GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University women's basketball team survived a second half comeback against New Jersey City University, winning 82-75 on Saturday. 
 
The Profs improve to 11-7 overall and they are 9-2 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). The Gothic Knights have a 4-14 record and a 1-10 conference mark. 
 
Guard Alexis Kriley (so. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) led Rowan with 22 points and six rebounds. Center Ayanna Johnson (fr. Ewing, NJ/The Pennington School) had 14 points and grabbed 19 boards. Guards Olivia Rulon (sr. Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) and Dominique Peters (jr. Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) each scored 11 points. Peters collected nine rebounds and had two blocks. Forward Paige Caldwell (so. Woodstown, NJ/Woodstown) recorded a career-high 10 points and totaled eight boards. 
 
For New Jersey City, guard Marajiah Bacon (sr. Neptune, NJ/Neptune) had a game-high 31 points and 11 rebounds. Her 31 points eclipsed the NJAC All-Time scoring record of 2,048 points. Marajiah Bacon has a career total of 2,052 points. Guard Miesha Bacon (sr. Neptune, NJ/Neptune) followed with 18 points and four steals. Forward Zyearah Taylor-Gaston (fr. Jersey City, NJ/Marist) added 11 points, while guard/forward Christine Bizub produced eight.
 
Rowan led 40-28 at the start of the third quarter. The Profs started hot as they scored three straight baskets to take an 18 point advantage (46-28). Rulon hit a layup and a jumper (9:34) and Kriley nailed a jumper (9:04). The Gothic Knights buckled down and slowly chipped away at the deficit. A three-point play from guard Mya Neal (so. East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech) cut the margin to single digits (49-40) at 6:13. New Jersey City went on a 9-2 run late in the third to trail 58-55 going into the final frame.
 
Taylor-Gaston scored the first basket in the last stanza to trail, 58-57 (9:53). Rowan responded with a 6-0 run to pull away 64-57 with 7:51 remaining. Guard Nicole Byrne (sr. Brick, NJ/Brick Mem.) drained a three, followed by three points from Peters. A three-pointer by Byrne at 4:18 gave the Brown and Gold its largest lead in the quarter of 11 (72-61). New Jersey City battled back to decrease the deficit to four (74-70) when Miesha Bacon made a jumper (2:00) and Taylor-Gaston converted a layup (1:23). Kriley sunk a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to put the game out of reach. 
 
Rowan jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the first with a layup from Johnson (8:40) and two free throws by Peters (7:55). The lead was extended to six (9-3) after another Johnson layup at 4:50. The Profs found their largest lead in the first of eight (15-7) after Caldwell hit a trey (2:54) and Johnson converted a free throw (1:45). Marajiah Bacon made a three-pointer at the end of the frame to trail by five (17-12) heading into the next period. Rowan dominated the second quarter outscoring the Gothic Knights 23-16 to lead 40-28 at the halftime break. 
 
The women's basketball team hits the road as it faces The College of New Jersey on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m.