GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University women's basketball team advanced to the championship game of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament with an 82-62 win over The College of New Jersey.
In the other semifinal game, the second seed Montclair State University defeated the sixth seed New Jersey City University, 57-45. Rowan is the top seed while TCNJ was fourth (16-11). The Profs (23-3) host the Red Hawks (21-5) on Friday, Feb. 28 for the conference title. The NJAC champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
TCNJ jumped out to a 17-9 lead after the first quarter. Rowan stormed back in the second quarter to lead 42-27 at the half. The Profs outscored the Lions, 33-10 in the second. They were nine for 19 from the floor (47.4%) with six three-pointers and a perfect nine points at the line.
Rowan had six players in double figures. Guards
Nicole Mallard and
Grace Marshall and forward
Eliana Santana all contributed with 14 points. Marshall grabbed a career high 10 rebounds and Santana collected 10. Guard
Savanna Holt came off the bench and scored 12 points with four three-pointers.
Guard
Paige Caldwell added 11 points with three threes and was two-for-two from the charity stripe. Guard
Kennedy Brown chipped in with 10 points. Center Ayanna Jonson totaled 10 rebounds and two blocks.
The Profs started the second stanza with a 14-2 run to lead 23-19 at 5:55. Marshall led the way with six points, Santana made five and Holt had three. All three players nailed a three-pointer in the surge. Byrne sank a foul shot (4:20) and trailed 31-23. Rowan ended the quarter with an 11-4 run. Caldwell scored five points while Marshall and Johnson added four and two points respectively. Marshall compiled 12 points in the first half.
Santana's basket at the 39 second mark put Rowan ahead 62-40 after the third quarter. The Profs' biggest lead of the game was 26 points (68-42) at 8:41 after Caldwell drilled a three in the final period. Mallard was the scoring leader in the second half with 14 points.
Forward Shannon Devitt recorded a double-double for the Lions with a game-high 25 points and 10 boards. Forward Jen Byrne produced 10 points while guard Sydney Blum and forward Jane Beiermeister each had nine.
