Mahwah, NJ: Using their ninth starting lineup in 16 games, the Ramapo College women's basketball team took the floor hosting the Gothic Knights of New Jersey City University, Saturday at the Bill Bradley Sports and Recreation Center. The Roadrunners scored the game's first basket at the 17:57 mark of the first half by Natasha Gross (Glen Rock, NJ). The Roadrunner's early suffocating defense held New Jersey City scoreless for the first five minutes and forty seconds, before Kelly Wilson's (Jersey City, NJ) jumper got the Gothic Knights on the scoreboard. Ramapo extended the lead to nine, 11-2, on a Lisa Fischman (Bloomfield, NJ) lay-up with just over eleven minutes to play in the first half. New Jersey City pulled even with the Roadrunners,11-11, following a Latrese McNair (Elizabeth, NJ) steal and lay-up. The Gothic Knights mid- first half run can be directly attributed to Tiffany Boyd's (Jersey City, NJ) entrance in the game. Once on the floor, Boyd contributed five points, blocked three shots, altered many others, and put the visitors up three, 14-11, with just over six minutes to play in the first period. Those three points were part of a 24-5 Gothic Knight run to close the first half. McNair led New Jersey City with seven first half points, as well as seven steals. Tiffany China (West Orange, NJ) and Gross each had four for the Roadrunners, while Keona Palmer hauled in six rebounds, and Kelly Bartz (Madison, NJ) grabbed four steals. Each team committed 17 first half turnovers.

The Roadrunners opened up the second half in much the same sloppy fashion as they threw the ball away on their first four possessions. The Gothic Knights capitalized on the Ramapo miscues, extending their lead to sixteen, 32-16. Bartz sparked a 10-2 Roadrunner run with two three pointers, a lay-up, assist, and a number of steals and forced turnovers to bring Ramapo back to within ten, 36-26 with eleven minutes left in the game. The Roadrunners continued their furious second half comeback as free throws by Allison Beller (Morris Plains, NJ), and Gross pulled the home team to within seven, 36-29 with just eight minutes to play in regulation. The Gothic Knights weathered the Ramapo storm pouring in single baskets in each of the sixth and seventh minutes, and pair of Megan Kabba (Newark, NJ) free throws to extend the lead back to 11. Bartz once again answered for the Roadrunners with a three point jumper, an offensive rebound off a missed Tiffany China (West Orange, NJ) jumper, and an assist to Gross on the wing to cut the deficit to five. Ramapo continued their strong play as the Gothic Knights lead shrunk to a single point following a pair of Keona Palmer (Port Reading, NJ) free throws, 42-41 with just over minute to play in the game. The Roadrunner's missed an opportunity to take the lead, as Bartz once again stole the ball from the Gothic Knights, but missed the front end of a one and one free throw situation. Once again the Gothic Knights gave the Roadrunners an ample opportunity to seize the game, as McNair missed a pair of free throws with thirty seconds to play, score still holding at 42-41. China was able to tie the game at 42 with a free throw with just under ten seconds to play. A traveling violation on Arnese Goodman (Jersey City, NJ) gave the Roadrunners the final possession of regulation. The Roadrunners could not get a shot off in the final two and a half seconds and the game went to overtime.

Ramapo opened the extra session with a pair of three point baskets as Bartz nailed the first one, and Erica Maclin (Teaneck, NJ) buried the second. A Beller steal and pair of free throws pushed the Roadrunner lead to six, before a Goodman three point play cut the deficit in half, with three minutes remaining. The Gothic Knights went on a miniature run of four points on lay-ups by McNair and Goodman, to put their squad ahead 52-50, with 29.4 seconds to go in the first overtime. The furious Roadrunner rally came up just short as a Beller mishandle led to two New Jersey City free throws to put the game on ice. It was a valiant effort, but Ramapo could not overcome the lead the Gothic Knights built in the middle of the game.

For the game the Gothic Knights were led by McNair's 17 points and ten steals. Goodman and Wilson grabbed nine and eight rebounds respectively. Bartz's second half surge propelled her to 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven steals. Palmer added a game-high 11 rebounds. Ramapo falls to 6-10 overall, 2-8 in the NJAC while NJCU improves to 8-6 overall, 4-3 in the conference.

The Roadrunners return to action on Wednesday, January 25th when they travel to Kean University for a NJAC match-up at 6:00 PM. The Gothic Knights will face Rutgers Newark on Wednesday at 5:30 PM in Newark.