Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball defeated St. Elizabeth in yesterday's opening round of the 2005 Annual Tip-Off Tournament advancing to play Old Westbury in the finals today. Old Westbury defeated Brooklyn College yesterday to advance to the finals. In the final match-up, Ramapo defeated Old Westbury earning the 2005 championship crown. Ramapo improves to 2-0 on the year while Old Westbury falls to 1-1.

Championship Game: The Roadrunners jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the game before Old Westbury's Jasmine Young (Daphne, AL) got the Panthers on the board with a good jumper at 3:47 to close the gap, 4-2. Ramapo held the lead for the entire half jumping ahead by as many as 14. The Roadrunners ended the half, ten points ahead of the Panthers, 28-18. Ramapo shot 25% in the half hitting 10-40 while Old Westbury also shot 25% hitting 6-24. In the final 20 minutes, Ramapo pushed ahead by as many as 25 ending the game, 69-44 over Old Westbury. The Roadrunners shot 32% in the game hitting 24-76 while the Panthers hit 17-51, 33%. Junior KEONA PALMER (Port Reading, NJ) finished the game with a second double-double for the tournament posting 19 points with ten boards. PALMER also grabbed six steals in the win while DENEE VADELL (East Rutherford, NJ) posted 14 points with four boards and four steals. Rookie TIFFANY CHINA (West Orange, NJ) brought down ten rebounds and rookie KHIADA EVANS (Newark, NJ) dished out a team high four assists. For the Panthers, Young finished the game ahead with eight points and nine boards while Jennifer Hoyt (Syosset, NY) finished with eight of her own.

Consolation Game: The Bridges of Brooklyn College took on the College of St. Elizabeth in the consolation match-up of the Annual Tip-Off Tournament at 1:00PM today at the Bradley Center in Mahwah. Brooklyn placed third overall in the tournament defeating St. Elizabeth, 70-64. At the half, Brooklyn led the Eagles by 13 points, 43-30 shooting 47% over the Eagles 42%. Brooklyn sunk 20 baskets in the first 20 minutes while the Eagles sunk 13 of their own. Rebecca Powers (Brooklyn, NY) led the Bridges in the first half with ten points shooting 5-6 from the field, wrapping up the game with 21 total points, 10-14. Naysheen Collins (Brooklyn, NY) followed close behind with nine first half points finishing with 11 points and ten boards for the double-double. For the Eagles, Jenny Clermont (Jersey City, NJ) posted eight first half points and finished the game with 16 total shooting 7-18 while Mary Doolan (Bayonne, NJ) posted seven points and four boards in the first half and finished the day with 18 points and nine rebounds. Clermont recorded a double-double of her own posting 11 boards in the game.

All-Tournament Team
Brooklyn – Naysheen Collins
St. Elizabeth – Mary Doolan
Old Westbury – Danna Purnell
Ramapo – Denee Vadell, Tiffany China
Most Valuable Player – Ramapo - Keona Palmer