63) at the 7:05 mark, but the Pioneers produced six consecutive points to go back up by eight (71-63) with 6:09 remaining. William Paterson extended its lead to as many as 12 points (84-72) in the final two minutes.
