Montclair, NJ:  The Ramapo College women's basketball team earned a key NJAC victory tonight on the road 73-66 over rival Montclair State University. Jada Thompson led the Roadrunners with 22 points as the team moves to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
 
This is the first time the Roadrunners have defeated the Red Hawks (1-4, 0-2) since the 2011 season where they also won on MSU's home court. Shannon Burns recorded 16 points and six rebounds while Bridget Cahill added 14 points. The Roadrunners connected on seven made three-pointers while the defense forced 17 MSU turnovers.
 
The Roadrunners jumped out to a 12-4 lead in the first three minutes of action. The two teams traded baskets to open the game before Ramapo went on a 10-2 run. Thompson scored on a jumper to start the run before Olivia Johnstone sank a three-pointer. Thompson then scored the next five points for Ramapo including an and-one play to cap off the run. Ramapo would stretch their lead to 11 on a three-pointer from Cahill with 2:13 on the clock, 24-13 before MSU's Megan Duffy sank two three-pointers in the final 1:10 of the first quarter. The Roadrunners held their lead the whole second quarter and led by ten with 6:21 on the clock, following a made three-pointer from Burns, 31-21. MSU then went on a mini 7-0 run before Alie Wickersheim made a jumper to keep the lead 33-28. The two teams traded baskets down the stretch before a pair of free throws from MSU brought them within one, 34-35. A huge three-pointer from Cahill with 33 seconds remaining put Ramapo up 38-34. A three-pointer from MSU's Kendall Hodges to end the second quarter saw the Roadrunners go into the locker room up just one, 38-37.
 
The two teams traded baskets to open the third quarter which saw the lead change four times in the first four minutes of action. Burns scored on a layup before Johnstone nailed a three-pointer to put Ramapo up, 47-43. Following a three from Nickie Carter, Burns converted a pair of free throws and Lyndsey Ross sank a three-pointer for the Roadrunners, 52-46. Two free throws and a basket from MSU saw Ramapo take a six point lead into the final quarter. The Roadrunners once again had a good start, scoring first as Cahill made a jumper for an eight point lead. MSU then went on an 11-0 run to take a three point lead, 59-56, before Thompson and Cahill made back-to-back baskets to regain the lead, 60-59. Those four points started an 8-0 run that saw Ramapo extend their lead 64-59 with 2:09 left to play. Ramapo held off an MSU comeback as each team converted their free throws down the stretch. Thompson and Cahill each tallied a pair of free throws for a 68-64 lead with 23 seconds remaining before MSU's Duffy sank a crucial basket with 19 seconds on the clock. Thompson was able to grab an offensive rebound following a missed free throw from a Roadrunner teammate. Thompson was fouled, sending her to the free throw line with 12 seconds on the clock. She converted both for a 70-66 lead. The Ramapo defense forced an MSU turnover before Burns was able to make one of two free throws. She grabbed her own offensive rebound and scored on a layup with eight seconds on the clock as Ramapo held onto the 73-66 road victory.
 
The Roadrunners shot 49% (25-51) from the field, 53% (7-13) from the three-point line and 69% (16-23) from the free throw line for the game. Ramapo forced 17 MSU turnovers which led to 24 points for the Roadrunners.
 
MSU was led by Duffy who tallied 23 points including 9-17 from the field and 3-5 from the three-point line. Carter finished with 12 points and a team high six rebounds while Julia Sutton and Kendall Hodges each posted 11 points. Hodges and Trisha Peterson led the team with eight rebounds each. The Red Hawks shot 34% (24-70) from the field, 29% (7-24) from the three-point line and 78% (11-14) from the free throw line.
 
Ramapo returns to action on Saturday, December 4th when they host Stockton University in a NJAC conference game at 3pm.