Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball team played host to NJAC rival Rowan University today at the Bradley Center in Mahwah posting a 65-60 victory to improve to 10-13 overall, 5-11 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Profs fall to 6-17 overall, 4-12 in the conference.

Ramapo opened to an 8-0 lead with two consecutive baskets from rookie Tiffany China (West Orange, NJ) and two more coming consecutively from fellow rookie Khiada Evans (Newark, NJ). Rowan finally got on the board at the five minute mark with a jumper from senior guard Tracie Smith (Milford, DE). Junior Lauren Byrne (Paulsboro, NJ) hit the back end of a two shot foul and Smith hit her second jumper to close the gap, 8-7. The Roadrunners answered with a 10-0 run to jump ahead 18-7 with just under 11 minutes left to play before Rowan's Byrne netted two, 18-9. The rest of the half wrapped up in much of the same fashion with mini runs coming on both ends of the court. Ramapo led by as many as 11 in the half and Rowan finished the first with a 6-0 run to finish just two points, 27-25 behind the Roadrunners.

Evans led Ramapo with eight first half points while Rowan's Byrne dropped in nine for the Profs. Byrne also pulled down seven rebounds while senior Kelly Bartz (Madison, NJ) of Ramapo grabbed four first half steals. Bartz also hit 2-2 from behind the three point arc tallying six for the Roadrunners.

The Profs opened the second half of play with two points from Katie Shaw (Wallington, NJ) tying the game for the first time, 27-27, and Rowan took the lead for the first time at 19:31 with a Brynn DeGroff (Wildwood Crest, NJ) three-pointer, 30-27. For the next five minutes the lead flipped three more times and Ramapo's Alison Werkman (Trenton, NJ) sparked a mini 5-0 run to take back control grabbing a 39-34 lead. With 10:38 left to play, Ramapo led by nine and with just under six minutes on the clock the team posted a ten point, 53-43 lead over the Profs. With 2:45 on the clock, the Profs closed the gap to four, 57-53 before rookie Erica Maclin (Teaneck, NJ) took a pass from Evans and drained a three to push ahead by seven, 60-53. The assist was Evans' tenth of the game for a double-double with 14 points. With one minute to play, Ramapo led by six, 62-56 when Keona Palmer (Port Reading, NJ) caused a foul putting Byrne on the line who hit both, 62-58. Ramapo drained the clock to :24 before Rowan could foul. Evans stepped to the line missing the first of a one plus the bonus foul putting the ball back in Rowan's hands. Smith ran the floor and hit two coming within two of Ramapo, 62-60 with :16.9 to play. Palmer stepped to the line hitting both and Rowan followed with a miss, fouled again, and put China on the line for Ramapo grabbing a 65-60 victory as the buzzer went off.

Evans finished the game with 14 points and ten assists while China followed with 13 points of her own. Palmer sunk ten and Maclin finished with nine while Bartz wrapped up the win with five total steals. Evans grabbed seven steals of her own in the win. For the Profs, Byrne finished with a double-double hitting 4-15 from the field and 10-14 from the line for 18 points. Byrne pulled down a team high 11 boards in the loss and DeGroff added seven steals. The Roadrunners shot 39% (23-59) over Rowan's 33% (19-58).

Ramapo returns to action on Wednesday, February 16th when they travel to William Paterson University for a NJAC match-up 6:00 PM start while the Profs host Richard Stockton at 6:00 PM in another NJAC match-up.