Mahwah, NJ: The Kean University women's basketball team won a key NJAC contest tonight at the Bradley Center over Ramapo College, 66-62. The Cougars improve to 13-6 overall and 10-2 in the NJAC while the Roadrunners move to 12-7 overall and 84 in the conference.
Kean used back-to-back free throws from Brittany Graff and Riley Ahrens to take a one point lead in the first quarter, 11-10, which started a 13-0 run for the Cougars which gave them a ten point lead. Kean took a 20-12 lead into the second quarter before Ramapo came back to shrink the lead to four points four different times in the second while Kean responded. Back-to-back three-pointers from
Jackie Ventricelli and a free throw from
Olivia Johnstone shrunk the Cougar lead to six heading into halftime, 37-31. The two teams traded baskets to open the third before Kean went on a 10-3 run for a thirteen point lead with less than five minutes on the clock. Kean maintained a double digit lead through the end of the third. A 6-0 run capped off with a Johnstone three-pointer cut the lead to nine with 6:13 remaining before adding four points with a free throw from Shahd Badeer and a three-pointer from Graff, 65-52. A 10-0 run from the Roadrunners cut the lead to just three as
Alison Ahern scored six of the ten points for Ramapo. Ahern's jumper with 1:07 on the clock made it 65-62 in favor of the Cougars before Gigi Gamble connected on a free throw for the Cougars with 13 seconds remaining for the four point victory, 66-62.
Gamble led the Cougars with 21 points while Gaff added 18 and Maya Edwards collected 11. Badeer posted 20 rebounds including eight offensive rebounds while she added seven points. Kean shot 40% (24-59) from the field, 43% (7-16) from the three-point line and 54% (11-17) from the free throw line. Kean scored 30 points in the paint and 15 points off Ramapo turnovers as the Cougar defense forced 11 Roadrunner turnovers.
Jada Thompson posted her ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds while adding five assists. Ventricelli posted 14 points including four three-pointers while adding five rebounds and three steals. Ahern added 11 points and four rebounds and
Shannon Burns posted seven rebounds, seven points and a team high three blocked shots.
Karly Wittenbauer contributed with six points and four assists. Ramapo shot 38% (24-62) from the floor, 50% (5-10) from the three-point line and 60% (9-15) from the free throw line. They posted 28 points in the pain and 16 points off Kean turnovers as the defense forced 12 Cougar turnovers.
Ramapo returns to action on Saturday, January 27th when they travel to Rowan University for a NJAC game at 1:00 PM.
