GLASSBORO, NJ -- Rowan battles Rhode Island College in a first-round matchup of the 2023 NCAA Tournament Friday at 6 p.m. at the University of Scranton marking a return to the big dance for the second time in the last four seasons played and the 12th time in program history.

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The Profs won the NJAC Championship by unseating the defending two-time champions New Jersey City in a 79-70 win in Jersey City last Saturday for the team's eighth conference title. All-NJAC selections Nicole Mallard, Grace Marshall, and Danielle McCurdy and NJAC Coach of the Year Demetrius Poles help lead a Rowan team that has won 12 of its last 13 games including a run through the NJAC Tournament. The third-seeded Profs took down Ramapo in the first round, then battled second-seeded Kean on the road in the semifinal before its victory over NJCU in the final.

Mallard is the team leader in scoring (10.7 ppg) and steals (55), with Marshall one of the team's three-point threats (10.0 ppg/32 3FGM) and McCurdy shoring up the paint as the league-leader in blocks (61). Dakota Adams, who recently captured the NJAC Player of the Week honors, has averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds in the three conference tournament games.

The Anchorwomen won its conference championship for the third-straight season, knocking off Eastern Connecticut in the Little East final, 61-52. Rhode Island will be tough defensively, as the team is limits opponents to 50.4 points a game, ranking them in the top 20 in Division III (The Profs average 72.5 points a contest).

The other first-round game in Friday has the host Royals taking on St. Joseph's of Maine at 8:30 p.m. The winners advance to the second round on Saturday with an 8 p.m. tip.