EWING, N.J. (12/6/06) - Junior center Chari' Cooper came off the bench and scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Kean University women's basketball team over The college of New Jersey in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening.Cooper tallied 14 second-half points, as the Cougars (6-0, 2-0 NJAC) clawed their back from a 37-29 halftime deficit. For TCNJ (4-3, 1-1 NJAC), sophomore center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, N.J.) scored a game and career high 20 points.

TCNJ held the eight-point lead at the break after shooting an impressive 50.0% from the floor (14-28) and 57.1% from three-point range (4-7) in the opening half. Sophomore guard Lisa Koch (Oak Ridge, N.J.) led the Lions at the break with 10 points, including a pair of three pointers.

Kean sophomore guard Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.) had 12 of her 14 points in the first half to lead the Cougars, while adding five first half rebounds.

Kean tied the action in the second half at 51-51, as freshman guard Alysha Taylor (Galloway, N.J.) hit a three-pointer in the right corner at 11:07. After a series of ties and lead changes, Kean would take a 62-59 lead at 4:59, and senior forward Ebony Allen (Camden, N.J.) hit a lay-up with 3:47 remaining in the game to spot the Cougars to a 64-59 lead.

A jumper by sophomore guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) helped Kean to a 66-61 lead, before Klimowicz hit a pair of free throws to end the Lion scoring drought.

Klimowicz would hit four straight free throws and jumper over the last 2:30 of the game to pull TCNJ within four, trailing 69-65 with 53 seconds left to play.

Jackson added seven assists and five steals in the victory, while Beyruti finished the game with 11 points, three assists. Allen hit 5-of-6 shots from the floor en-route to a season-high 13 points.

The Cougars returned to action on Saturday, December 9, when they traveled to Jersey City, N.J., to take on New Jersey City University in NJAC action at 6 p.m.